ch est ras ▁( AB O ) ▁exists ▁to ▁support , ▁promote ▁and ▁advance ▁the ▁interests ▁and ▁activities ▁of ▁professional ▁orch est ras ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁The ▁organisation ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁as ▁the ▁Or ch est ral ▁Emp loy ers ' ▁Association , ▁primarily ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁with ▁the ▁Mus icians ' ▁Union ▁( UK ) ▁and ▁other ▁bodies ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁its ▁membership , ▁which ▁consisted ▁almost ▁entirely ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁of ▁those ▁orch est ras ▁receiving ▁annual ▁fund ing ▁from ▁the ▁newly ▁established ▁Arts ▁Council ▁of ▁Great ▁Britain . ▁The ▁past ▁de cade ▁has ▁seen ▁a ▁substantial ▁development ▁in ▁the ▁organisation ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁its ▁size ▁( an ▁increase ▁from ▁ 3 5 ▁organis ations ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁to ▁over ▁ 1 8 0 ▁today ) ▁and ▁its ▁role ▁has ▁expanded ▁to ▁include ▁a ▁diverse ▁range ▁of ▁activities ▁designed ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁UK ' s ▁orch est ral ▁life . ▁ ▁Mission ▁The ▁A BO ' s ▁mission ▁is ▁to ▁enable ▁and ▁support ▁a ▁v ibr ant , ▁innov ative , ▁collabor ative ▁and ▁sust ain able ▁orch est ral ▁sector . ▁It ▁exists ▁to ▁support ▁and ▁champion ▁professional ▁orch est ras ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁in ▁their ▁amb ition ▁to ▁perform ▁music ▁to ▁the ▁highest ▁art istic ▁standards ▁for ▁the ▁wid est ▁possible ▁audience . ▁ ▁The ▁key ▁object ives ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁cover ▁three ▁areas ▁of ▁activity : ▁ ▁• <0x09> Connect ing ▁• <0x09> Ch