To ensure they have the strength and versatility to take on any challenge in future, our programme comprises a remarkable array of different projects, each giving our players the chance to shine.
Some people love the sheer variety of Southbank Sinfonia, and some love particular projects. We are always tremendously grateful to those supporters willing to put their name to a particular venture, ensuring we can deliver it to the highest possible level, creating an experience the players will truly savour.
If you’d like to support a project, let’s discuss the possibilities. You may be inspired by something you see in our Concert Diary, or you may be happy to make a gesture towards whatever ambitious endeavour we’re planning at any given time.
At the heart of the Southbank Sinfonia programme is our Free Rush Hour Concert series. They’ve been central to our story since the orchestra was launched, proposed by our first players as something they distinctly wanted to offer. In the years since, other orchestras have followed the model, but it’s always exciting to see young artists like ours leading the way.
The players themselves wanted the concerts to be free, to draw a diverse audience who might not be so readily drawn by the formalities of traditional classical concerts. Indeed, for many people new to classical music, it’s the perfect way to discover more, alongside the players themselves as they chart repertoire they’ve never performed before. You could not hope for better company than Southbank Sinfonia’s enthusiastic young explorers leading the way.
At every concert they introduce the music, sharing why they believe it matters and opening a window on what it’s like to be part of the orchestra. The friendly and informal atmosphere is enhanced by a complimentary glass of wine on arrival. Years before pop-up bars became all the rage, the Rush Hours were launched with this simple, welcoming gesture.
Sponsoring your own Rush Hour Concert is a great way to put your name to one of the central features of our programme and share our belief in making classical music accessible to all. In turn, we can help make it an evening to remember for you and your guests. You may like to:
Sponsorship of a Rush Hour concert begins at £500 with further options for post-concert hospitality where you and your guests can meet the orchestra’s talented young players.
With such boundless young players, Southbank Sinfonia has the scope to achieve so much. If you’re already a supporter, you’ll know how thrilling it is to see our musicians not only emulate the great professionals, but also set a new tempo for orchestral performance. In dazzling projects like Amadeus at the National Theatre and #ConcertLab, the players rewrite the rules with exhilarating results.
We are especially grateful to a central circle of supporters – an ensemble as vital as the musicians you see onstage – whose conviction and generosity enable us to fulfil ambitious plans like these. This also includes taking the orchestra to new destinations like our landmark visit to Hong Kong in 2015 and first ever trip to Germany in 2018. It includes giving our players the opportunity to play brand new music by fantastic composers before anyone else – like the world premiere of Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s exciting new piano concerto in June 2018. It includes expanding our forces, reuniting our 33-strong fellowship with players past, to take on truly symphonic repertoire as we did to memorable effect in Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast at the Royal Festival Hall for our 15th birthday.
Ventures like this bring fresh recognition and profile to the players and Southbank Sinfonia itself, but naturally they involve some expense beyond what it takes to fulfil our everyday commitments. Still, we’re sure you’ll agree it’s worth it. If you would like to see the orchestra rise to new heights, we’d be delighted to tell you about our current aspirations, and maybe you can help us achieve something unforgettable.
To put your name to a project of any kind, and enjoy some great benefits in return, please contact Danielle Robson, Development Manager on 020 3957 4129 or danielle[AT]southbanksinfonia[DOT]co[DOT]uk.