Youth orchestra co-founder says moving on is ‘sign of success’

The co-founder and artistic director of a youth-led orchestral music organisation has announced succession plans after nearly 15 years.

KATE WHITLEY, who will step down from Multi-Story orchestra in early 2026, said a founder “being able to leave” is “a marker of the company’s success”.

Launching with a car park concert in Peckham in 2011, the organisation has garnered accolades over the years for reimagining how orchestral music can connect with young people and communities, and became an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation in 2023.

In recent years, Whitley, a composer and pianist, has stepped back from day-to-day music-making, with a team of creative leads now delivering projects.

Chair MELISSA WONG said: “Kate has been instrumental in building Multi-Story Orchestra into the groundbreaking organisation it is today.

“Her vision of placing young people at the heart of orchestral music has transformed how we think about collaboration and creativity. We’re excited to build on this strong foundation as we welcome new leadership and continue amplifying the voices that need to be heard.”

Whitley added: “I believe the founder being able to leave is a marker of the company’s success. Multi-Story is now at a stage where those values are embedded in everything it does.”