The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1884 as The Hamilton Orchestral Society and grew to become one of Canada’s major professional orchestras. Today, the Philharmonic is a leader in Hamilton’s robust arts community where it provides professional orchestral services and music education programs to address the needs of the community. The Philharmonic continues to commission and premiere works and is one of the artistic jewels of the Hamilton/Burlington area. The combined musical talents of its artists continue to enrich the community and enhance the quality of life for its residents.
The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra is committed to enriching and serving the cultural life of the region. In addition to our mainstage concert series at FirstOntario Concert Hall (formerly Hamilton Place), new programming such as the annual What Next Festival of New Music [insert hyperlink to latest festival] and Concerts in the City bring the live orchestral experience to a broader range of people. As a key contributor to the development of a vibrant downtown, and a resource for the city in attracting and retaining the creative class, the HPO is an important part of this community.
Since its opening in 1973, the Great Hall at FirstOntario Concert Hall (formerly Hamilton Place) has been the home of the Philharmonic. With a tradition of reaching out to the community, the HPO has performed at a number of other venues, including the Mohawk College Theatre, McMaster University, Gage Park, Spencer Smith Park in Burlington, and perhaps most famously, in Hamilton’s trademark steel mills. Other unique venues include Central Presbyterian Church, the Pearl Company and the Art Gallery of Hamilton.
The Philharmonic established itself as a major force through its association with former Music Director Boris Brott and through the contributions of other artistic leaders including Lee Hepner, Mario Bernardi, Victor Feldbrill, Timothy Vernon and Daniel Lipton. A number of HPO musicians have gone on to major careers – perhaps most famously, the Canadian Brass. Members of the Philharmonic perform with many other ensembles including the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, the Orchestra of the National Ballet and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.