University of Oxford
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An orchestra for today

260504 jane mitchell
04 May 2026 15:00
Recital Hall, Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities
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Free entry, registration required

260504 jane mitchell

As Artistic Director of Aurora Orchestra, Jane Mitchell has been thinking about what an orchestra can and should be for the past 20 years.  Aurora Orchestra has pioneered collaborative work across art forms, memorised performances, new training programmes for players and a programme of work for schools that provides a pathway for children aged 3 - 18 and enables teachers to embed orchestral music in the classroom. 

In this session Jane will explore what it takes to create and sustain an orchestra  - the roles that are needed and how Aurora responds to an ever-changing world to ensure that the creative programme thrives and audiences fill the concert halls. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion on a wide range of topics and also a chance to take a look in detail at Aurora's approach to transforming classical repertoire for different audiences.  As part of this Jane will be working with a small group of students to present scenes from Beethoven and the Dinosaurs, one of Aurora's flagship productions for young children. 

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