Volunteer History

The Volunteer Committees for The Philadelphia Orchestra were formed in 1904, four years after the Orchestra's first concerts. The Women's Committee, as it was originally called, was the first permanent organization of its kind in the world, and has since come to serve as a model for similar groups in the U.S. and abroad.

The first committee had 20 members and set as its goal to raise $10,000 to alleviate an early financial shortfall. It achieved its goal and raised an additional $5,000 in ticket orders for the following season. Since these auspicious beginnings, membership has grown to a current roster of 560 volunteers, drawn from the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The organizational structure has grown to now include 10 Committees:

1. Central
2. Chestnut Hill
3. Chestnut Hill Musical Cocktails
4. Main Line Associates
5. Main Line and Delaware
6. New Jersey
7. Old York Road
8. Rittenhouse Square
9. West Philadelphia
10. 21st Century Society

The mission of the Volunteer Committees has also greatly expanded since its initial goals of 1904. Volunteers now support the Orchestra in such areas as audience development, educational programs, fundraising, community relations and special events. Among the projects presented by the volunteers are the Opening Night Concert and Gala, an educational docent program in preparation for the Orchestra's student concert series, the presentation of gold watches to orchestra members with 25 years of service, and the annual Golf Classic.  To learn more about upcoming events, please visit our events page.

The Volunteer Committees have been particularly supportive of the Orchestra's central purpose of presenting great works from the symphonic repertoire. Volunteers have sponsored concerts, provided financial support to encourage young artists, raised funds to purchase tickets for students, and established funds for solo performances by the concertmaster and first-chair members of the Orchestra. Volunteers have also contributed to the expansion of the orchestral repertoire by underwriting several commissions of new works for the Orchestra throughout the years.

Individual Committees also engage in their own programs and activities in support of the Orchestra. These include Friday afternoon lecture-luncheons, morning chamber concerts, fashion shows, dinner dances, and boutique days, just to name a few. Much of the success of the Volunteer Committees can be attributed to its dedicated leadership. There have been only 13 presidents of the Volunteer Committees in its almost 100-year-history:

Mrs. Alexander J. Dallas Dixon 1904-1912
Miss Frances A. Wister 1912-1956
Mrs. James Hatfield 1956-1978
Mrs. T. Wistar Brown 1978-1982
Mrs. John S. Newbold 1982-1985
Mrs. Herbert W. Hazen 1985-1988
Mrs. David L. Pennington 1988-1991
Mrs. Robert P. Frankel 1991-1994
Mrs. Richard B. Gould 1994-1997
Mrs. Robert N. Garrison 1997-2000
Mrs. Robert L. Stevens 2000-2003
Ms. Despina F. Page 2003-2006
Mrs. Edwin B. Mahoney 2006-

Through all their endeavors over the past 100 years, thousands of members of the Volunteer Committees have given countless hours of time and talents in service to The Philadelphia Orchestra and the people of the greater Delaware Valley metropolitan region.

To learn more about the Volunteer Committees and how to become a volunteer, please contact the Volunteer Offices at 215.893.1956.

Learn more about the Volunteer Committee events.