Education and Outreach
The most exciting — and distinctive — aspect of the Berkshire Chamber Music Festival is our commitment to bringing classical music to new audiences. Our performers share a genuine belief that music is for everyone. In 2025 alone, we reached around 1,500 people through visits to schools, hospices, hospitals, and care homes across the county.
Our 2026 outreach programme will be our most ambitious to date, focusing on the following areas:
Healthcare and Residential Performances
Concerts in hospices, hospitals, and care homes have become a cornerstone of the Festival. We maintain a close relationship with the Sue Ryder hospice and aim this year to expand the amount of music we bring to patients, families, and staff — including increasing our presence on the wards.
We also visit at least six residential homes annually. Many residents live with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, and we have witnessed first-hand the powerful, positive effect live music can have on wellbeing, memory, and connection.
Schools Tour 2026
Following a highly successful collaboration with Prior's Court School, we are expanding our work in special educational needs (SEN) settings. This year we are developing a brand-new touring show for tuba and clarinet, designed specifically for mainstream and SEN schools.
This interactive performance will be flexible, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of each group, allowing students to experience and engage with classical music in ways that work best for them — free from the constraints of the traditional concert hall.
Across each Festival, we reach thousands of people and are proud to enrich lives through high-quality live music. Our ambitions extend well beyond 2026, and we are actively seeking ongoing sponsorship to ensure these programmes can continue and grow in the years ahead.
If you or your organisation would like to support this work, please call 07753 120341 for an informal conversation.
Our partners include
Cold Ash Primary School
Fir Tree Primary School
Thatcham Park Primary School
Courthouse Junior School
Compton Primary School
St Nicholas School, Hurst
Lambourn Primary School
Winkfield Primary School
West Berkshire Community Hospital
Maitland House
Sue Ryder
Duchess of Kent Hospice
Lakeside Care Home
Falkland Grange
Riverview Care Home
Prior's Court School
Please do get in touch if you would like further information if you would like to book a visit from us this year; all of our visits are free!