Association of British Orchestras

The Association of British Orchestras (ABO) is the national body representing the collective interests of professional orchestras, youth ensembles and the wider classical music industry throughout the UK.

The Association of British Orchestras was founded in 1947 as the Orchestral Employers' Association, primarily to negotiate with the Musicians' Union and other bodies on behalf of its membership, which consisted almost entirely at that time of those orchestras receiving annual funding from the newly established Arts Council of Great Britain. In 1982 the Association took on limited company status, becoming the Association of British Orchestras. It continues to negotiate the ABO/MU Freelance Orchestral Agreement with the MU and represent its membership in discussions and negotiations with a number of other national and international organisations.

The past decades have seen a substantial development in the organisation in terms of its size and its role, which has expanded to include a diverse range of activities designed to support the development of the UK's orchestral life. In past years, the Association of British Orchestras has also developed a role as co-ordinator of various national projects. The Association of British Orchestras has also mounted a number of research initiatives, with a series of important industry reports being produced.