Trusts & Foundations

Trusts and foundations provide vital support towards specific areas of the LSO’s work, engaging audiences and participants of all ages and abilities in transformative music experiences, and building deep connections to the LSO’s local communities.

Grants from charitable trusts and foundations underpin a diverse range of LSO activities, from grass-roots education and community projects and innovative audience development schemes, to major new commissions and impactful artist development programmes supporting the next generation of leading musicians and composers.

Benefits for Supporters

• Association with one of the world’s leading cultural organisations with a proven track-record in delivering high-impact and innovative projects.
• Witness the impact of your trust or foundation’s support first-hand through bespoke invitations to see the work that you are supporting.
• The opportunity to increase accessibility to world-class music experiences for those that may not have had the chance to engage in classical music before.

Your Impact

LSO Discovery enriches lives through the transformative power of music, with a year-round programme of inspiring, inclusive opportunities for performers, creators and listeners of all ages. Find out more about the full programme, or read a snapshot of the work trusts and foundations support below.

Children’s Hospitals

We work with children aged 0–16 years, providing bespoke music activities for children facing severe, life-threatening, or terminal illnesses in East London hospitals. We aim to reduce levels of anxiety and stress, and improve children’s confidence and self-esteem. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we delivered sessions to children in hospital via Zoom, ensuring that we could continue to reach the children most in need of uplifting musical experiences.

We are extremely grateful to the Hospital Saturday Fund, whose generous support has made the LSO Children’s Hospitals programme possible.

LSO East London Academy

The LSO East London Academy identifies and develops the potential of talented young East London musicians between the ages of 11 and 18. Through the programme, we aim to represent the diversity of East London, particularly encouraging young musicians from backgrounds currently under-represented in professional orchestras to take part and continue their instrumental learning.

The LSO East London Academy is made possible through the generous support of the Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation, the Henocq Law Trust, The Hodge Foundation, John Thaw Foundation, and The Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust.

LSO Panufnik Composers Scheme

Our programme for early-career composers provides a world-class development opportunity for six individuals each year to gain vital skills and experience in writing for a full professional symphony orchestra. The long-term impact on the pool of composers now actively working in the UK has been significant.

We are extremely grateful to Lady Hamlyn CBE and The Helen Hamlyn Trust, whose longstanding and visionary support has made the LSO Helen Hamlyn Panufnik Composers Scheme possible.