A Partnership project between an orchestra and Rolls-Royce has been shortlisted for a national award.

Project Ocean, which involved professional musicians from Derby's  Sinfonia Viva working with Rolls-Royce Submarines business in Raynesway to re-energise the team before undertaking the introduction of a completely new business system, has been shortlisted in the Arts and Business People Development Awards, sponsored by Prudential.
The engineers helped the orchestra compose a piece of music for the company and the team-building skills learned were then transferred to the workforce.

Viva and Rolls-Royce are up against four other partnership projects from throughout the UK shortlisted for the award and is currently being scrutinised by a panel of judges.

The winners will be announced at a gala dinner at London's Victoria and Albert Museum on Monday, November 24.

Project Ocean has already won an honour at the Arts and Business East Midlands 2008 awards, in recognition of its success in bringing together musicians and the Rolls-Royce team to work together to compose and perform several percussion pieces.

Mike Saunderson, Rolls-Royce business improvement specialist, said: "Project Ocean has been a major business and IT transformation programme for Rolls-Royce Submarines, directly affecting 1,500 employees and demanding a major change of role for 650.

"To achieve this on time and with no disruption to business performance was an outstanding success, built on the effectiveness of the project team.

"Our partnership with Viva musicians was crucial to building and sustaining a project team with the creativity to solve problems and overcome difficulties, and a belief in their ability to succeed."

Source: Derby Evening Telegraph

More news in Derbyshire