Sinfonia Viva Unveils Mobile Venue

Sinfonia Viva Orchestra has unveiled its new mobile venue with a series of free concerts at Derby’s Cathedral Green.

The stage and inflatable auditorium is a unique structure that can tour into places and spaces to deliver concerts, education and community projects – giving audiences who would not normally get the chance to see such work in their own community.

Three concerts were held during the day with a Sinfonia Viva Chamber Orchestra performing a selection of work from such composers as Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert.

Sinfonia Viva has secured a £179,585 grant from Arts Council England’s National Lottery-funded Capital programme towards the £211,000 investment programme to buy the large inflatable stage and auditorium seating up to 250 people.

Having secured the Arts Council funding, the Orchestra has launched a campaign to raise match funding of just over £30,000 to raise the remaining amount, which is being headed by Classic FM radio presenter Anne-Marie Minhall.

Sinfonia Viva Chief Executive Peter Helps explained: “The mobile structure was greatly received by the audiences who particularly commented about what an intimate and informal atmosphere this unusual setting creates.

“This inflatable structure effectively gives us our own venue for the first time and will enable us to take our work out of the concert hall and engage with local communities – particularly rural areas who do not have performance venues.

 “It also enables us to expand our education work – giving more young people the chance to work with and perform alongside our professional musicians in their own communities.

“We hope to announce very soon a programme of concerts which will be held in the structure both in Derby and in cities, towns and villages across the East Midlands.”

Anne-Marie Minhall continued: “Sinfonia Viva believes passionately that great art and culture is for us all, and that their work as an ensemble is to bring classical and contemporary music to the communities that feed into it, to make it relevant and accessible for all.

“It will give a chance for people in all communities, urban and rural, to access performances and collaborative opportunities. It will fire imaginations in people young and old and change perceptions of what is possible in the delivery of truly innovative and original performances of classic and new work.

“This is an initiative that will belong to and serve the community for years to come and I would like to urge you to join me in supporting it. Work that is created here, in this moveable arena of local culture, can resonate around the country and beyond, and become something to be very proud of.”

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