Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation

The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra was established in 1987 by decision of the Council of Ministers as 'Cyprus Chamber Music Orchestra' with the aim of contributing to the development of musical education. It also sought to improve the standard of music performance in the country and become the basic driving force for the musical cultivation of Cypriots as a whole. The Cyprus State Youth Orchestra was simultaneously established aiming to provide to students at all levels of education and young musicians the possibility to gain group work experience and develop their knowledge and skills. Further, the Youth Orchestra Music Workshop was established to offer musical training on orchestral instruments given by experienced musicians, mainly members of the Symphonic Orchestra. Since its establishment and until December 2006, the Orchestra operated under the direction of the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture. In October 2006, the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation was created by decision of the Council of Ministers to undertake the operation of both orchestras. The Foundation began to operate on 1st January 2007, taking over the operation of the State Orchestra and the State Youth Orchestra, which were renamed to Cyprus Symphony Orchestra and Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra respectively. By so doing, the Foundation set itself the objective of further developing and promoting the activities of both orchestras. At the same time, it undertook the operation of the Music Laboratory of the Youth Orchestra. The budget of the Foundation varies between 2 and 3 million EUR per annum and mainly comes from the state grant.  The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation is a non-profit organization under private law. It is administered by a nine-member Governing Board, appointed by the Council of Ministers. Three members come from the Ministry of Education and Culture: the Permanent Secretary, who chairs the Board, the Director of Cultural Services and the officer in charge of music matters. The remaining six members come from the private sector. The main sponsor of the Foundation is the State, which covers all basic operational costs of the Foundation and the Orchestras. At the same time, the Foundation endeavors to cooperate with various institutions in order to promote its activities more effectively, to organize more challenging events and to further enhance its relationship to society. Since its inception, the Foundation has promoted its objectives to a large extent, making its presence felt among music lovers and the wider public through concerts, educational programs and social contribution activities.