Making Music’s continuation of support for leisure time groups to commission new music with the 2026 Adopt a Music Creator subsidy.

For 2026 the reach of the project has been expanded – 15 groups will receive a subsidy of £1000 each to put towards commissioning an emerging music creator (in the first seven years of their professional career) of their choosing.

Making Music is delighted to announce the 15 groups taking part, comprising a range of member groups all around the UK, from choral societies and symphony orchestras to recorder orchestras and flute ensembles.

The groups taking part in this year’s scheme are:

• All Sing Community Choir 
• Cappella Slavonica 
• Chester Bach Singers
• Clyde Wind Ensemble 
• Dunedin Wind Band
• Flutes & Co
• Halstead Choral
• Newbury Symphony Orchestra
• North Norfolk Sinfonia
• Norwich Harmony
• vocala  
• Wales Recorder Orchestra
•Whittlesey Concert Band
• Wokingham Choral Society
• Women Sing East

Select comments from groups:

About the scheme, vocala had to say:

Aware that women are still significantly underrepresented in the classical music industry, Sevenoaks-based women’s choir vocala is seeking to engage an emerging female composer for their commission. Initially established to offer those navigating early motherhood a place to sing, connect and feel supported, the choir now has a membership of nearly 40 women at all stages of life. They hope the commission will mark the next stage of vocala’s existence with a piece drawing on themes of community, empowerment and the joy of singing together. 

Wales Recorder Orchestra commented:

Wales Recorder Orchestra (WRO) are looking forward to working with composer Harry Rees who studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. We are excited by the prospect of being part of the creative process to bring about a new piece reflecting our Welsh roots. Collaborating with Welsh harpist Eleri Darkins we hope to draw on our Welsh musical heritage and the unique colour of the recorder orchestra. Our final concert will showcase Harry Rees’ new composition set against other recorder orchestra works and including a local male voice choir. 

Halstead Choral:

It is an absolute delight to be one of the successful groups awarded the Adopt a Music Creator subsidy. This is an exciting new opportunity for Halstead Choral that we’re really looking forward to getting stuck into. Experiencing working alongside a composer, learning and understanding further the creative process and development that goes into composing is a unique experience we’ll cherish. We’re looking forward to getting to know our composer and learning from other. The opportunity, at the end of this journey, to premier a new piece of music that we’ve been involved with will be a special privilege. 
 

Making Music are grateful for the continued support from the PRS Foundation and Philip and Dorothy Green Music Trust to be able to make this happen.
 

Images of the groups participating can be found here.

Bios and comments from all the participating groups can be found here.

For more details on the Adopt A Music Creator 2026 project read more here – and for further information contact [email protected]

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