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The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra

An orchestra for all seasons

"The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra is arguably the most versatile and active orchestra on the continent of Africa and contributes handsomely in making Cape Town part of a global culture."

The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra is arguably the most versatile and active orchestra on the continent of Africa and contributes handsomely in making Cape Town part of a global culture.

The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, South Africa’s “orchestra for all seasons”, is a financially and culturally sustainable, multi-functional orchestra delivering a world-class musical experience to all communities of the Western Cape. The CPO is one of only three full-time professional symphony orchestras in South Africa and continues a long and proud history of symphonic music since Cape Town’s first symphony orchestra was formed in 1914. The orchestra recently returned from a highly successful concert tour in the United States of America where it received standing ovations and excellent reviews.

Apart from traditional symphony concerts presented in the historic City Hall with its excellent acoustics for orchestral music, the CPO also performs at the Artscape Theatre Centre with Cape Town Opera and Cape Town City Ballet for their opera and ballet seasons. Further engagements include performances with prestigious visiting musicians, “symphonic pops” concerts for special occasions as well as constant collaboration with community musicians and choirs. This all adds up to a staggering 140 performances per year. The orchestra runs a vast outreach and community programme that includes two youth orchestras and grassroots training projects in various townships.

Education through Youth Orchestras and "Masidlale"

The CPO embraces education through its training orchestras, the Cape Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (CPYO), the Cape Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensemble (CPYWE) and the Masidlale Project, a vast grassroots classical music training academy in the townships. The CPYO and CPYWE were launched in 2004 and consist mostly of young musicians from the townships and previously disadvantaged communities. One of its main aims is to transfer skills and create jobs. The CPO believes music is instrumental in bridging the gap between diverse cultures.

Read more about our community development and education programmes by clicking on the Development tab or clicking here.