Keep the Philharmonia Playing

The Orchestra is a community of world-class musicians. This appeal will enable us to connect this community digitally with our wider audiences and supporters during this period when the concert halls are shut.

 

William Bender, viola, at Music of Today
Esa-Pekka Salonen
Video

Keep the Philharmonia Playing: a message from Esa-Pekka Salonen

The COVID-19 pandemic poses fundamental challenges to live music. We face significant uncertainty as the global fight against coronavirus goes on and the concert halls are closed.

Music can help at a time like this – individually, to find a sense of perspective, and collectively, to connect with one another. Orchestras are uniquely able to make this happen and, with your support, the Philharmonia will continue to do so.

The Philharmonia has always been a pioneer in the use of technology to reach new and wider audiences, and now more than ever we want to expand this area of our work, to keep our musicians playing and to bring our music to audiences in their homes around the world.

Over the next few months we aim, through the efforts of this appeal, to help secure the future of the Philharmonia, as we (temporarily) reinvent what an orchestra is and does.

Support the appeal

Please consider making a donation to secure our future and help us stay digitally connected with our audiences around the world.

Donate now

For our Philharmonia family overseas, donate in GBP from anywhere in the world via PayPal.

Donate via PayPal

Make a difference and become part of our future

We ask you to support this appeal and choose to either endow a section, one of our Concertmasters, or one of our Principals or Tutti Players. You might choose to do so on behalf of a music-lover you know, or even in memory of someone no longer with us. In doing so you will be keeping the Philharmonia’s music playing beyond today’s challenges and for years to come.

To support Section or Chair Endowment, and to find out more, please email Claire Whittle, Individual Giving Manager or call 07983 431 235.

We will work with you to foster a direct relationship with the player(s) you are supporting. In these times of social distancing, using technology to make connections has never been more important. So, we will be using Skype, FaceTime and the telephone to set up opportunities to ‘meet your player’ twice a month, including:

  • Speaking with players about their instruments and life in the Philharmonia
  • Witnessing a practice session
  • Learning a few notes yourself
  • Requesting a short digital recital with your favourite pieces of music

Section Endowment: from £10,000 per annum.
Concertmaster Endowment: £5,000 per annum.
Principal Endowment: £2,500 per annum.
Tutti Player Endowment: £1,500 per annum.

The following sections are available for Endowment:

  • First Violins (£30,000)
  • Second Violins (£30,000)
  • Violas (£30,000)
  • Cellos (£15,000)
  • Basses (£15,000)
  • Woodwind (£15,000)
  • Brass (£15,000)

Over 60 individual chairs are available for Endowment, including Concertmasters, Principals, and Tutti Players, and encompassing all instruments of the orchestra.

Chairs available for endowment

Sections

First Violins (£30,000)
Second Violins (£30,000)
Violas (£30,000)
Cellos (£15,000)
Basses (£15,000)
Woodwind (£15,000)
Brass (£15,000)

Concertmasters

Joint Concertmasters

Principals, Assistant Leaders and Titled Chairs

First Associate Leader (Violin Section)
Second Associate Leader (Violin Section
Principal E flat Clarinet
Joint Principal Trombone
Principal Bass Trombone
Principal Tuba
Principal Timpani
Principal Harp
No. 2 Second Violin
No. 3 Second Violin
No. 4 Second Violin
No. 4 Viola
No. 3 Cello
No. 2 Double Bass
No. 2 Flute
No. 3 Horn
No. 4 Horn
No. 2 Trumpet
No. 2 Trombone
No. 2 Percussion
No. 3 Percussion
No. 4 Percussion

Tutti members

6 First Violins
6 Second Violins
6 Violas
3 Cellos
3 Double Basses

Thank you to our Keep the Philharmonia Playing Supporters

For Section Endowments:

  • Patrick and Sule Dewilde

For Principals, Assistant Leaders and Titled Chair Endowments:

  • Gillian and Lionel Frumkin
  • Mervyn and Barbara King

For Tutti Chair Endowments:

  • AgCoTechPte Ltd
  • The Fernside Trust
  • Saul Nathan
  • Manuela Ribadeneira
  • Michael Stott
  • Julia Zilberman