During the time of our residency in Leicester, audiences for classical music have doubled and the residency has proved to be a paradigm of its kind, with an active and integrated local community and education programme complementing performances.

A key part of the Orchestra's residency in Leicester is Orchestra Unwrapped. This is far and away as ambitious a project as you will find, involving every single child in Leicester aged between 7-11 to have the chance to hear the Philharmonia (combined with a range of state-of-the-art teaching resources). The project is due to finish in 2015. Click on the links to find out more, including how you can support.

In tandem with its concert season, the work of the Orchestra's Education Department is going from strength to strength. The Orchestra was honoured to be part of the opening ceremony for the Special Olympics in July 2009, where Philharmonia brass and percussion players performed a fanfare alongside two youth brass bands and children from five Leicester SEN schools who had also helped compose it. A total of 145 performers for this piece alone made it an incredibly and memorable occasion, and one with which the Philharmonia is proud to have been involved.

In 2009, the Orchestra was delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with the University of Leicester. From October of that year, students have been able to have individual instrument lessons with members of the Orchestra as part of the University's music scholarship system; the University's various orchestras and bands will be able to invite Philharmonia members along for rehearsal advice; and other events for students based around the Orchestra's concert season are already being planned.

In the same year, the Orchestra worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, working in local primary schools to explore drama and music in Romeo and Juliet. As well as this, Leicester was one of two cities in the UK to host the Re-Rite, full details of which can be found at the side of this page.

With another concert season featuring some of the most sought-after artists in the classical music world in addition to these projects, the Philharmonia is immensely looking forward to continuing its Leicester residency: thank you to every single audience member and project participant for all of your support.