A community orchestra developing Square Mile-based amateur musicians has received a £5,000 grant to hold a series of City concerts over the next year.

The City of London Corporation, governing body of the Square Mile, awarded the London Euphonia Orchestra (LEO) the grant to help it diversify the local music scene and attract new audiences.

The grant comes from the City Corporation’s charitable Central Grants Programme, which supports community, cultural, environmental, educational and employment projects across the capital.

LEO is a community orchestra made up amateur musicians, mostly working within the City of London. The orchestra delivers three concerts a year.

The group wants to take their music into the heart of the community by playing at varied and under used spaces in the Square Mille, attracting new members, with the aim of recruiting City workers - including those who may have played in their youth.

The funding will cover venue hire costs, rehearsal space and marketing for the concerts.

Dario Peluso, Conductor and Musical Director of LEO, said:

"We are incredibly excited to bring our music and our artistic collaborations to the City of London, now with even stronger energy and more possibilities. We are very proud to be immersed in the diverse culture of this incredible city from which we constantly draw our inspiration.

“There are so many under-used and inspiring venues within the Square Mile and beyond but generally they are too expensive for us to use. We feel it would be beneficial to the whole of the City community to see more innovative music being played in these wonderful spaces.

“We want to encourage those who work in the City and across other areas of London to come and see fantastic orchestral music played by a fun, diverse and committed group. Already through our concerts so far, we have reached those who would never have come to an orchestral concert and we desperately want to grow this so we can welcome even more.”

Graham Packham, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, said:

“This orchestra is going above and beyond to support more people from different backgrounds into music, to improve diversity in the music scene and ensure equal opportunities for all.

“It’s fantastic to fund an initiative that can pave the way for change and encourage other organisations to follow suit.

“Tackling disadvantage across the capital is essential to make London a fairer and better place to live.”

For more details on LEO’s upcoming concerts visit their website http://www.londoneuphonia.com/

The Central Grants Programme is a grants scheme supporting community, cultural, environmental, educational and employment projects in the Square Mile and wider London. These include:

• Enjoying Green Spaces and the Natural Environment
• Inspiring London through Culture
• Education & Employment
• Stronger communities

In March 2017 eight cultural projects were the first to be awarded funding through the Central Grants Programme. They were awarded a total of £47,332 through the ‘Inspiring London Through Culture’ round of funding.

The funding went to a range or projects, from a unique Easter performance about the resurrection of Christ taking place at St Paul’s Cathedral to the expansion of a family festival offering architecturally inspired activities and workshops in the Square Mile.

ENDS

Media Enquiries

Kristina Drake

Media Officer, City of London Corporation

Kristina.Drake@cityoflondon.gov.uk

07710860884 / 020 7332 1125

Notes to editors

About the City of London Corporation:

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK.

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk