GRAND UNION ORCHESTRA

There is no musical organisation on the planet quite like the Grand Union Orchestra.

For nearly 40 years, we have brought together musicians and singers born or brought up in all major musical traditions worldwide to create spectacular live shows, combining music and theatre to reflect vividly the society we live in today.

Pan-stylistic, pan-rhythmic, pan-cultural, pan-everything, Grand Union Orchestra represents a unique and radical vision of multicultural Britain.
— Duncan Heining, London Jazz News

Grand Union Orchestra is the acknowledged pioneer and leading exponent of cross-cultural music-making in the UK.

Once memorably commended for 'making cultural diversity an art-form', Grand Union continues to blaze a trail unrivalled by any other organisation, characterised by its story-telling and the authentic lived experience of its artists.

Our music encompasses Indian ragas, Latin American salsa, Chinese melody, Bengali songs, reggae basslines, West African drumming, Bhangra and Samba rhythms, Eastern European styles, Jazz harmony and big band Blues, always dramatic and filled with human stories.

Many Grand Union musicians and singers are first-generation migrants.

As well as inspiring Tony Haynes's gloriously original music for the Orchestra, they have unique skills and experience to pass on to the second and future generations. This has always been an important part of our artistic practice, and is a central feature of all our work.

In Britain today it is more important than ever to bring people of all ages and cultures together to create work that reflects and responds to our country's ever-widening demographic, creating unity and healing division.

Over the past four decades, Grand Union Orchestra has shown how the passion of protest can be harnessed to music-making of the highest quality
— The Musician, Journal of the Musicians’ Union
Read Andrew Stewart’s profile of Grand Union Orchestra in The Musician, Autumn 2017

Read Andrew Stewart’s profile of Grand Union Orchestra in The Musician, Autumn 2017

Grand Union Orchestra features:

  • Singers from many different cultures worldwide with individual vocal styles

  • Virtuoso instrumentalists from all major global musical traditions

  • Charismatic jazz soloists and powerful big-band brass

  • International rhythm section and glorious array of percussion and drums

Our work includes:

  • The rich sound of the 18-strong Grand Union Orchestra

  • Large-scale performances featuring adult and student participation

  • Fun, practical, and creative workshops for young musicians

  • The spontaneity of our street bands

  • Family-friendly concerts and hands-on activities

As an independent artist-led organisation, organised on a collective rather than hierarchical model, we have been able to continue our work across the decades thanks to the valued support of key funders, commissioners and grant-giving organisations.

We are currently funded by the following trusts, foundations and arts funding organisations: