The mission of the Erie Philharmonic is to strengthen our community and region by providing high-quality live orchestra concerts and programs that enrich, entertain and educate people of all ages. In existence since 1913, the Philharmonic is one of the oldest professional ensembles in the country and is recognized on a national level as one of the top orchestras in its budget size. With a season that features 13 concerts, various summer programs, a free chamber music series, four Youth Concerts and numerous outreach events, the orchestra reaches more than 50,000 people across the region annually. Beginning with the leadership of Executive Director Steve Weiser in 2015, the orchestra made a conscious decision to focus on the three facets of this mission statement: enrich, educate and entertain. As a previous musician with the Philharmonic, Weiser had firsthand knowledge of the issues facing the orchestra and implemented a new strategy to integrate the ensemble back into the community. In 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the orchestra broadcast 20 free concerts on WQLN PBS. These free performances represented a positive and healing light for our region as Erie looked to weather the ongoing health crisis. From the moment concerts were canceled in March, 2020, the Philharmonic dedicated itself to seeing the music return. To do so in a way that the entire community enjoyed for free is the full embodiment of the orchestra’s mission to enrich, educate and entertain. With completion of Warner Theatre stage-renovations 20 years in the making, the Philharmonic is ready to launch back into live concerts with an epic 2021-22 concert season: https://eriephil.org/21-22
