Between the Notes (BTN) is a group of five musicians led by cellist Matthew Barley. Its strength lies in the breadth of experience that its members bring to projects. From international solo concerts, workshops and composition to teaching and training orchestral players (including the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Sydney Symphony Orchestra), all the members have varied careers at the highest level. This places BTN in a unique position to devise projects bringing together the worlds of education and performance and community collaborations.

Typically, a BTN concert would include a group (schools, universities, youth clubs, audiences, teachers, composers, etc.) performing with them on stage. BTN usually involves the audience very actively, and also works regularly with a comic improvising actor, Niall Ashdown. Repertoire is varied, from improvisations, through arrangements of Prince’s songs and original compositions, to commissioned works by cutting edge composers.

Recent projects have included the world premiere of Heathen Road by Paul Griffiths at the ISCM in Hong Kong for BTN and one thousand schoolchildren, a three-part workshop in Croatia, a performance in the Sydney Opera House, and an appearance at the City of London Festival with violinist Viktoria Mullova. Future work sees BTN starting a five-part community project in Cyprus to bring together musicians from the north and south, and a major collaboration with teenagers in Leicester in association with the National Space Centre and the Richard Attenborough Centre for Disability and the Arts.