OXFORD PHILOMUSICA

Education work outside of the concert hall is absolutely central to the mission of the Oxford Philomusica, the professional symphony orchestra in residence at the University of Oxford. This covers the complete spectrum, from providing tuition and performance opportunities to the young musically gifted, to taking music into areas of economic and social deprivation which otherwise have no opportunity to experience any form of live music.

We have an annual international piano festival which provides masterclass opportunities with leading international piano pedagogoes to talented young pianists from all over the world, on the verge of professional careers.

Our annual Residency programme with Oxford University provides workshops, masterclasses and performance opportunities to young music students. We work closely with the County Music Service, again providing tuition and performance opportunities, and we also run an annual concerto competition for talented young musicians in the county.

We hold regular workshops in local schools, especially in the more deprived areas of the city, where we carry out music projects with children who have had no exposure to music making at all. We also work regularly with local special schools for seriously emotionally disturbed children where the work we do is acknowledged to have significant therapeutic benefits.

Our regular family concerts for young children up to about 5, providing a fun introduction to symphonic music, always attract a large enthusiastic young audience.

Finally we do extensive work in local hospitals where again our work is recognised as making an important contribution to the wellbeing of the patients.