Are Orchestras in Need of an Update?

Is the symphony orchestra a doomed relic—or is it simply overdue for reinvention? As classical institutions across the UK grapple with funding crises and dwindling audiences, ensembles like the Aurora Orchestra and Manchester Collective are challenging the old rules and reimagining what a concert can be. With more young people engaging with classical music than ever before, the future may lie not in clinging to tradition, but in breaking it—just as Leonard Bernstein suggested decades ago.