ABO chief executive awarded OBE

Mark Pemberton, chief executive of the Association of British Orchestras (ABO) has been awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in the New Year’s Honours list.

Chief executive of the ABO since 2007, Pemberton has championed the interests of the UK’s professional orchestras and the wider classical music industry within the UK government.

Pemberton said: ‘It has been an incredibly tough two years for the ABO and its members, with the Covid-19 crisis followed hot on the heels by Brexit. I am grateful to the UK Government for recognising not only the hard work I have put in to help the orchestral sector weather the storm, but other achievements, not least securing Orchestra Tax Relief as a vital new income stream.’

Founded in 1947, the ABO promotes the interests of UK professional orchestras, youth ensembles and the wider classical music industry. The organisation campaigned successfully for Orchestra Tax Relief, reducing the amount of Corporation Tax paid by orchestras, and continues to work towards a secure future for orchestras post-pandemic.

Pemberton has overseen the growth of ABO’s membership, including an expansion to include youth orchestras, as well as the development of initiatives including Resonate, a fund encouraging orchestras to perform recent British music from the Resonate database, and Find Your Way, a professional development programme for managers in orchestras and classical music organisations.

Throughout the pandemic Pemberton has worked with the government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport to develop Covid protocols for the performing arts and prepare to lift restrictions.

Pemberton continues to work to raise the profile of UK orchestras, both nationally and internationally, and has developed the ABO’s annual conference into Europe’s largest orchestral gathering.

You can find out more about the ABO here.