Paraorchestra
Paraorchestra is a Bristol-based UK registered charity operating the country's only professional large-scale ensemble of disabled and non-disabled musicians, producing immersive live shows, major-label albums, broadcast soundtracks and the Modulate artist development program for d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent musicians.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Paraorchestra does
Paraorchestra is a UK-registered charity (No. 1163725, operating company 07874922) founded in 2012 by Artistic Director Charles Hazlewood and headquartered in Bristol. It runs the United Kingdom's only professional large-scale ensemble built around disabled and non-disabled musicians working side by side; the core paid staff is approximately 17-29 people, supplemented by an ensemble recruited on a roughly biennial cycle. Its primary product is a touring catalogue of genre-defying live performances — including The Virtuous Circle (BBC Proms debut, August 2024), Death Songbook, The Anatomy of the Orchestra (with the Drone Refractions and The Four Sections iterations), Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, Kraftwerk Re:werk, The Nature of Why, Symbiosis (with The Breath), SMOOSH!, and the newly added Music for 18 Musicians — staged in immersive formats where audiences move among the musicians.
Beyond live performance, Paraorchestra operates a recorded-content business through major-label and broadcast channels: The Unfolding via Real World Records (April 2022, UK Classical Chart #1), Death Songbook via BMG's World Circuit (April 2024), the Sky Arts documentaries Reinventing the Orchestra and Beethoven & Me (2022), and the Shardlake original soundtrack for Disney+ (2023). Its technology proposition centres on assistive musical instruments developed in-house — notably the Roborecorder created by musician Liza Bec, wearable sensors and tactile instruments advanced through the 2024 Sony Assistive Musical Instrument Hackathon in partnership with Drake Music, Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Watershed and Pervasive Media Studio — rather than a software platform.
Revenue is generated through four streams typical of a UK arts charity: Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation grants plus multi-foundation support (Esmee Fairbairn, Linbury Trust, Mark Leonard Trust, Bristol City Council, Garfield Weston, John Ellerman, PRS Foundation/PPL), performance booking fees from concert venues and festivals (BBC Proms, Southbank Centre, Concertgebouw, Lincoln Center, Wales Millennium Centre, Aviva Studios Manchester), album and streaming royalties via Real World Records and World Circuit/BMG, and broadcast/soundtrack licensing (Sky Arts, Disney+). Distribution combines direct B2B venue booking through a dedicated programming contact, channel partnerships (BBC, Sky Arts), and participatory D2C engagement through community projects like SMOOSH! that involve up to 50 local musicians and 20 dancers per performance. The charity's parallel commercial thrust is the Modulate artist development programme for d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent musicians, comprising Musicians in Residence, the Ideas Fund (£1,000-£2,000 grants), the Alumni Fund (£10,000 grants), and the Play with Paraorchestra workshop series for musicians aged 12-25.
Paraorchestra firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Paraorchestra
- Legal name
- Paraorchestra and Friends
- Website
- https://paraorchestra.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Paraorchestra is a Bristol-based UK registered charity operating the country's only professional large-scale ensemble of disabled and non-disabled musicians, producing immersive live shows, major-label albums, broadcast soundtracks and the Modulate artist development program for d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent musicians.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Paraorchestra industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts
- NAICS
- Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)
Keywords
Where Paraorchestra is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Paraorchestra business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Performance and Booking Fees: Paraorchestra generates revenue through booking fees for live performances at venues, festivals, and events. They have a dedicated programming contact for venue and festival programmers interested in booking their touring shows.
- Registered Charity and Grant Funding: As a registered charity (No. 1163725), Paraorchestra receives significant funding from Arts Council England, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Linbury Trust, Mark Leonard Trust, Bristol City Council, John Ellerman Foundation, and Garfield Weston Foundation. Additional funding from PRS Foundation Music Talent Development Network supported by PPL.
- Album Sales and Streaming: Revenue from album releases through established classical music labels. Releases include Death Songbook (BMG/World Circuit, 2024) and The Unfolding (Real World Records, 2022). Albums are available for streaming and digital purchase.
- Broadcast and Recording Projects: Revenue from TV documentary series and soundtrack recordings. Projects include Beethoven & Me (Sky Arts), Reinventing the Orchestra (Sky Arts), and soundtrack for Shardlake (Disney+).
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Paraorchestra product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Paraorchestra is a charity-funded orchestra that creates and performs live orchestral shows featuring a collective of disabled and non-disabled musicians. In addition to live performances delivered to venues and festivals, the organisation produces studio albums, broadcast content, and runs the Modulate artist development programme that trains and develops disabled musicians as professional orchestral performers.
Product overview
Paraorchestra is a fearless collective of disabled and non-disabled musicians led by Artistic Director Charles Hazlewood. The organization offers a portfolio of live performances including SMOOSH!, The Virtuous Circle, Death Songbook, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, The Anatomy of the Orchestra (with iterations including Drone Refractions and The Four Sections), Kraftwerk Re:werk, The Nature of Why, and Symbiosis. The ensemble also produces studio albums (Death Songbook, The Unfolding) and soundtracks (Shardlake). Through its artist development program Modulate, Paraorchestra supports D/deaf, disabled and neurodiverse musicians via Musicians in Residence, The Ideas Fund, Alumni Fund, and Play with Paraorchestra initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Modulate: Pioneering artist development programme for D/deaf, disabled and neurodiverse musicians offering residencies, courses, talks, and funding opportunities
Products and services
- Live orchestral performances Live orchestral performances by a mixed-ability ensemble of disabled and non-disabled musicians, delivered to concert venues, concert halls, and music festivals under the artistic direction of Charles Hazlewood.
- Studio albums and recorded releases
Quantifiable outcome
- 445 musicians from across a region participated in The Bradford Progress, creating a 36-hour sonic procession.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Paraorchestra
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Paraorchestra technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Paraorchestra partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.
- Lincoln Center New YorkmajorLincoln Center will host the U.S. premiere of The Anatomy of the Orchestra: The Four Sections as part of the Big Umbrella Festival in June 2026.
- No Limits Festival Hong KongmajorParaorchestra will present The Nature of Why at No Limits Festival in Hong Kong (February-March 2026). The festival's theme is 'All of Us, All Ways', aligning with Paraorchestra's inclusive mission.
- The Breath (Ríoghnach Connolly and Stuart McCallum)coreCollaboration on Symbiosis, a dynamic performance combining folk lyricism with orchestral compositions. The Breath's songs are orchestrated and expanded by Paraorchestra composer Oliver Vibrans for a 20-piece ensemble. Premiered at BBC Proms Bristol 2025.
- Bradford 2025 UK City of CulturecoreParaorchestra created The Bradford Progress, a large-scale commission in co-production with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. The project involved 445 musicians from across Bradford District in a 36-hour musical journey. This represents a major cultural commission celebrating the district's musical diversity.
- Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.majorPartner in the Sony Assistive Musical Instrument Hackathon in Bristol, Autumn 2024. The hackathon brought together musicians and technologists to address barriers faced by disabled music creators, exploring assistive music technology.
- Drake MusicmajorPartner in the Sony Assistive Musical Instrument Hackathon. Drake Music is a leading organization in assistive music technology. CEO Sally Currie participated in the Classical NEXT panel on accessible music tech.
- Watershed and Pervasive Media StudiosupportingHost partners for the Sony Assistive Musical Instrument Hackathon in Bristol. Provided creative technology expertise and facilities for the 72-hour hackathon exploring assistive music instruments.
- World Circuit/BMGcoreRecord label that released Death Songbook by Paraorchestra, Brett Anderson, and Charles Hazlewood in April 2024. World Circuit is known for classical and world music releases.
- Alex HeffesmajorCelebrated film composer who worked with Paraorchestra to record the original soundtrack for Shardlake (Disney+) in 2023. Five-piece string ensemble of Paraorchestra musicians recorded parts at British Grove Studios.
- BBC CymrumajorCommissioned Death Songbook as a broadcast for BBC Cymru before its album release and TV broadcast on Sky Arts.
- Real World RecordscoreRecord label that released The Unfolding album by Hannah Peel and Paraorchestra in April 2022. Also partnered with Paraorchestra to host the Making Tracks recording course at their studios in Bristol.
- Sky ArtsmajorBroadcast partner for Reinventing the Orchestra documentary series and Beethoven & Me documentary film. Originally broadcast on Sky Arts in 2022.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Paraorchestra competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- London Sinfonietta: UK's leading contemporary music orchestra. Comparable in commissioning and performing new and experimental repertoire, but without Paraorchestra's disability-inclusion specialization or artist development arm.
- Scottish Ensemble: Scotland's flagship string orchestra, similar in scale and repertoire flexibility. Comparable in producing chamber-orchestra performances and creative projects, but without Paraorchestra's disability-led mission.
- Manchester Camerata: UK orchestra known for progressive programming and inclusive community engagement. Comparable orchestral scale and touring model, but broader mainstream repertoire rather than Paraorchestra's specialist disability-inclusion focus.
- Royal Northern Sinfonia: Chamber orchestra based at the Royal Northern College of Music, with documented inclusive practice (Paraorchestra trustee Clarence Adoo serves as Education Animateur). Comparable orchestra scale, less specialized in disability-led programming.
- City of London Sinfonia: Flexible UK orchestra with a similar sized ensemble and emphasis on innovative programming and education work. Comparable operational footprint, though mainstream rather than inclusion-led.
- Southbank Sinfonia: UK orchestra and professional training program for early-career musicians. Comparable in combining performance with talent development (akin to Modulate), though without Paraorchestra's disability-inclusion specialization.
- Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra: UK regional orchestra with active community and education programs including inclusive practice. Comparable mission-adjacency through outreach, though significantly larger and broader in scope than Paraorchestra.
Direct peers
- Graeae Theatre Company: UK's flagship disabled-led theatre company producing innovative, inclusive performances. Comparable charity model, mission focus on disabled artistry, and touring/audience engagement approach to Paraorchestra.
- Drake Music: UK charity specializing in assistive music technology and disabled musicians. Direct partner in Paraorchestra's Sony Assistive Musical Instrument Hackathon and a near-perfect operational and mission peer.
- Candoco Dance Company: Leading UK inclusive dance company featuring disabled and non-disabled performers. Highly comparable mission, charity structure, and audience base to Paraorchestra, with shared talent pool (trustee Kate Marsh is a former Candoco performer).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Paraorchestra social profiles
Digital presenceParaorchestra compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Paraorchestra financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Paraorchestra leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Paraorchestra funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Paraorchestra M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Paraorchestra
What does Paraorchestra do?
Paraorchestra is a charity-funded orchestra that creates and performs live orchestral shows featuring a collective of disabled and non-disabled musicians. In addition to live performances delivered to venues and festivals, the organisation produces studio albums, broadcast content, and runs the Modulate artist development programme that trains and develops disabled musicians as professional orchestral performers.
Is Paraorchestra a public or private company?
Paraorchestra is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Paraorchestra founded?
Paraorchestra was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Paraorchestra based?
Paraorchestra is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Paraorchestra make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Performance and Booking Fees are the primary driver. The others are registered Charity and Grant Funding, album Sales and Streaming and broadcast and Recording Projects.
Who are Paraorchestra's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are London Sinfonietta, Scottish Ensemble, Manchester Camerata, Royal Northern Sinfonia, City of London Sinfonia, Southbank Sinfonia and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Direct peers are Graeae Theatre Company, Drake Music and Candoco Dance Company.
Does Paraorchestra have an API?
No public API is recorded for Paraorchestra.
What industry is Paraorchestra in?
Paraorchestra's product category is Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMANAC, Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir), with a secondary code of MPAGABAI, Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts. Its NAICS code is 711130 and its SIC code is 7990.