Music - British Council

Cellist from Iraq's National Youth Orchestra in rehearsal for thier debut performance.
Photo by Michael Luongo

Matthew Herbert Big Band headlines Resound

A night of celebration and unique music collaborations at the Barbican - including artists as varied as the Guillemots, Bassekou Kouyate, Justin Adams, Karine Polwart and Music from the Penguin Café – helped to highlight the innovative cultural relations work of the British Council's Music department. The headline performance of the evening was the show-stopping Matthew Herbert Big Band alongside Eska Mtungwazi and the 100-strong The Goldsmiths Vocal Ensemble.

First ever National Youth Orchestra of Iraq is established

A young Iraqi pianist has realised her dream by starting the first ever National Youth Orchestra of Iraq. After months of hard work and campaigning by Zuhal Sultan, the orchestra’s summer school opened early in August for two weeks of intensive rehearsals, workshops and classes culminating in a public concert held in Northern Iraq on the 16 August.

From electronica to jazz, traditional to folk, and classical to indie, we work across all genres of music. The British Council's Music team works with our overseas network of arts managers and partners to plan, resource, deliver and evaluate high-impact arts projects involving professional artists and organisations from the UK. We aim to strengthen the international profile of UK music and creativity, to communicate the diversity of UK society, and to establish long-term partnerships overseas. The Music team also has its own weekly radio show, The Selector, featuring the best new music from the UK.

Children with BBC Symphony Orchestra, courtesy of BBC

Children with the BBC Symphony Orchestra

Selector Radio

Mad Professor in Bogotá

Music Education

Our Music Education resource is a snapshot of education and community outreach work in the UK in the fields of classical and contemporary music.

Selector Radio

The Selector is our weekly two hour radio showcasing the best in contemporary music - check the website for podcasts, videos and audio streams.

Incubator

Incubator is bringing cutting-edge UK musical talent to Latin America and the Caribbean by developing a network of music producers.

HOW WE WORK

We are a cultural relations agency so our work in music aims to engage with people and audiences all over the world, drawing them into a closer relationship with the UK. You can find out more about how and with whom we work here.

Current Activity

Every year we support a wide range of music projects globally, from collaborative performances and workshops to full-scale music events. Find out about our recent work.

Music Publications and Resources

Looking for information about UK music? You can download British Council music publications, find out about forthcoming UK music events, or check out links to UK music and lifestyle magazines.

Music Education

Find specialist information on music education and community outreach work in the UK in our Music Education resource.