Orchestras for All is delighted to announce Lucy Hale has been appointed its inaugural Young
Composer-in-Residence for the 2019-2020 season. Hale will work with the 100 young members of the
National Orchestra for All (NOFA) to create a brand new piece of music to be premièred at the
spectacular season finale concert on 9 April 2020 at LSO St Luke’s in London.
NOFA – the flagship ensemble of youth music charity Orchestras for All – is a unique orchestra made
up of 100 young musicians aged 11-18 from across all four nations of the UK. It is the only non-
auditioned, free to participate national youth orchestra of its kind. Young musicians are not
auditioned or charged fees, but instead are nominated by music teachers, social workers and partner
charities for showing dedication and commitment to music in the face of challenging circumstances.
Many live with disabilities or chronic health conditions, have caring responsibilities, face socio-
economic deprivation or rural isolation, or come from areas where they simply wouldn’t be able to
afford to participate in music without NOFA. Performing, learning and playing music together has
been proven by leading academics to have a huge impact on young people, developing social skills,
team work and confidence. Orchestras for All aims to ensure all young people aged 11-18 can access
these life-changing opportunities.
The new piece will form a central part of this unique youth orchestra’s 2019-2020 season which is
entitled My Roots, Our Routes, exploring music that has been inspired and influenced by human
migrations and journeys. The piece will take its inspiration from the idea of The Silk Road by Land
and Sea, exploring aspects of the music of the countries along the Silk Road in two movements, one
representing the land route, the other representing the sea route. Hale will lead NOFA through two
days of collaborative composition workshops in Liverpool on 23-24 November 2019, supported by
NOFA’s team of experienced orchestral tutors, before fully orchestrating the piece for rehearsals and
performance in London on 7-9 April 2020.
Originally from London, Hale attended the Royal College of Music Junior Department as a principal
study composer between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. She is currently nearing the end of her
studies for a Master of Music in Composition at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she
completed her Bachelor’s degree with honours in 2017. She is also a trainee Associate Musician with
Drake Music, working on the delivery of composition workshops with young disabled people in
Liverpool, and was the inaugural Young Composer-in-Association with BSO Resound, the
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s disabled-led ensemble.
Hale says: “Music has had a huge positive impact on my life, and as a disabled person, it has not
always been easy for me to access. I believe passionately in OFA’s mission to bring high quality
musical experiences to young people in challenging circumstances. I’m looking forward to exploring
a fascinating subject and crafting a new piece with and for a diverse group of committed and
enthusiastic young people and, I hope, playing a small part in showing those young people that music
is for everyone.”
Steven Smith, NOFA’s Programme Manager, commented: “We’re over the moon to be working with
Lucy this year. We received an amazing selection of entries for our Call for Proposals earlier this
year, but Lucy’s stood out for her plans for engaging the young musicians in her creative process.
We’re looking forward to spending two days with her at our upcoming Winter Sessions, and
showcasing her new work – co-created by our young musicians – at our season finale in April.”
Distributed by Pressat
T. 0207 267 4141Additional Contact(s):
richard.dinnadge@orchestrasforall.org
