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GET INVOLVED
After two years of difficult local challenges from bushfires and the pandemic, community organisations and strong cultural activity are vitally important for the people of the Southern Highlands. In these unprecedented times financial assistance has never been more important.
Additionally, the orchestra has faced difficulties locating suitable venues for rehearsal and performance due to the long awaited but seemingly endless process of renovation for the Bowral Memorial Hall.
The orchestra needs community support to stay together and perform the excellent concert programs planned for the next 12 months and beyond.
We appreciate all the generous financial donations and volunteering of time that has helped us bring you beautiful music and hope that you can help us maintain the high standards we have demonstrated to date.
There are a number of ways you can get involved to help us.
Become a Friend of the Orchestra
As a community orchestra we welcome extra help to ensure that we run smoothly and successfully. As a friend of SHSO, you will receive the satisfaction of being a part of our thriving musical community.
Some essential areas we need assistance in are:
- At concerts – setting up the foyer, managing concert tickets, serving refreshments and ushering.
- Helping to set up and pack up before and after concerts.
- Publicity, marketing – distributing posters and leaflets.
- Organising fund raising events.
Become a Sponsor
There are many opportunities for interested businesses or individuals to support the orchestra and, in doing so, reach an audience of music lovers, arts patrons, and all kinds of community members through our extensive marketing program which includes cinema advertising, radio, printed promotional materials as well as social media.
Sponsorship could take the form of an ongoing commitment to the orchestra or a one-off event.
Sponsorship opportunities include:
- A concert season
- A single concert
- An item in a concert such as a concerto performance
- A special instrument in a performance
- An orchestral chair eg. an instrumental player
- Ongoing overall financial support
Become a Supporter
You can help contribute to our ongoing success by making a donation in support of the orchestra generally, or by tying your donation to a particular activity of the orchestra.
Being a not for profit community initiative, the orchestra needs supporters to meet the ongoing cost of performing as well as funding to continue to provide a strong educational program for musicians of all ages.
For example, we have three supporter packages that cover the main cost areas involved –
- Bursary SHSO provides bursaries to ensure ongoing development of musicians and support for young musicians in the Highlands.
- Instruments Ongoing cost to purchase and maintain instruments.
- Contribution to Running Costs such as insurance, venue charges, marketing costs.
Donations have helped us purchase a timpano which will be used by two other groups as well as the SHSO, enabling us all to play a wider range of music.
The SHSO has DGR status.
Donations over $2 are fully tax deductible.
Advertising Opportunities
Each concert is accompanied by a concert program along with other marketing collateral including posters and email newsletters. Opportunities exist with each concert for businesses to advertise across these mediums.
If you are interested in supporting SHSO in any of the above ways, please contact Jenette.
Interested in joining the Orchestra?
If you are a musician of AMEB grade 6 or higher and would like to join the orchestra, we would love to hear from you.
You will meet a great group of musicians from the Southern Highlands and surrounding districts. We have a wide age range – from students through to retirees – and professions including IT, law, medicine, media, teaching and publishing. They come together at SHSO for some seriously enjoyable music making. For enquiries about joining the orchestra call 0415 309 760.
Each concert series has a tight rehearsal schedule. So that we perform at our best, players are expected to:
- Be available for rehearsals
- Be seated and ready to play by the starting time of each rehearsal and concerts
- Inform us well in advance of any rehearsal you cannot attend
- Assist with setting up and packing up at rehearsal and concert venue
- Carry out private practice between rehearsals.
