Friends FAQ

Our different membership levels offer different features and increasing benefits that help you identify the level that matches your interests the closest:

Friend (starting at £5 per month) – Including priority booking and access to Open Rehearsals, our entry level membership gets you all the essential benefits.

Overture Friend (starting at £10 per month) – Make your membership support go the extra mile and be invited to priority access experiences.

Concerto Friend (starting at £25 per month) – Be an engaged stakeholder and invest in the future of our Orchestra.

Symphony Friend (starting £50 per month) – Invitations to the Members Lounge, personal booking assistance and more: this membership has it all.

You can choose between two different ways to pay for your membership.

Direct Debit

Paying for your membership by Direct Debit is the most flexible option and easiest to manage. This method enables you to make either monthly or yearly payments, and, due to automatic renewal, frees you from having to take action to renew your support every year. The Direct Debit Guarantee protects you and you can cancel your Direct Debit anytime. Due to reduced long-term administration, we are pleased to be able to offer our membership with a £10 yearly discount on all levels when choosing to pay by Direct Debit.

One-off

This is a single payment covering one year of membership. To renew your support after 12 months, just log in to your account on our website or call us on 020 7921 3906 to make payment for the upcoming year. We will be in touch to notify you when your support is due to renew.

If you have any questions or would like to pay for your membership with an alternative payment method, please contact the Friends Team at friends@philharmonia.co.uk or on 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm.

Your membership details can be viewed under the ‘Memberships’ tab in the account section of our website.

Membership number

The Membership number identifies your account in our system and is identical to the customer number you see on your concert and Open Rehearsal tickets. Please have your membership number handy when contacting us which helps us identify your account and answer your query faster.

Membership level

Your membership level shows your current level of membership which signifies the benefits available to you. As the amount of your membership contribution may be higher than the starting amount of a level as enhanced support of the Orchestra, your membership amount is displayed separately.

Expiry date

The date your membership expires. There is a short grace period that keeps your membership active, so you are not locked out of accessing benefits should you have forgotten to renew.

If you have any questions regarding the details or status of your membership, please contact the Friends Team at friends@philharmonia.co.uk or on 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm.

Renewing your membership is straight-forward. If you have a Direct Debit or standing order, your membership will renew automatically with the payment of your membership contribution. If you make one-off payments, you can renew either online after logging into your account on our website or by calling the Friends Team on 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm.

Gifting a Philharmonia Friends membership is a great present to a music-lover in your life, bringing them unique insights into the music and joining a like-minded community. To gift a membership, call our Friends Team on 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm, to arrange the membership in the recipient’s name. The start date of your gift membership is flexible and can be activated on the day of your choice.

You can change your membership online when you renew your support for the next year.

To change your membership level throughout the year, please contact our Friends Team. Depending on your preferences and specific membership status, we will discuss the arrangements that suit you best.

Contact the Friends Team at friends@philharmonia.co.uk or on 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm.

Your Friends membership is a vital support of our wonderful Orchestra with donation portion of your membership contribution, which is eligible for Gift Aid. To enhance the impact of your membership, increase the amount of your contribution. To do so, please contact the Friends Team at friends@philharmonia.co.uk or 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm, or chose to make an additional donation when signing up.

If you would like to pause your membership for a while or would like to request any other changes to your membership, please contact the Friends Team on at friends@philharmonia.co.uk or on 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm, and we will look forward to finding a suitable arrangement for you.

The cancellation of your membership is straight-forward, but depends on how you pay:

One-off payments

As pro-active renewal is required with one-off payments, your membership will expire automatically. Inform the Friends Team that you do not wish to renew to avoid receiving renewal notifications.

Direct Debit

Contact the Friends Team or cancel the Direct Debit with your bank or building society anytime. Direct Debit memberships renew automatically unless canceled. We will notify you at least 10 days before your support renews for another year, to give you time to make any changes if you wish.

If you have a different payment arrangement with us, please contact the Friends Team on at friends@philharmonia.co.uk or on 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm.

With a Philharmonia Friends membership, you get access to great benefits that bring you to the heart of the Philharmonia, which you can make use of in different ways:

Priority booking, access to Open Rehearsals, and no booking fees

As soon as you join the Friends and your membership is set up, you can automatically access these benefits. Either online or when calling our box office, we will recognise that you are a member and enable access to upcoming concerts during priority booking periods, and Open Rehearsals once you have logged in to your account. Booking fees will be automatically taken off your order at checkout.

Meeting Philharmonia players and Friends Bars

Players of the Orchestra regularly join us at our Friends Bars, which we run at most concerts, as well as other member events. Find more information on our Friends Bars, please see the according section of this page.

Member events

We are organising a number of member events throughout the season across London, Bedford and Leicester. You can find an overview of upcoming events on the Friends Hub page. Details on how to attend will be provided for each event and may differ. We may also be in touch directly by email to invite you to events.

Friends newsletter

We will be in touch regularly by email to keep you up to date and share any special announcements.

If you have any questions regarding the benefits you are entitled to and how to access them, please contact the Friends Team at friends@philharmonia.co.uk or on 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm.

Philharmonia Friends have first access to book for our new concert seasons. The start time of priority booking will be communicated alongside the season announcement. To book ahead of the general public, log in to your account on our website first before placing your order or call our box office on 0800 652 6717, weekdays 10am to 5pm.

The Friends bar is the hub of our community at our performances in London and Leicester. Open from 45min before the concert start and during the interval, you can enjoy conversations with fellow Friends, the opportunity to meet Philharmonia players, and enjoy the bar selection. You do not need to reserve a space or table, and you don’t need to show a proof of membership. A member of the Friends Team will be present to answer your questions on most occasions.

London, Royal Festival Hall

The Friends Bar at the Royal Festival Hall is located on Level 4, Green side. Enjoy a 10% discount on the bar, and quick access to the auditorium.

Leicester, De Montfort Hall

The Friends Bar at De Montfort Hall is located on the ground floor in the left alcove from the box office. Enjoy a selection of drinks and snacks setup directly in the area.

We are unfortunately unable to run a standing Friends Bar at the Bedford Corn Exchange due to space constraints. However, we are pleased to offer multiple general activities and occasional member events to enjoy ahead of our concerts throughout the season.

Being a Friend of the Philharmonia means being part of a dedicated community with a strong connection to our wonderful Orchestra. Philharmonia players are keen to get to know our members as dedicated supporters of their work and regularly join us at the Friends Bar and at events. Coming along to the Friends Bar before concerts and Friends events gives you a good chance to meet our players and learn about the music first-hand.

Open Rehearsals are ticketed Friends events. Tickets are £5 per person and can be purchased through our website after logging in to your account or by calling our box office on 0800 652 6717, weekdays 10am to 5pm.

Times and repertoire being rehearsed will be confirmed prior to the rehearsal date, as these schedules are subject to change. We recommend to always checking our website for up-to-date information before attending a rehearsal.

Open Rehearsals are working processes for the conductor, soloist and the Orchestra. Open Rehearsals are not performances. Playing will be paused multiple times throughout the rehearsal to discuss the interpretation of a particular section.

Seating is unreserved, so you can find your favourite seat to follow the rehearsal. However, we do limit seating to the rear end of the stalls to maintain a focused working environment for the Orchestra and players to use the space toward the front of the hall.

You can find and book for upcoming Open Rehearsals on our website under our general ‘Whats On’ section or the specific Open Rehearsal page: philharmonia.co.uk/open-rehearsals. New Open Rehearsals are typically announced and available to book about 8 to 12 weeks after a season announcement in Spring and Autumn.

Concerto and Symphony Friends

Concerto and Symphony level Friends enjoy two complimentary tickets to Open Rehearsals per season. To claim your complimentary tickets, contact the Friends Team on at friends@philharmonia.co.uk or on 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm.

As a Friend of the Philharmonia, you do not pay booking fees when making an order with the Philharmonia. When booking online or through our box office, booking fees will be automatically taken off at checkout.

You are welcome to bring a party of up to five people including you along to Open Rehearsals or the Friends Bar at concerts, unless specified otherwise. For Open Rehearsals, just book the according number of tickets.

For couples and households

We suggest that couples and households intending to regularly attend and enjoy membership benefits together choose a higher membership amount from £100 per year.

Your membership makes a great contribution to the Philharmonia at large, supporting the whole breadth of our work from the concerts you see on stage to our Learning & Engagement projects that energise communities with music across the UK. Thank you for your support by being a member and contributing to the future of our wonderful Orchestra.

We are grateful for your support as a Philharmonia Friend which we will credit with your first and last name if you are a Overture level member or higher. If you prefer a different wording or wish to be acknowledged anonymously, please contact the Friends Team at friends@philharmonia.co.uk or on 020 7921 3906, weekdays 10am to 5pm.