In 1965, as The Beatles released their album Help! and the UK mourned the passing of Sir Winston Churchill, British culture was experiencing profound transformation.

The Arts Council of Great Britain was expanding its reach, and television was becoming a cultural mainstay with BBC Two starting colour broadcasting in 1965 and shows like Doctor Who capturing the national imagination.

Against this backdrop of cultural renaissance, the Eastern Authorities Orchestral Association (EAOA), later to become Orchestras Live, was established, marking the beginning of our remarkable journey to bring orchestral music to communities across England.

Our Key Milestones

1965

The Eastern Authorities Orchestral Association (EAOA) launches with support from the Arts Council of Great Britain. The association is formed by local authorities in the Eastern Region of England to promote and present professional orchestral concerts to an area of England with low cultural provision.

1986

The EAOA changes its name to the Eastern Orchestral Board (EOB).

1992

Our first long-term residency begins in King’s Lynn with City of London Sinfonia. This same year also sees the implementation of the National Education Project, raising the profile of orchestral educational work that had previously been overshadowed by traditional orchestral performances.

1995

The Philharmonia begins its residency in Bedford, introducing annual family music days, school initiatives, an Adopt a Player scheme, and the innovative PLAY.com digital installation.

1998

A three-year association with our first Innovations Composer, Tunde Jegede, in which we produce a series of new place-based commissions and collaborative projects with a range of orchestras, diverse artists and communities.

2000

We take part in the Millennium Festival showcasing contemporary and rarely performed orchestral works, along with the commissioned Millennium Mass by Paul Patterson.

2004

We secure additional funding to develop a national circuit of promoters for concerts in under-served areas of England. Within two years, this initiative grows to include over 50 concerts with 25 promoters.

2006

Our Beyond the Premiere initiative launches to address the lack of performance opportunities for new works beyond their initial debut, featuring composers such as Alec Roth, Huw Watkins, Sally Beamish, and Gwilym Simcock.

2007

The EOB rebrands as Orchestras Live, reflecting our expanded scope and national focus.

2010

The Lullaby Concert series is created in collaboration with City of London Sinfonia; an interactive concert experience designed for young children and families. This programme goes on to celebrate ten years of successful touring in East Anglia.

2012

As a partner in Music Nation, a nationwide countdown event to the London 2012 Festival, we co-commission a concerto by Tunde Jegede for solo cello, contemporary African dancer, and orchestra, with Sinfonia Viva.

2013

First Time Live is launched, an ambitious touring project across ten locations in England supported by Arts Council England. This initiative establishes young producers and enables them to work with professional orchestras to programme, produce, and present concerts for over 10,000 young people.

2020

The global pandemic sees us pivot to online work, using technology to connect orchestras and communities in unprecedented ways, with initiatives like Share Sound (linking six music hubs with three different orchestras) and online iterations of the Hear and Now project.