Philharmonic Society Of Orange County

The mission of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County is to foster an appreciation for music by presenting national and international performances of the highest quality, while also providing dynamic and innovative music education programs for individuals of all ages.

As Orange County’s third oldest arts organization and first music organization, the Philharmonic Society has evolved and grown with the community’s changing landscape.

In 1954, a group of music lovers formed an orchestra with the intent to make, enjoy, and spread the love of classical music. Now, more than 60 years later, the orchestra has evolved into the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, a presenter of music education programs as well as concerts.

Each season, the Philharmonic Society presents the world's greatest symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, soloists and international artists, and, since 2006, has presented these performances at the world-class Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, such as the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and soprano Renée Fleming. The Philharmonic Society also presents concerts at other venues in Orange County, including the Irvine Barclay Theatre, Musco Center for the Arts, and Soka Performing Arts Center.

The Philharmonic Society's nationally recognized Youth Music Education Programs, one of the most extensive music education programs of its kind in the country, are offered free of charge to schools, students and parents, and each year reach more than 100,000 students from kindergarten through high school.

The Committees of the Philharmonic Society are the Society's volunteer force and one of its principal fundraising sources. More than 90,000 hours of in-kind service are provided each year by the 500 volunteer members in implementing and evaluating the music education programs. The Committees also present a wide variety of fundraising events, including the Huntington Harbour Cruise of Lights®.

As a key youth program, the exceptional Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble provide top-tier training to the area’s most talented young musicians through multi-level ensemble instruction, leadership training, touring opportunities, challenging professional repertoire, and performances in world-class venues. The Philharmonic Society also promotes life-long learning by connecting with colleges and universities to conduct masterclasses and workshops and providing pre-concert lectures to introduce audiences to program selections.

For 70 years, the Philharmonic Society has upheld a standard of musical excellence that is unmatched in our community. The Philharmonic Society has arranged and funded Orange County performances by artists who define "world class" and set the standard for artistic achievement in our time. From its solid foundation of classical music—symphony orchestras, soloists, and chamber music—the Philharmonic Society has moved forward to embrace world music, multimedia performances, folk and traditional art forms and contemporary music. Today, the Philharmonic Society showcases the very best music and performance our world has to offer. Our Youth Music Education Programs have launched more than 6 million students on a lifelong journey of musical discovery.      

The Philharmonic Society is building on nearly seven decades of artistic excellence and is poised for additional growth. Over the next three years, we'll be expanding artistic offerings and bringing music into the lives of people throughout our community in new and exciting ways.

In the 2020-21 Fiscal Year, the Philharmonic Society began a three-year “Philharmonic Community Campaign” targeted on refocusing our educational efforts as well as ensuring that the Philharmonic Society continues to establishes itself with unparalleled, unique Artistic programming and artistic residencies. This three-year campaign will culminate in the 2023-24 season, the organization’s 70th Anniversary.

Funding opportunities include:
Annual Operating Support: Ticket and subscription income covers only a portion of the real costs of bringing great music to our community. The generous support from members and donors each year completes the picture! Opportunities range from $60-$10,000+, with benefits designed to bring you closer to the music.

Artistic Programming— Opportunities range from $10,000-$100,000 to sponsor orchestras, soloists, chamber series concerts, Eclectic Orange series, Holiday and Family programming. This support enables us to bring artists that represent the highest standard of excellence to our community and to expand programming.

Youth Music Education Programs—Opportunities range from $10,000 to $100,000 to provide general sponsorship or to sponsor specific programs (e.g. Concerts for Fifth Grade) or our Orange County Youth Symphony. Programs are offered free to schools throughout Orange County and bring music into the lives of 160,000 students each year.

Endowment Support—Helps secure the future of great music in our community.

The Philharmonic Society of Orange County serves Southern California in its role as a music presenter, and primarily Orange County for its Youth Music Education Programs.

The unique strengths of this organization come from within: from the staff, the board, from our volunteers and committee members, and of course from our steadfast donors. Our spirit of musical discovery, our diversity both on and off the stage, our commitment to always presenting artists of the highest caliber and quality, and the optimism and work ethic that lies within -- these things give this organization, and give me, the motivation to remain optimistic as we look toward the future.

It is that internal and unwavering organizational spirit that made this position so attractive to me. There are many great presenting organizations, those with talented teams, robust volunteers, and dedicated boar - but the incredible staff and Board of Directors that I’ve had the chance to work with at the Philharmonic Society are like no other, and there’s a reason that many of them have been here supporting this organization for decades.

As we look to the future, I can say with certainty that this organization is well-positioned to weather any challenges ahead. Our volunteer force remains nearly 500 strong, our Board of Directors and staff are committed to our future, and our supportive and appreciative patrons trust our ability to bring them the best in the world, and to provide inspiring and integral music education opportunities for the next generation.