The Player Partnership Programme gives an opportunity to form a closer relationship with the CSO by directly supporting CSO players. Player Partners in turn are invited to functions, open rehearsals, and other events where they can meet the members of the orchestra they support and get to know both the people and the organisation.

Paul and Ann were already members of the Friends of CSO but they wanted to be even more involved, and joined a syndicate with other Friends to support the Principal Horn. “Through the Player Partnership Programme, we got to know our player really well, and we’ve really enjoyed going to open rehearsals and seeing how the players interact with each other and the conductor,” said Ann.

For Paul, it has become personal. “When we go to concerts, we angle our seats so we can see Emma [Eden, CSO Principal Horn]. We love being associated with the CSO. When we see CSO groups playing in community spaces, we’re so proud to be associated,” he explained.

They had been coming to the CSO for many years and wanted to support what they saw as a “good cause”.

“The quality of the CSO is fantastic,” said Ann. “I’m full of admiration for their Community Engagement programmes, especially something like the Platform Programme in the prisons, where there are people who might never have worked in a team and suddenly they get to, and everything that comes out of that. Then, one time, I was in the library, there was this cacophony of noise and it was Cathy Irons (CSO First Violin) and her group with a bunch of tiny preschoolers just banging on things, and they were having a ball!

“As an organisation, it is so inclusive, and open, and friendly, and you can feel that when you’re sitting there waiting for a concert to start, and people are just chatting to each other”.

Paul added, “It’s got a real family feel to it.”

This is the first of our 'Player Partner Patron' series about some of the CSO's supporters.

To find out more about the Player Partnership Programme, please click here or contact Rosamund McDonald on 022 461 7736or rosamund.mcdonald@cso.co.nz. Members of the programme can support a player as an individual, or group, from $250 - $4,000, and it makes all the difference in realising the future of the CSO and continuing our vital work in the community.