Large amateur ensembles such as choirs, wind bands or orchestras are a vibrant part of non-formal organised amateur music-making in Europe. They empower musicians of all ages by providing opportunities to participate in music cultures and express their voices. Research on these ensembles is scarce, and is rarely communicated beyond national networks and country or language borders. Nevertheless, the interest in such ensembles as musical worlds, essential players in music participation, authentic learning environments and working field for music educators is rising.

In this round table session, we want to briefly introduce some of our research interests into the everyday practices of large amateur ensembles, notably involving their musical, educational and social characteristics.

Moreover, we would like to invite musicians, teachers, practitioners or researchers attending the EAS conference to join one of our several break-out tables to discuss:

• (research on) large ensemble traditions in your country or region
• Music participation and access through ensembles in rural areas
• Collaborations between large amateur ensembles and schools
• Educating music teachers to work with amateur musicians

Through this session, we hope to gain a broader insight in the European diversity of these ensembles, the role they play in society, education and teacher training, the current state of research on this topic, and the priorities for further investigation in this field.