Rolls-Royce Innovative Arts and Business Sponsorship Supports Education Goals

Rolls-Royce Innovative Arts and Business Sponsorship Supports Education Goals

Engineering world leader Rolls-Royce plc has re-confirmed its commitment to East Midlands’ orchestra Sinfonia Viva and plans to further strengthen the partnership.

Together Rolls-Royce and Sinfonia Viva will continue promoting science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects to young people in line with Rolls-Royce’s target of reaching 6 million people through STEM education programmes and activities by 2020.

Both organisations have been working together for 20 years and the company’s support for the Orchestra has been confirmed for a further three years.

As well as continued support for Viva’s concert programme and education residencies there are plans to expand the joint STEM work carried out by Rolls-Royce employees and Viva musicians.

These will build on recent projects such as the development of workshops by Viva and Rolls-Royce STEM Ambassadors to highlight the science behind sound vibrations to year four pupils at four city primary schools. The activities included visualising sound vibrations in a number of ways ranging from playing a double bass to using an oscilloscope to see sound waves.

Similarly, at the Darley Park concert STEM ambassadors also organised family activities - inviting young people to build balloon rockets before the popular outdoor classical music concert programme which was performed by Sinfonia Viva and supported by Rolls-Royce.

The next planned activity will be the ‘Boat & the Blue’ concert, a water-related science, art and music afternoon designed for children aged under five on Sunday October 25 at the Rolls-Royce Heritage Centre. This forms part of the national Family Arts Festival.

 

Debbie Duro, Rolls-Royce Community Investment Manager, explained: “Rolls-Royce and Sinfonia Viva have worked together in a number of ways over the years varying from supporting concerts and educational residencies to Rolls-Royce employees and musicians working on community-based projects.”

“We will continue to embrace the engineering expertise amongst our own workforce and the artistic creativity of the Viva players which, brought together will hopefully ignite young people’s passion for STEM and encourage more to follow this education path into exciting future careers.”

Sinfonia Viva Chief Executive Peter Helps continued: “Rolls-Royce has worked with the Orchestra since 1995 and the relationship has grown from simple sponsorship to a thriving partnership.”

“It is rare to have such a long-term arts and business relationship and is testament both to the company’s commitment to arts and education in the city and our innovative approach to creative work with young people which has earned us national acclaim.”

“We look forward to working with Rolls-Royce to further develop the breadth of work we do whether that is performing on stage, working with young people or using music to bring science and technology to life in new ways.”

For more information about how to support Sinfonia Viva, Tel: 01332 207570; or visit the website www.vivaorch.co.uk

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