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CBSO Benevolent Fund

Our Annual Concert

While each member of the Benevolent Fund pays an annual subscription, the majority of funding comes from our annual fundraising concert programmed into the CBSO’s main season. For this concert, the CBSO musicians, conductor and soloists generously perform for free. All of the proceeds from the concert are then donated directly to the CBSO Benevolent Fund.


Previous years have seen the likes of violinists Nicola Benedetti and Jennifer Pike, keyboardists Thomas Trotter and Peter Donohoe, with the conducting talents of Edward Gardner, Valeriy Sokolov, and, of course, Sir Simon Rattle! 


In addition to these income streams, the Benevolent Fund also gladly welcomes general donations, including legacies and deeds of covenant. 


"Our reliable annual financial boost is the CBSO Benevolent Fund Concert, the first of which was generously conducted for free by George Weldon in May 1946. Retired staff and players are always welcome guests on these occasions, engendering lots of gossip and memories during the after-concert get-together!"

Written by Maggie Cotton, percussionist with the CBSO for over 40 years, now retired.

This Year's Concert

Symphony Hall Birmingham 
Saturday 8th February 2025 at 2.15pm

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Programme

                                                            

Shostakovich Festival Overture

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4


                                                                                               


Kazuki Yamada - Conductor

James Ehnes - Violin

Previous Concerts

Sibelius with Oramo (2024)
Tchaikovsky Pathétique (2023)
Four Last Songs (2022)
Organ Symphony (2019)
Autumn Classics (2018)
Sibelius with Oramo (2024)

Thursday 29th February 2024, 7.30pm

​Birmingham Symphony Hall

Elgar Cockaigne Overture

Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5

Sibelius Symphony No. 5

                                                                                                                    

Sakuri Oramo - Conductor

Daishin Kashimoto - Violin

Tchaikovsky Pathétique (2023)

Sunday 30th April 2023, Birmingham Symphony Hall

Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 Pathétique

                                                          

Conductor - Kazuki Yamada

Trumpet - Alison Balsam

Piano - Freddy Kempf

Four Last Songs (2022)

Friday 4th February 2022, Birmingham Symphony Hall

Wagner Rienzi Overture
Strauss Four Last Songs
Brahms Symphony No. 2

                                                          

Conductor - Fabien Gabel

Soprano - Lucy Crowe

Organ Symphony (2019)

Sunday 20th October 2019, Birmingham Symphony Hall

Sibelius Karelia Suite
Ravel Pavane pour une infante défunte
Widor Symphony No. 5: Toccata
Dukas The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 (Organ)

               

Conductor - Andrew Litton

Thomas Trotter - Organ

Autumn Classics (2018)

Saturday 22nd September 2018, Birmingham Symphony Hall

Shostakovich Festive Overture

Saint-Saëns Danse macabre

Wieniawski Légende, Op. 17 & Polonaise Op. 4 No. 1

Glazunov The Seasons: Autumn

Kreisler Tambourin Chinois & Liebesleid

Tchaikovsky Swan Lake: Act I Finale

             

Stephen Bell - Conductor

Jennifer Pike - Violin