The Free State Symphony Orchestra (FSSO) Company is home to the Free State’s only professional symphony orchestra and orchestral training programme and music-educational pipeline. Its mission is the seamless integration of music education and professional performance in the context of a symphony orchestra. The FSSO Company supports two orchestras: the Free State Symphony Orchestra (FSSO), and the Free State Youth Orchestra (FSYO).
The Free State Youth Orchestra (FSYO) is a key component of the FSSO Company. It acts as feeder orchestra for the FSSO and is an essential element of the music-educational pipeline. Its membership comprises senior learners as well as university students. Normally it rehearses every week and presents about two concerts per year. The FSYO also has other activities such as weekend ‘camps’ and tours.
This is the primary fundraising initiative of the FSSO, launched in June 2016. After many years in which the FSSO reliably received generous multi-year funding grants from the Lotto (the National Lotteries Commission), supplemented by an annual grant from the NAC (National Arts Council), these public funding sources have become rather uncertain.
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