Orchestra of the Swan bares all

Four musicians and artistic director David Curtis will appear naked on Channel 4's fashion programme How To Look Good Naked in an effort to raise awareness of the orchestra, which this month lost its core Arts Council funding grant.

The idea came about in January, shortly after the orchestra received news of the funding cut. Having been approached by the programme's production company, Curtis persuaded percussionist Tim Farmer, french horn player Kai Hoffman, oboist Louise Braithwaite and violist Vanessa Murby (pictured above, left to right) to join him.

'With the recent loss of funding from Arts Council England we are committed to pursuing every avenue we can to literally help us get our clothes back on,' Curtis said. 'This seemed to be a very timely opportunity to appeal to a vast new audience, help raise our profile and show everyone that we're real people with a sense of humour.

'All performers feel "exposed" and vulnerable on stage so developing greater self-confidence and self-esteem really does help us to communicate very directly with our audiences.'

The Orchestra of the Swan was founded in 1995 and presents a concerts season at Stratford-upon-Avon's Civic Hall. It also performs regularly at Birmingham Symphony Hall, Warwick Arts Centre and St John's, Smith Square in London.

In 2004 and 2007 it was nominated for Royal Philharmonic Society awards.

http://www.orchestraoftheswan.org/

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