We end it with a huge sense of pride and appreciation for our talented musicians, composers, artists, core team, and funders.
To mark the end of a momentous twelve months, we asked some of those individuals to reflect on their favourite moments of 2025.
Rylan Gleave, Composer and Assistant Music Director
"It was such a pleasure to hear my piece ‘Straylight’ in The Concertgebouw during Holland Festival. Paraorchestra always brings it to life spectacularly, and the acoustics and atmosphere of the hall really sparkled."
"The Bradford Progress finale: Being at the centre of a great conglomeration of hundreds of different musicians from all across Bradford, alongside a massive Paraorchestra. Each ensemble (as if they’d been doing this all their lives) was firing its singular music into the ether, like a sonic glimpse of many worlds simultaneously. But then gradually, piece by achingly beautiful piece, coagulating into a single, serene tone, a unison C, which seemed to go on for eternity."
"Attending the RPS awards night was very special for me. It felt like Paraorchestra was getting recognized for what we do. Knowing the rigorous process involved in getting nominated, meant that enough people have an understanding of the effort that goes into all our productions. Winning the Ensemble Award made me feel like finally, disabled people were getting a seat at the table. My hope is that this opens more doors for members of Paraorchestra."
"Performing at the BBC Proms alongside The Breath was a stand-out moment for me. Hearing and seeing these earthy, emotional songs super-sized by Oliver Vibrans and played by our ensemble was really special."
"The 'Making Tracks' recording workshop at Real World Studios. It's such a magical place, and to spend time exploring all of the technical nooks and crannies was a dream come true. Katie and the team were very generous with their knowledge and I learnt an incredible amount about microphones and recording technique."
"To be able to bring together Suede’s classic catalogue with Paraorchestra’s boundless sonic colours and capacities at our Southbank show was deeply inspiring - definitely a collaboration like no other!"
"Play with Paraorchestra was a joyous experience, utilising a unique chamber group of young musicians alongside our wonderful Paraorchestra to explore new sound worlds and ways of playing music. This environment has allowed opportunities for sharing experiences of different ways of working in the industry as disabled musicians. Inspiring."
