BBC Radio 3 has teamed up with Making Music to find the best and most diverse amateur music making the UK has to offer.

Play to the Nation aims to celebrate the enormous part amateur orchestras play in British cultural life. Building on the ambitious Listen Up! festivals (2004 and 2006), amateur orchestras have been invited to send in recordings of their performances.

On October 1st, the Play to the Nation season kicked off with an evening of four amateur orchestras specially recorded by the BBC. Throughout October, following the main evening concert from the UK’s top professional orchestras, Performance on 3 will continue to feature some of the hundreds of amateur orchestras regularly performing throughout the UK.

There will also be the chance to hear highlights of five Pianothons which take place in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, London and Manchester - eight-hour-long piano marathons which aim to bring together amateur pianists of all ages and abilities during October.

Visit the Making Music website for more information."

Four amateur orchestras specially recorded by the BBC, broadcast in Performance on 3, Wednesday 1 October

Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra

Dundee Symphony Orchestra

Kensington Chamber Orchestra

Birmingham Symphonic Winds

Other amateur orchestras featured on Performance on 3 as part of Play to the Nation:

Please click on the links for more information (the BBC is not responsible for the contents of external websites)

 London Contemporary Chamber Orchestra

The London Contemporary Chamber Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3,  Thursday 2 October 

Chester Philharmonic Orchestra

The Chester Philharmonic Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 2 October

St. Clements Wind Ensemble

The St. Clements Wind Ensemble was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 2 October

London Sitar Ensemble

The London Sitar Ensemble was broadcast during Performance on 3, Monday 6 October

Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra

The Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Monday 6 October

Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra

The Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Tuesday 7 October

Solway Harps

The Solway Harps were broadcast during Performance on 3, Tuesday 7 October

East Midlands COMA Ensemble

The East Midlands COMA Ensemble was broadcast during Performance on 3, Wednesday 8 October

Cheltenham Philharmonic Orchestra

The Cheltenham Philharmonic Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Wednesday 8 October

Sheffield Symphony Orchestra

The Sheffield Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Wednesday 8 October

Solway Sinfonia

The Solway Sinfonia was broadcast during Performance on 3, Friday 10 October

Solihull Symphony Orchestra

The Solihull Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Monday 13 October

London Gay Symphony Orchestra

The London Gay Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Monday 13 October

Havant Symphony Orchestra

The Havant Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Tuesday 14 October

Amadeus Orchestra

The Amadeus Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 16 October

Stockport Symphony Orchestra

The Stockport Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Friday 17 October

Nonesuch Orchestra

The Nonesuch Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Monday 20 October

Winscombe Orchestra

The Winscombe Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Tuesday 21 October

Meadows Chamber Orchestra

The Meadows Chamber Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Wednesday 22 October

Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra

The Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Wednesday 22 October

City of Peterborough Symphony Orchestra

The City of Peterborough Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 23 October

The Whitehall Orchestra

The Whitehall Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 23 October

The London Lawyers’ Symphony Orchestra

The London Lawyers’ Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 23 October

Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra

The Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Monday 27 October

Birmingham Chamber Orchestra

The Birmingham Chamber Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Tuesday 28 October

Bromley Symphony Orchestra

The Bromley Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Tuesday 28 October

The Innovations Jazz Orchestra

The Innovations Jazz Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 30 October

Flutes & Co

Flutes & Co was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 30 October

Ealing Youth Orchestra

The Ealing Youth Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 30 October

Yorkshire Late Starters Strings

The Yorkshire Late Starters Strings was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 30 October

Oxford Sinfonia

The Oxford Sinfonia was broadcast during Performance on 3, Thursday 30 October

Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra

The Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra was broadcast during Performance on 3, Friday 31 October

COMA London Ensemble

The COMA London Ensemble was broadcast during Performance on 3, Friday 31 October