Adopt a Player

The true cost of Southbank Sinfonia’s intensive 40-week programme is £25,000 per player.

Yet, to enable young musicians to take part and devote themselves fully to the experience, it’s free to audition, every place is free, and every player receives a tax-free bursary.

We believe in making such an investment in these young people at this critical moment in their careers, but it would not be possible without the help of a very special group of supporters who believe in this too.

By ‘adopting’ a player, you don’t have to take them home but you can make a real difference to their prospects, directly funding their place on the programme. A gesture like this enables you to get to know an individual player and forever know you have played a valued part in their journey to the international stage. Over the course of the year, you will see how much this means to them as your player will keep you personally updated on how the programme is helping them to progress. Alongside this, we will arrange individual opportunities for you to keep up with their progress in person. They will also gratefully acknowledge your support in their own professional biographies.

As every musician is different, the joy for many supporters adopting a player is that it’s a uniquely insightful and rewarding experience each year. If you choose to support in this way, we will match you with an outstanding young player whose particular talent, personality and background will be especially inspiring to you. It can often be the start of a lasting rapport too, with many players continuing to recognise the gesture our adopters have made – and keeping in touch – long after they have taken significant steps into the profession. Your gesture is equally valued by Southbank Sinfonia and, in turn, you will not only enjoy all the benefits offered to our other supporters, but be individually recognised as one of our closest Benefactors.

"In Southbank Sinfonia, I have found my own little oasis in the heart of Waterloo. Time and time again I am wowed by the dynamism and skills of its young players and even moreso by their sheer enjoyment for making music. Their infectious enthusiasm and camaraderie radiates from the stage and across the entire organisation, and one can’t help but want to come along on the journey with them."
JOE RYAN Adopt a Player supporter

A minimum donation of £9,250 would enable us to cover in full the annual bursary that each musician on our fellowship receives so they can take part in the programme regardless of financial means or background.

A minimum donation of £15,000 would cover the year-long programme of activity that we can offer to each individual musician on the fellowship to help them transform their prospects and fulfil their potential.

A minimum donation of £25,000 would cover the entire cost of enabling one musician to take their place each year in Southbank Sinfonia.

Some of our supporters enjoy sharing the role of adopting a player. This can be with other people you know or equally with somebody else among our family of supporters to whom we would introduce you. If an approach like this is of interest, we’d be delighted to tell you more. You can also make your donation in one gesture or in instalments across the year.

All ‘adopt-a-player’ donors will benefit from personal contact with a named player in the orchestra and will be able to follow their progress throughout the Southbank Sinfonia Fellowship programme and, often, beyond.  This direct relationship will be facilitated and encouraged by our Development team.  Funds received to support this purpose will not be restricted towards funding solely that particular musician but, unless otherwise specified by the donor, will be restricted to be used to support the full experience offered to all of our fellowship musicians more broadly, including funding bursaries, professional development activities, artistic programming and performance costs.

If the idea of adopting a player appeals to you, let’s talk further. Danielle Robson, our Development Manager, would be pleased to meet you to discuss all it entails and how we can make it a truly rewarding experience for you. Please contact Danielle on 020 3957 4129 or email danielle[AT]southbanksinfonia[DOT]co[DOT]uk.

Annually inflation compels us to raise these figures modestly, simply to keep pace with the cost of living for our young players, and to ensure we can keep giving them the very best possible experience they need today. We always notify all supporters individually of what the rates of supporting players will be well in advance of the year ahead.

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