Battersea Arts Centre to feature first women and non-binary orchestra in UK

The UK’s first women and non-binary orchestra, Her Ensemble, will make their debut at Battersea Arts Centre.

Her Ensemble is the brainchild of classically trained violinist and arranger Ellie Consta.

With feet in the worlds of classical and pop, her reflections during lockdown led her to question many of the norms surrounding classical music and the industry.

In 2019-2020 about four per cent of the classical music pieces programmed worldwide were written by women.

Last year, that figure was five per cent – the highest percentage recorded to date, while some of the world’s most renowned orchestras only started admitting female musicians as recently as 2003.

Combining aspects from classical and pop scenes, the mould-breaking group will perform a range of music by women, while doing away with rigid rules and traditions.

They will allow drinks in, interact with the audience, ditch standard dress codes – and with no piece lasting longer than five minutes.

The gig will include music by Price, Morley, Bacewicz, Valverde, Shaw, Meredith and Montgomery, as well as a UK premiere and Her Ensemble’s own arrangements of Bingen, Mahlerand Boulanger.

Guest appearances will feature BBC Young Musician string finalist Elodie Chousmer-Howelles, award-winning film composer Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres and singer-songwriter Caitlyn Scarlett.

The concert, called Forgotten in History, will take place in the venue’s Grand Hall on September 17 at 8pm.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit bac.org.uk/her-ensemble.