Upbeat
From first note to the West End.
An eight-week school orchestra programme that gives young people the chance to learn an instrument, make music together and perform alongside professional musicians.
What is Upbeat?
Upbeat takes secondary school students with little or no previous musical experience on an extraordinary eight-week journey.
Every student receives an instrument and learns to play as part of an orchestra, working with professional musicians to learn specially arranged musical theatre repertoire. The programme culminates in a live concert, where students perform alongside professional musicians in front of family, friends and their school community.
01 — DISCOVER
Students pick up an instrument and start making music from the very first sessions.
02 — LEARN
They learn new skills through practical group music-making and specially created arrangements of musical theatre repertoire.
03 — PLAY
The orchestra grows week by week as students learn to listen, collaborate and play together.
04 — PERFORM
Students take to the stage and perform alongside professional musicians for an audience of family, friends and their school community.
And then suddenly, something changes.
Students who may never have played an instrument before are standing on a concert stage, performing as an orchestra.
“It’s the best project I’ve ever done in school.”
Student, Challney High School for Boys
Meet The Professionals
What makes Upbeat different is who the students get to learn from.
Our tutors are professional musicians working across London's musical theatre and wider music industry. Students work directly with musicians who perform in major West End productions and international tours, bringing the professional world of music-making into the classroom.
They don't just learn about being a musician.
They meet people who are doing it.
Professional musicians become teachers, mentors and role models — showing students what is possible and giving them a glimpse of where music might take them.
“It was great to be around such incredible and dedicated musicians whose passion for their work was evident every single week.”
Upbeat Tutor
More Than Music
Upbeat is about learning an instrument. But it's also about discovering what you can do.
Students build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging through making music together. They experience live performance, meet professional musicians and begin to see possibilities that may previously have felt out of reach.
One student who found learning the violin extremely challenging at the start became so confident by the end that they volunteered to demonstrate the instrument during the final performance.
Another teacher described a student who had struggled significantly in their first week, but after individual support “flourished”, becoming a positive and helpful member of the group.
And sometimes the change is wonderfully simple:
“I love Wednesdays!”
Head of Music, Mark Hall, describing a student who began looking forward to coming into school because of the project.
The Impact
Since 2021, Upbeat has reached 700+ young people across 10 schools, helping schools establish lasting cultures of music-making.
The results are striking.
In the 2024–25 programme, 93% of students reported that they could make a sound, play some notes and read some music by the end of the project, compared with 59% after their first week.
82% said they might be interested in a career in the arts, compared with 48% at the beginning.
And 98% had spoken to their friends about the project.
But perhaps the clearest measure of success is what happens afterwards.
One school grew from just three orchestral players to more than 50 in a year. Others have established new school orchestras, beginner ensembles and ongoing instrumental opportunities as a direct legacy of Upbeat.
“Life-changing. Students saw that they could achieve something that they didn’t even know was a possibility for them.”
Music Curriculum Officer, Essex Music Service
Where Could Music Take You?
For some students, Upbeat is the first time they have ever played an instrument.
For others, it becomes the beginning of something much bigger.
Students have told us that Upbeat has:
“Boosted my confidence.”
“Inspired me to continue with performing arts.”
“Inspired me to potentially do music for GCSE.”
“Inspired me even more to pursue my dreams of becoming a musician.”
And one Year 8 student put it beautifully:
“It made me more interested in music than I was before and possibly a career in it in the future.”
THE JOURNEY DOESN'T END AFTER EIGHT WEEKS
Upbeat is designed to leave something behind.
Schools receive advice, resources and support to continue developing their orchestras and music provision, while students are encouraged to continue making music through lessons, ensembles and further opportunities.
The aim isn't simply to create one great concert.
It's to start something that lasts.