PRS for Music Foundation — Resonate
Overview
Resonate is a targeted initiative by PRS for Music Foundation, designed to address a specific gap in the orchestral ecosystem: the relatively limited circulation of recent British repertoire. By providing funding and resources, it encourages professional orchestras to integrate works from the past quarter-century into their programming, thereby fostering repeated performances, recordings, and broadcasts. The fund operates on the premise that sustained engagement with contemporary pieces is essential for their survival and evolution within the canon. The program is open to professional orchestras in the UK, with the aim of supporting the best British music written in the last 25 years. While the exact financial parameters and application deadlines are not specified in the provided information, the fund's existence signals a commitment to the vitality of contemporary orchestral music. It is not a commissioning scheme but rather a mechanism to extend the life of existing works, ensuring they are heard beyond premieres and enter the standard repertoire. Curatorially, Resonate is about legacy and curation. It empowers orchestras to act as curators of their own repertoire, selecting works that merit repeated hearings. The fund's emphasis on performances, recordings, and broadcasts suggests a holistic approach to dissemination, recognizing that a work's impact is amplified through multiple formats. For composers, this represents a pathway to sustained visibility; for orchestras, it is an opportunity to deepen their engagement with living British composers and to contribute to the historical record.