A ground-breaking project that brings together people from isolated communities to make music has taken the top prize at an international education awards ceremony in the USA.

The Online Orchestra, a research project at Falmouth University, explores how the internet can give children and amateur musicians living in remote communities the same opportunities to play in an orchestra as those who are in larger towns and cities.

The initiative won gold for the arts and humanities category and silver for the European regional area category at the Reimagine Education Awards in Philadelphia. In total, 1,041 applications were submitted to this year’s awards, with only 120 shortlisted.

Dr Michael Rofe, chair of Creative Connected Communities research at Falmouth, picked up the awards in America. “We want to give people meaningful musical experiences, no matter where they live," he said. "Doing that through the Online Orchestra is very rewarding, but we’re delighted that this innovative, technology driven approach to creativity has been recognised with such a high-profile award.”

Making music together has many benefits; improving musical ability, developing social and personal skills, creating a sense of community and improving health and wellbeing. However, in geographically remote parts of the country such as Cornwall, it can be difficult to access these opportunities.

The aim of the Online Orchestra is to overcome these geographical challenges, to offer the change for people to access musical ensemble opportunities.