Breaking Bach: OAE and Camden’s Acland Burghley Fuse Hip-Hop and Bach

Key Points

• A professional orchestra, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE), is permanently based at Acland Burghley School, a state secondary in north London.
• The collaborative project “Breaking Bach” combines street dance with Johann Sebastian Bach’s orchestral music.
• The residency began in 2020 and has notably improved GCSE music pass rates at the school, from 24% to 77% within five years.
• Students like Jeriah and Emmanuel have deepened their appreciation for classical music through the project.
• Behind the scenes, students such as Harvey have gained skills and career inspiration in areas like sound engineering.
• The OAE’s education programme reaches 17,000 young people annually, many with limited access to classical music.
• The orchestra encourages other cultural organisations to establish similar partnerships.
• “Breaking Bach” has been performed at the Edinburgh International Festival and streams on Marquee TV.

How did the innovative partnership between hip-hop dancers and classical musicians begin?

As reported by Lucy Davies of the BBC, the groundbreaking collaboration started when the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE) made Acland Burghley School in Camden its permanent home in 2020. This placement, described as the first-ever permanent residency of a professional orchestra within a UK state secondary school, has created a unique environment where classical and street cultures blend.

The OAE offices are located just off the school playground, and their musicians rehearse weekly in the school hall. This proximity fosters daily interaction between professional musicians and pupils from Camden’s diverse community.

What is Breaking Bach, and how does it connect street dance and Baroque music?

Breaking Bach, devised by Olivier Award-winning choreographer Kim Brandstrup, pairs young street dancers from the school with the orchestra’s live performance of baroque compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, who composed over 300 years ago.

As recounted by John Reynolds for The Guardian, pupils Jeriah, 15, and Emmanuel, 14, described auditioning and participating in Breaking Bach. Jeriah explained,

“With street dance we’re so focused on hitting the right beats but with classical music, it’s more about flowing with the music.”

He acknowledged that classical music was not previously part of his playlist but has become influential in his choreography after extensive research for the project.

Emmanuel added,

“It’s widened my lens a lot more. I don’t know what’s in store for the future but Breaking Bach has helped me prepare for it.”

Their remarks illustrate how the project bridges cultural divides and challenges stereotypes about “grandpa music,” fostering new appreciation among young people.

How has this partnership impacted students beyond performance?

The Camden New Journal highlighted the story of Harvey, 15, who served as sound engineer during the London previews of Breaking Bach.

“Before I got involved with the orchestra I never would have thought about sound engineering as a career,”

he said. Working alongside the team exposed him to technical fields such as lighting, sound, and cinematography, giving him a “sense of achievement” and inspiring him to pursue new pathways.

Harvey’s growth extended into civic life where he became a youth MP in Camden, demonstrating the project’s wider benefits for confidence, skills, and community engagement beyond music education.

What measurable outcomes have resulted from the OAE’s residency at Acland Burghley?

According to a report by Harriet Walker in The Telegraph, the collaboration has transformed GCSE music outcomes. Five years ago, the music pass rate was just 24%, but it has since soared to 77%, an extraordinary improvement in a school characterised by an above-average proportion of pupils with special educational needs, those receiving free school meals, or care leavers.

The OAE’s education programme now reaches 17,000 young people every year, many of whom would not otherwise have access to live classical music performances, broadening cultural engagement within underserved communities.

How do the musicians themselves view their residency in a state school?

Crispin Woodhead, Chief Executive of the OAE, told The Independent,

“Our story is not just about one school or one orchestra: it’s about how cultural groups can rethink their role in society and bring the arts to the wider community.”

He emphasised that the OAE remains the only professional orchestra permanently based in a state secondary school in the UK and encouraged similar models for other cultural organisations to follow.

Musicians involved reported that working directly with pupils has provided “a new lease of life and source of inspiration,” highlighting the mutual benefits of this embedded community partnership.

Where has Breaking Bach been showcased beyond the school?

Emma Collins of The Evening Standard confirms that Breaking Bach was performed at the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival, one of the UK’s leading arts festivals. Additionally, the performance is currently streaming on Marquee TV, enabling wider audiences to experience this innovative fusion of street dance and baroque music.