The Power of Collaboration: How Working Together Creates Opportunities

My recent concert with the Swansea University Symphony Orchestra and the Credd NPT Music Youth Orchestra got me thinking about the power of collaboration. Since taking over the SU Symphony Orchestra, which is part of the Musicians’ Society, I immediately looked for ways to collaborate. For the first concert I programmed, I involved the Choral Society—something that hadn’t been done even though they rehearsed in the room next door. I asked them to join us, and we performed some excerpts from Carmen. From this, I have continued to collaborate with other performing arts societies. This has led to a successful partnership with the Dance Society, where we performed The Nutcracker in the Christmas Concert; numerous collaborations with the Choral Society, including performances of Halo and some epic film music; and most recently, with the Live Music Society, where we performed Metallica with orchestra. The results have been fantastic. The orchestra's standard improved year on year, attendance at rehearsals increased, and we performed more often and to larger audiences.

Enhancing Value Through Partnerships

With each collaboration, our value increased. The opportunity to collaborate with Credd NPT Music was possible because of the projects we had previously done. When I first met Paul Bewen-Chappell, he was keen to collaborate so his young orchestra could gain some extra experience, especially in the strings. I was looking to perform larger works, building on the projects we had been working on. We helped each other, and we both grew. Everyone won! That’s the beauty of collaborations. Once again, our audience and scope increased. And with it, our future opportunities.

Experiences in Community Music

Having worked in community music in both the UK and UAE, I know collaborations are crucial. Cathays Brass is a great example, where historic links with other community ensembles in Europe led to regular European tours for its members. When I took over as Conductor and Musical Director of the Emirates Community Symphonic Orchestra (ECSO), it was a group in decline. There was a passionate core of people, but issues with rehearsal venues and performance opportunities had led to patchy membership and lacklustre projects.

Revitalising ECSO

My first step was to collaborate with a local school where we would provide opportunities for their students to perform in exchange for a regular rehearsal venue and performance space. I then set about an ambitious concert season where we would perform shorter concerts more regularly. I made sure that content was created around each of our concerts and published what we were doing on social media. People began to talk, and our membership increased, enabling us to start performing more ambitious works.

Successful Projects and Future Opportunities

The next step was to collaborate. ECSO’s founder Fabrice Deniau had always wanted to put on Mozart’s Requiem. He had a relationship with the Dubai Singers, and we organised the project. It was hugely successful, with a sold-out audience, and led to more collaborations with other community groups. We performed Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Dubai Camerata Singers, were invited to perform at the Canadian University in Dubai and by the Sustainable City to perform open-air orchestral nights for the community, and at the Dubai Opera as part of the Holy Trinity Churches 50 years celebration.

Personally, the Mozart Requiem project led to my opportunity to organise the music for the Papal Mass in Abu Dhabi—one of the most memorable experiences of my career and time in the UAE. I believe that if you do good work and always aim to do good things, opportunities come.

Educational Collaborations

In the field of education, I have partnered with other schools' music departments to help grow and develop the programmes I have led. At Ascham, our partnership with St. Mary’s Cathedral School and Michael Wyborn greatly enhanced our Wind Band and programming options. We had advanced players but lacked depth, particularly in the brass section. These opportunities meant that I could plan more challenging repertoire for the stronger players while creating a situation where best practice examples were led by fellow students, fostering a culture of mentorship and high-achieving expectations. The programme improved rapidly, and very quickly, I noticed a change in attitudes at rehearsals. As part of this collaboration, Richard Charlton composed a work to celebrate and mark the occasion, making it extra special.

The Power of Collaboration

The power of collaboration lies in our ability to achieve more collectively than we ever could individually. By working together and supporting each other, we enhance our skills, broaden our perspectives, and create richer, more impactful experiences. Whether in music, the wider arts, education, or community projects, collaboration fosters growth, innovation, and resilience. It builds stronger connections, improves standards, and opens doors to new opportunities. Ultimately, when we unite our efforts, we become stronger, more effective, and better equipped to overcome challenges and achieve our shared goals.