Community & Education

The Philharmonia Orchestra's innovative Community & Education Department offers a programme of music activity across the country delivered by members of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Workshops, Study Days, Projects and Concerts cover an array of musical styles and ways of making music.

Opportunities include learning to create and compose music, developing performing skills and learning more about the Philharmonia Orchestra, its musicians and repertoire.

The Programme offers the opportunity to meet our players, soloists and conductors at talks and Study Days, as well as play alongside them in workshops and school projects and performances.

The Programme uses the artistic resource of the Philharmonia Orchestra to build links across its residencies and encourage people to develop new skills and interests through the medium of a symphony orchestra.

The Philharmonia Orchestra has a dedicated Education Website, The Sound Exchange, full of information about the Orchestra and ways to get involved.

Projects

Creative Orchestra

The Creative Orchestra project works with secondary school children, the informal youth sector and community groups. Working closely with Philharmonia Orchestra musicians the programme is build around a number of workshops which lead to the production and performances of new works for large-scale ensemble. The Creative Orchestra programme features cross-arts collaborations including particularly dance, film and music technology.

Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones is a programme specifically designed for children at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The project suports children through the provision of a number of workshops in school which develops their basic musical skills and understanding as well as supporting other areas of the curriculum. Teh programme also supports primary teachers in their delivery of the music curriculum.

MusicScape

MusicScape is a project for primary school children in Lambeth run in conjunction with the South Bank Centre. Six schools will work together to create new music, explore music and technolgy and support the professional development of primary school teachers. The creation and development of instruments and resources will form a central part of the project. Children will learn about how sound is made as well as well as taking part in performing ensembles.

Sound Board

The Philharmonia Orchestra's Youth Council, "Sound Board", meets at least three times per year in various venues across the country. Each group covers a wide range of issues connected to the Community & Education Department and helps the Orchestra to plan and develop its work for young people.

Education Music of Today

The Education Music of Today project gives young composers from around the country the opportunity to write for members of the Philharmonia Orchestra as part of the prestigious Music of Today series of concerts which take place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.