The group undertakes extensive outreach and education activities through the music education charity Musiko Musika set up by Mauricio Venegas and Rachel Pantin in 1998, and now an Arts Council England funded National Portfolio Organisation. Major projects include the pioneering ECCO (Ethnic Contemporary Classical Orchestras), the World Music Academy and Sing and Learn. The organisation also offers training and workshops in world music, cultural diversity and composition for primary and secondary schools, music schools, universities, colleges and music conservatoires from its base at the Lyric Hammersmith, elsewhere around the UK and internationally.
Amongst the other projects in the extensive programme of collaborative projects and outreach work that the group undertakes in the UK and Chile was the September 2009 premiere at the Wigmore Hall of Quimantu’s compositions performed by the Pro Corda Junior Orchestra. Later that year Mauricio and Rachel founded Musiko Musika’s flagship project the ECCO - Ethnic Contemporary Classical Orchestra. The vision for the ECCO has been to create a model for youth orchestras that is truly diverse and inclusive, and which reflects the musical aspirations of today’s young people. An orchestra that is rooted in the community, and which is founded on the belief that the talent and aspirations of young people can be nurtured and will flourish through excellence in music. In 2015 the ECCO toured to Dorset and in 2017 performed and gave workshops to much acclaim at El Sueño Existe Festival in Machynlleth Wales. Other performances by the orchestra have been at the Lyric Hammersmith, Bolivar Hall and South Bank Centre in London.
For more information on our educational work please visit the Musiko Musika website