Orchestras Live
New Connections is a partnership project between Leeds Conservatoire and Orchestras Live.
About New Connections
The New Connections project provides students with the skills and experience needed to lead and deliver creative music workshops with schools and community group, a key part of any professional musician’s portfolio career.
The project is divided into two parts:
- Skills Development
- Creative Project – out your skills into action
This opportunity is open to all students from any pathway.
About The Project
What to expect from the Skills Development Workshops and Creative project.
Skills Development
These workshops are delivered by professional musicians who have extensive experience engaging with communities in music making, both on and off the platform.
You will develop your understanding of music leadership and inclusive practice, both as a music leader and supporting musician. Sessions will enhance your musical toolkit to prepare you for creative music making in a wide range of settings as part of your portfolio career.
This opportunity is open to all students from any pathway!
Exploring Co-Creation
Pete Letanka
8th December 2025
10:00am – 5:00pm
Room 218
- What does it feel like to co-create with communities?
- How is this an effective way to engage people with orchestras and ensembles?
Explore all things co-creation with composer, educator, and jazz pianist Pete Letanka, including co-creating a brand-new project song for this year’s New Connections project.
Develop Your Creative Toolkit
Pete Letanka
9th December 2025
10:00am – 5:00pm
Room 218
- What is music leadership, and how do you lead effective and inclusive creative workshops?
- How do you manage the complex dynamics within a group music workshop?
This interactive and practical action learning day with Pete Letanka will introduce you to an array of musical games, techniques, and exercises to develop your understanding of music leadership.
Introduction to using Music Creatively in Healthcare
Manchester Camerata
10th December 2025
Room 218
- What does it feel like to co-create with communities?
- How is this an effective way to engage people with orchestras and ensembles?
Explore all things co-creation with composer, educator, and jazz pianist Pete Letanka, including co-creating a brand-new project song for this year’s New Connections project.
Introduction to Early Years Music Making
Made with Music
10th December 2025
Room 218
- How do you work with very young children and adapt music making workshops and performances to be engaging and impactful for under 5s?
- What does it feel like to perform to an audience of babies and toddlers?
This interactive and practical action learning day with Pete Letanka will introduce you to an array of musical games, techniques, and exercises to develop your understanding of music leadership.
Creative Project
Following the skills development workshops, you will have the option to become a Trainee Music Leader on a creative project celebrating the conservatoire’s 60th anniversary.
Working with Pete Letanka and a supporting musician from Manchester Camerata, you will be placed in either a primary or secondary school to lead a series of workshops.
These will involve co-creating a brand-new piece of music, learning the Project Song, and rehearsing for the final performance.
As a Trainee Music Leader, you will:
- Observe and support the co-creation sessions
- Lead warm-ups, musical games, and activities with the group
- Lead small breakout groups
- Lead rehearsals to prepare the group for the final performance
The Creative Project will culminate in a concert in The Venue, where the schools will perform their compositions, supported by the combined orchestras of Manchester Camerata and Leeds Conservatoire.
You must attend all three days of the skills development workshops (8–10 December). If you are unable to attend all three days but still wish to be involved in the project, please contact Caroline Hallam.
Student Testimonials
What students who completed the project had to say about how it benefited their development.
Insanely useful. Have learnt so much. My head is now full of games, techniques to get kids to refocus/ energise/ calm down/practice rhythm, posture, melody, everything.
I feel so much more confident in leading children, communicating with them and working alongside other leaders. Most importantly, I have made so many connections through this that I fully intend to make the most of to further progress towards my career.
— 2024 Trainee Music Leader
Being able to conduct a group of students in a live concert environment has developed my confidence in music leading.
Watching other facilitators effectively lead classroom sessions has taught me a lot about classroom management and the tone of voice the students respond to.
This project has also given me great new music leader tools, introducing me to new games, warm-ups, and attention grabbers to help with my profession in the future.
— 2024 Trainee Music Leader