Barloworld will be expanding its commitment to arts and culture with a R500 000 sponsorship of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO) in a two-year programme.
‘The rich history of orchestral music in South Africa is an important dimension of our cultural heritage,” said Barloworld CEO Tony Phillips. ‘We hope that, through Barlo-world’s support of the JPO, we can play our part in ensuring it becomes a cultural inheritance for future generations,” he added.
The sponsorship will be a shot in the arm for the ensemble that has become Johannesburg’s leading symphony orchestra. The JPO is a multiracial orchestra that is owned and managed by its musicians.
‘Barloworld’s support for the musicians of the JPO has given us the opportunity to support some of South Africa’s great classical music talents,” said Sara Gon, executive director of the orchestra.
The JPO and its musicians nurture the future talent of South Africa through a diversity of formal programmes and individual contributions. These include the orchestra’s dedicated association with the South African Music Education Trust, the largest project teaching orchestral music to disadvantaged children in the townships of South Africa, and its Adopt a Musician programme, through which the JPO trains young instrumentalists for a career in music.
The orchestra has a substantial and loyal following of music lovers, with a subscriber base of more than 1 200 season-ticket holders and an immense and diverse occasional audience. The JPO has also released an internationally acclaimed world-premier recording, evocative of its world-class performance. In addition, it has released three Live in Concert recordings. All of the ensemble’s concerts are broadcast in full on Classic FM, which thereafter incorporates these recordings in its play list.
‘Through this sponsorship, Barloworld is promoting an understanding and appreciation for the various cultures and music genres in our country,” said Gon.