About

Our Case in Brief

The South Carolina Philharmonic has most recently been propelled to the forefront of orchestras in the Southeast with:

  • Record-breaking success of box office sales (15% increase over last year);
  • The recruitment of Maestro Morihiko Nakahara;
  • The sale of more than 1,000 concert subscriptions; 
  • A billboard and banner campaign that increased our visibility.

Building on our recent success, Beyond Measure: Campaign for the South Carolina Philharmonic will raise a minimum of $1,500,000 to strengthen core programs through the creation of a Strategic Initiatives Fund and a permanent endowment over the next five years.

The sustaining income from your investment will enable the SCP to:
  • Recruit and retain the most talented musicians;
  • Build on our outstanding educational programs and double the number of young people attending concerts;
  • Provide sustainability and secure the orchestra as a financially sound organization;
  • Improve artistic quality and offer our audiences larger, more challenging works.

An Endowment and Strategic Initiatives Fund will enable the SCP to:

  • Improve artistic quality by enabling us to offer competitive pay in line with other regional symphonies and attract the best musicians available. We need to increase artistic compensation to keep pace with the industry and ensure that musicians make playing with the SCP a priority. By retaining the best musicians and bringing in world-class guest artists, we will be able to consider increasing the number of performances each season and presenting larger Masterworks programs. This, in turn, will attract critical attention and larger audiences, further fueling the development of SCP’s artistic potential.  Additional funds will also enable the SCP to diversify and expand its programming to attract a broader audience in terms of age, ethnicity, and income level.
  • Increase the size of our educational and youth programs to introduce the wonders of classical music to more area young people. We currently draw 4,500 students to concerts each year, but we can do so much more.  With additional funding, we can also expand  programs that bring the orchestra and individual musicians into classrooms across South Carolina. Descriptions of our important educational programs can be found by clicking here.
  • Reach out to new audiences and expand the scope of our activities to other parts of South Carolina and the Southeast. Additional investment would enable us to take the SCP to communities throughout the state and the region, especially rural and underserved areas. The orchestra would be able to develop outreach programs involving community centers, hospitals, senior centers and libraries, building a larger core audience and spreading appreciation for classical music.  The SCP also could consider new special projects, such as live radio broadcasts or recordings.
  • Achieve our strategic objectives: In 2008, the SCP created a strategic plan describing our priorities over the next several years. After careful deliberation, the SCP’s leadership made a commitment to producing more performances and reaching more people throughout South Carolina and the Southeast.  To do this, we must increase our marketing, advertising, and fundraising capacity.  A strategic fund and a larger endowment will help us achieve these important priorities.   

Our Moment:
The Campaign for the South Carolina Philharmonic


What are we doing?

The South Carolina Philharmonic embarked on a campaign to raise a minimum of $1,500,000 to create a strategic initiatives fund and expand our endowment.

Why?

These funds will help secure the SCP as a financially sound organization, regardless of changes in the economic climate, and enable us to sustain ourselves as an artistic organization, as a cultural asset and as educators.  These investments will diversify the SCP’s revenue stream and generate income when the orchestra is not performing.

Who is involved?

The campaign is seeking support from everyone in the community, including area philanthropists, families, businesses, foundations and the general public. Under the leadership of our Board of Directors, the SCP is fully committed to this effort, the first major fund-raising campaign in our 47-year history.  We will reach out to arts patrons, concert attendees, and music lovers throughout the region. Our Board members, staff and musicians are participating this effort, personally and financially.

What do I get?

A first-class orchestra, better education programs, and sustainability for generations.  Donors investing in this effort will have the satisfaction of knowing that they are helping the South Carolina Philharmonic bring beautiful music to our community today and for many years to come.