The Philadelphia Orchestra is EITC approved!
Artistic excellence—what our audiences have come to expect whenever they hear The Philadelphia Orchestra perform on stage—is not enough on its own. The Orchestra is also committed to serving its community with this same level of excellence off stage, contributing as an active public servant, especially in ways that address and alleviate the many challenges facing our city and that fill gaps in current service delivery.
As part of this effort to address the gap in music education for Philadelphia’s neediest schools, The Philadelphia Orchestration Association has been approved as an Educational Improvement Organization (EIO) by the Department of Community and Economic Development of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Through a diverse array of programs offered by our Collaborative Learning department, the Orchestra serves over 50,000 students, young people, and citizens annually.
Now, we ask you to raise your baton and join us in continuing this legacy of bringing classical music education programs to thousands of area students through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC). Arts and music education are powerful tools that can enhance learning, cognitive development, motor coordination, teamwork, and social skills. Academic research has shown that children who are exposed to music have greater academic success and discipline, are more motivated and goal-oriented, and grow to become more civically engaged adults.
Businesses large and small can apply for EITC credits through a simple, online process. To determine your eligibility, you and your tax professional can access a copy of the guidelines and application at www.NewPA.com/eitc.
Businesses can donate to The Philadelphia Orchestra through the program and receive tax credits equal to 75 percent of the contribution up to a maximum of $750,000 per taxable year. Tax credits can be increased to 90 percent of the contribution if the business agrees to provide the same amount for two consecutive tax years. Sign up today, and help The Philadelphia Orchestra keep the music playing!
EITC gifts can be mailed to the attention of:
Ruth Auslander
Managing Director, Institutional Giving
The Philadelphia Orchestra
300 South Broad Street
Philadelphia PA | 19102
EITC-approved programs include:
Master Classes (K-12 Only)
Held in the Rendell Room at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Master Class series gives music students of all levels, parents, and educators the exceptional opportunity to attend a master class with world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra musicians and guest artists. Sessions are open to players of all ability levels and present helpful instruction on topics ranging from practice and performance skills to instrumental technique and artistic interpretation.
Student Open Rehearsals
Students can observe first-hand the artistic collaboration between world-class musicians and conductors. They are also invited to expand this experience by attending a Pre-Rehearsal Conversation with one of the artists involved in the rehearsal. These half-hour conversations provide valuable insight and a personal connection to the music for our audiences. Program notes are online approximately one week before each rehearsal.
Side-by-Side Rehearsals
Each year The Philadelphia Orchestra selects one youth orchestra to sit side-by-side with our world-renowned musicians in a rehearsal of quality orchestral literature led by a skilled conductor. This thrilling opportunity connects developing musicians with their professional counterparts for one-on-one coaching in a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Jane H. Kesson School Concert Program
The Orchestra’s School Concerts support educators in our community with high-quality concert experiences, curriculum materials, professional development workshops, and docent volunteer visits. These concerts have been commended by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as a model program in alignment with the state’s Standards Aligned System.
Held on weekdays, Philadelphia Orchestra School Concerts are 45-minute programs and are held in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. School Concerts are open to school groups and home schools throughout the Delaware Valley. Through the support of generous sponsors and donors, the Orchestra is able to offer School Concert tickets at a reasonable cost of $8 per person. Last school year, the Orchestra held six School Concerts with an average of 1,500 students attending each concert, totaling more than 9,000 participating students.
School Partnership Program
Established in 2005, the School Partnership Program cultivates ongoing, in-depth relationships with elementary schools in underserved neighborhoods. During this 30-week program, currently in three Philadelphia-area public and parochial schools, teaching artists work with classroom teachers to cultivate students’ knowledge and appreciation of orchestral music and develop their interpersonal and language arts skills. Opportunities for students in the program include attendance at a School Concert, visits from Orchestra musicians, and cross-cultural programs designed to explore how music can bring people of diverse backgrounds together through our partnership with LiveConnections.
The Philadelphia Orchestra School Ensemble Program
The Philadelphia Orchestra has partnered with KIPP Schools to provide the School Ensemble Program, a new model of intensive, ensemble-based music instruction created and delivered by Philadelphia Orchestra teaching artists and musicians, targeting students from under-represented, under-served, “high need” communities. Ensemble-based music education is closely aligned with this mission and has been shown through academic research to aid and improve cognitive development, learning, social development, civic participation, and overall educational outcomes. We believe that music education is a life-transforming experience, enriching young people and enhancing their education, emotional and physical health, and spiritual well-being throughout their entire lives.
All-City Orchestra and Fellows Program
The All-City Orchestra (ACO) has been dedicated to opening doors and broadening educational and vocational horizons for students in Philadelphia for more than 75 years. With a long and illustrious history of artistry and community involvement, The Philadelphia Orchestra is working to help fill the music education gap within the Philadelphia schools. This work is part of a major expansion of the Orchestra’s efforts to more meaningfully provide residency experience and music education programs targeting children, families, and neighborhoods with the greatest needs in Philadelphia. The All-City Orchestra is one of the bedrocks of our educational initiatives and is vital for students in the School District of Philadelphia (SDP).
The Orchestra is expanding its role as Lead Artistic Partner of the ACO, continuing to increase sectional and full-orchestra rehearsals, and expanding the All-City Orchestra Fellows program. One hundred twenty All-City Orchestra students will receive high-level music education provided by Orchestra musicians, who will provide significantly increased leadership, mentorship, tickets to Orchestra concerts, and an increased number of sectionals. The SDP’s All-City Orchestra was designed as an ultimate music education for Philadelphia’s most talented young instrumental musicians. Today, while many hundreds of talented students from throughout the city continue to audition for one of the program’s 120 highly coveted seats, what was once a year-round educational endeavor has been reduced to a handful of rehearsals and one performance.
The Philadelphia Orchestra, in partnership with the Curtis Institute of Music and Project 440, has given All-City students the opportunity to apply for our new, prestigious Fellowship program. Through a rigorous audition and interview process, 12 All-City members were selected to receive private coaching sessions and mentoring from members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, participate in master classes with world renowned guest artists, and receive tickets to Philadelphia Orchestra performances.