ViVA (formerly the East of England Orchestra) is the only professional orchestra native to the East Midlands. ViVA brings music of the highest calibre to audiences of up to 30,000 people in a variety of contexts and locations from concert halls to parks, from cathedrals to colleges, whilst gaining a reputation for its integrated approach to concert-giving, outreach and audience development.

The key to ViVA's success lies in its ability to identify and cater for the needs of different groups. Education projects in the community are a core element of ViVA's activity. The orchestra is widely respected for the high-quality education work it does with schools, colleges, arts organisations, special needs groups and the wider community. A rich variety of projects combine to make up the orchestra's education commitment. These range from repertoire-linked events based on new and traditional orchestral works such as Carnival of the Animals, to creative workshops led by composers and professionals from ViVA where participants devise and perform new music. Sold-out schools performances involving combined choirs and enthusiastic audience participation regularly attract audiences in excess of a thousand, testifying to the quality of the musicianship.

The education of people in the workplace is catered for too, with ViVA musicians and employees using music as a tool to address management and training issues. Alongside full orchestral performances, smaller groups from within the orchestra provide access to classical music for many communities in more rural areas.