Cape Philharmonic Orchestra

The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) is an orchestra in Cape Town.

The CPO is a financially and culturally sustainable, multi-functional orchestra delivering a world-class musical experience to all communities of the Western Cape. Apart from traditional symphony concerts presented in the historic City Hall, it also performs at the Artscape with Cape Town Opera and Cape Town City Ballet.

History

Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (before 1914)

Before the inauguration of the Cape Municipal Orchestra in 1914, the orchestra of which Ellie Marx was leader was named the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.

Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (1955-?)

After Geoffrey Miller’s retirement as conductor of the Cape Town Municipal Orchestra, he was still asked to conduct concerts from time to time and was nominated first conductor of the newly formed Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra in 1955. This was an orchestra of amateur players and teachers.

The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (1993-1997)

In 1993, The CAPAB Orchestra was renamed the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO).

Productions include:

1992: The Sound of Music (CAPAB Opera)

1996: The Sound of Music (CAPAB Opera)

The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (1997-2000)

The CPO merged with the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra (CTSO) in 1997, becoming the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CTPO). The new 84-piece orchestra performed its first concert in April 1997. Rodney Phillips was Chief Executive (1998 - 1999). The CTPO closed in 2000.

The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (2001-present)

A new orchestra was formed in 2001, under the title of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO). The orchestra is currently known by the previous name of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra but uses the CPO acronym. In 2017, the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra is one of South Africa’s two full-time professional orchestras. The other is the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Productions include:

2015: West Side Story (Eric Abraham and the Fugard Theatre at Artscape)

Community Outreach Programme

The orchestra runs a community outreach programme that includes:

• two youth orchestras, the Cape Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (CPYO, established 2003) and the Cape Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensemble (CPYWE)
• two junior ensembles, Junior string ensemble (JSE) and Junior wind ensemble (JWE)
• the CPO Music Academy, operating on Saturday mornings at Rhodes High School in Mowbray, Cape Town, and offering free tuition to 114 learners in all orchestral instruments, plus music theory
• the Masidlale Project, a grassroots classical music training academy, offering violin, recorder and brass tuition in Atlantis, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Langa, Mamre and Nyanga (Masidlale = “Let us play”). In 2015, the decision was taken to cease operating from the satellite campuses and to operate from Artscape instead.
• Conducting studio (established in 2010)

The CPYO and CPYWE aim to transfer skills and create jobs. The CPO believes music bridges the gap between diverse cultures.

Sources

Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) website. https://www.cpo.org.za

'Cape Philharmonic Orchestra'. Music in Africa. https://www.musicinafrica.net/directory/cape-philharmonic-orchestra

Odile Marissa Lesch. 2017. 'The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra’s Youth Development & Education Programme and its contribution to transformation and diversity within the CPO'. Unpublished Masters thesis. Stellenbosch University.

Polina Burdukova. 2010. 'An analysis of the status of orchestras in South Africa'. Unpublished Masters thesis. University of Pretoria.

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