Over five decades Turner Sims has become synonymous with excellence and innovation, providing a dynamic environment for the world’s finest musicians, composers and music educators to create and perform for the enjoyment of audiences. At the same time the venue, with its intimate auditorium, fine acoustics, and garden setting, has provided formative, and transformative, music experiences for thousands of people, whether Southampton students, workshop participants, community groups or performers.
The constant for Turner Sims as it reaches its half century, and defined by that initial contribution, is the support, advocacy and enthusiasm of our donors. They play a key part in the concert hall’s story, although often deliberately choose to be in the background. This support manifests itself in three areas in particular.
Our concert series continues to offer a diverse programme of classical, jazz, folk and global music from internationally renowned artists and rising stars. Ticket income alone cannot sustain the range of concerts and unique series on offer, so the generosity of individual support – often inspired by a personal anniversary, or a memory of time spent here with a friend or family member – has enabled us to make such events possible.
Donations support our burgeoning engagement programme too, which offers real-life experiences of live music, often for the first time. Our popular Family Days see music, dance and crafts spill out of the hall, into the foyer and onto the lawn. Through our schools concerts we ensure that children and young people have access to the joy of live music as part of their curriculum offer without parents or schools having to worry about the cost.
The Vibe is our team of 18-25-year-olds creating a new strand of music events to bring the building to life and make it a more inviting space for young people. For our Future Producers – managed in partnership with the University’s Department of Music – we’re enabling students to gain experience of planning, programming, marketing and managing a concert at Turner Sims. And for local mid-career artists Turn It Up gives professional support and a platform to turn up the volume on their music projects. The generosity of donors has also enabled us to realise changes in and around the building itself.
In 2014, and after 40 years of service, our auditorium seats were replaced thanks to an anonymous donation. Our new state of the art lighting rig, installed in Summer 2023, was made possible with the support of an anonymous donation too. Perhaps most notable of all was the purchase of the concert hall’s new Steinway concert grand piano. A successful fundraising campaign in 2008 enabled us to select and purchase the £100,000 instrument from the company’s headquarters in Hamburg. Today it remains one of the concert hall’s jewels that artists and audiences regularly comment on with affection and appreciation.
What is clear from talking to donors is that the inspiration to support us is not simply a desire to see benefits for themselves. It is also to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to experience the same joy that live music, the programme, and the building has given them over so many years. From those beginnings in 1967 we are immensely grateful to our supporters for their generosity through our first 50 years. And as we look ahead to the next 50 why not join us on the journey? We’d be very happy to share our plans with you.