Chineke! Orchestra
‘Championing change and celebrating diversity in classical music’
Founded in 2015 by Chi-chi Nwanoku CBE, the Chineke! Orchestra is Europe’s first majority Black and ethnically diverse orchestra.
Chineke!’s motto is: ‘Championing change and celebrating diversity in classical music’. Chineke! performs standard orchestral repertoire along with the works of Black and ethnically diverse composers both past and present.
After its launch concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in September 2015, the Chineke! Orchestra was appointed as an Associate Orchestra of the Southbank Centre, and became a Resident Orchestra here in 2022.
The Chineke! Orchestra works closely with its sister ensemble, the Chineke! Junior Orchestra, a youth orchestra of Black and ethnically diverse players aged between 11 and 22, with senior players acting as mentors, teachers and role models to the young musicians.
The youth orchestra gives junior players experience, encouragement and confidence during their formative years, with the hope of increasing the number of Black and ethnically diverse candidates currently studying music at third level.
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