PRS Foundation’s Resonate re-opens for applications from UK Orchestras to programme and perform the best UK orchestral works of the last 25 years

22 July 2022 - Press release

PRS Foundation announces today the re-opening of its Resonate initiative, which encourages professional orchestras to programme into their repertoire the best pieces of UK orchestral music from the past 25 years. Resonate is a partnership between PRS Foundation, the Association of British Orchestras (ABO) and broadcast partner BBC Radio 3. 

Support of up to £10,000 is available to UK orchestras who want to rehearse, programme, tour or promote a piece of music from the Resonate database which includes the huge number of works commissioned by UK orchestras in recent years. 

The Resonate database is now live and can be accessed on the PRS Foundation website at: http://resonate.prsfoundation.com. 

Support will be given to orchestras who can demonstrate a commitment to presenting high quality contemporary UK repertoire which they will promote with the Resonate brand as part of a season, tour and longer-term audience development programme. 

The deadline to submit an application is: Monday 3^rd October 2022 at 6:00pm 

Launched in 2016, Resonate aims to inspire more performances, recordings and broadcasts of outstanding UK repertoire, as chosen by UK orchestras, whilst strengthening approaches to programming contemporary repertoire for the benefit of audiences, composers and players in the UK and overseas. 

Resonate supported pieces have gone on to be performed across the UK including Aurora Orchestra bringing Thomas Ades’s “Concentric Paths” to Birmingham; City of London Sinfonia performing Dobrinka Tabokova’s “Centuries of Meditations” in Cardiff; 12 Ensemble performing Tansy Davies’s “Residuum” in Manchester; Ulster Orchestra performing David Matthew’s “Symphony No.8 Op.131” in Belfast; the Royal Scottish National  Orchestra performing Gavin Higgin’s “Velocity” in Dundee; and Chineke! Orchestra performing Errollyn Wallen’s “Concerto Grosso” in Southampton.  Resonate support has also enabled pieces such as David Sawer’s “The Greatest Happiness Principle” performed by the BBC Philharmonic and Oliver Knussen’s “The Way to Castle Yonder - Pot-pourri after the Opera Higglety, Pigglety Pop” performed by CBSO to feature at the world-renowned BBC Proms, which aims to bring the best in classical music to the widest possible audience. 

The Resonate database has been created to demonstrate the scope and quality of new music already commissioned by UK orchestras and to give these orchestras a chance to revisit pieces which would strengthen their programming of contemporary British music for orchestras. Pieces that would have been beyond 25 years old in 2020 and 2021 will remain available on the database for this year’s application process, due to the pandemic. The long-term goal of Resonate is to establish a recognised body of works and increase audiences’ familiarity with the music of the UK’s most talented composers. 

Joe Frankland, CEO of PRS Foundation said, “Having repeat performances of new orchestral works is an important part of creating and establishing the classics of the future. We’re delighted to be re-opening our Resonate initiative. Orchestras can apply to programme, perform and promote fantastic contemporary orchestral pieces - many of which have not received the exposure they deserve. The refreshed Resonate database underlines the outstanding quality of UK composers’ works UK and we are looking forward to seeing which pieces are selected to be programmed.” 

Mark Pemberton, Chief Executive, Association of British Orchestras said “The ABO is delighted that Resonate has re-launched. The creation of the Resonate database, and the PRS Foundation’s grants programme, has helped forge a step-change in our members’ commitment to performing previously commissioned works. It has also helped the many composers whose works have been heard once again by the public. We are grateful for the Foundation’s continued support of the UK’s orchestral sector, and look forward to the valuable partnership we have created continuing in the years ahead.” 

Alan Davey, BBC Radio 3 Controller said “Contemporary music is key to the future of classical music – new works and new voices will inspire new audiences and give new vitality to the art form, to audiences and players alike. We know that Radio 3 listeners are open-minded and curious, happy to explore music by composers who are drawing anew on the rich heritage of orchestral composition in the UK. Therefore, we are particularly proud to join PRS Foundation and the ABO once more in supporting Resonate, broadcasting stimulating contemporary music to as wide an audience as possible.” 

Resonate receives additional support from The Foyle Foundation and the Boltini Trust.