ampion ing ▁• <0x09> Develop ing ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁Association ▁of ▁British ▁Or ch est ras ▁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 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁the ▁Association ▁took ▁on ▁limited ▁company ▁status , ▁becoming ▁the ▁Association ▁of ▁British ▁Or ch est ras . ▁ ▁It ▁continues ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁the ▁A BO / M U ▁Fre el ance ▁Or ch est ral ▁Ag re ement ▁with ▁the ▁M U ▁and ▁represent ▁its ▁membership ▁in ▁discuss ions ▁and ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁other ▁national ▁organis ations . ▁ ▁The ▁Association ▁of ▁British ▁Or ch est ras ▁has ▁developed ▁a ▁role ▁as ▁co - ordin ator ▁of ▁various ▁national ▁projects , ▁including ▁two ▁major ▁spons or ship ▁program mes ▁involving ▁the ▁participation ▁of ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁member ▁orch est ras . ▁A ▁series ▁of ▁nation ally ▁co - ordin ated ▁education ▁projects ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁years ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁Or ch est ras ▁in ▁Education ▁programme , ▁which ▁existed ▁to ▁promote ▁the ▁education ▁work ▁of ▁member ▁orch est ras ▁and ▁to ▁develop ▁the ▁relationship ▁between ▁schools , ▁teachers , ▁and ▁orch est ral ▁players . ▁