With the "saddest of hearts", Nevis Ensemble announces its closure
A groundbreaking and award winning musical charity has become the latest victim of the running costs crisis which is crashing in on the sector.
The Nevis Ensemble has announced it is to cease operations, citing “severe funding challenges”.
Since 2018, it has delivered almost 700 orchestral performances, as well as hundreds of workshop and dozens of musician development sessions.
Its vision of “music for everyone, everywhere” has seen Nevis Ensemble remove barriers to accessing orchestral music by bringing performances to the people, wherever they are.
This has seen it perform at swimming pools, schools, supermarkets and museums to a farm in the Scottish Borders and the summit of Ben Nevis.
Its efforts were recognised when won at the Scottish Awards for New Music in 2019 and 2020, and was shortlisted for the Classical:NEXT Innovation Award in 2022.
A statement by the board of trustees, issued on Tuesday, 24 January, reads: “In five short years, Nevis Ensemble has changed the narrative of what orchestras and classical music in general should be doing, in terms of inclusion, promoting new music, and sustainability.
“In 2021 we were awarded the ISM Award for New Music in Covid Times for our project Lochan Sketches, as well as the Environmental Sustainability Award at the Scottish Awards for New Music for our groundbreaking work with the Scottish Classical Sustainability Group.
“In 2022, we established our base at Platform in Easterhouse with our 19 Fellows and set about developing partnerships to ensure the most vulnerable and marginalised in our society could access the benefits of music, particularly in relation to health and wellbeing, social cohesion, and the simple but powerful feeling of joy.
“As a small organisation with a big heart, we are proud to have had an audience of almost 200,000 people across Scotland, as well as more than one million online during lockdown, and changed the perceptions with musicians themselves on what they can do for our communities.”
The statement, issued with the “saddest of hearts”, added: “Sadly, this is where the Nevis Ensemble story ends. Following severe funding challenges, Nevis Ensemble is no longer able to deliver its activities.
The Board of Trustees would like to take this opportunity to thank the musicians and staff from over the years who have embraced the vision of Nevis Ensemble, and especially thank the many trusts, foundations, partners and individual donors who have made this journey possible.”
