IN A bid to win new supporters and boost its already impressive reputation regionally, nationally and internationally, the Algarve Orchestra has overhauled its public relations department.
With Maria Manuela Guerreiro, professor of economics at Algarve University, and Isadora Justo, a communication sciences expert, leading the campaign, the Orchestra is operating a new strategy to tighten links with friends and patrons. They also hope to reinforce contacts with the press through the creation of a group of “media partners” to comprise a core group of “opinion-makers”.
In addition, the Orchestra plans a new programme of youth involvement in future projects, particularly with relation to university students. Meanwhile, invitations for established artists to perform with the Orchestra (as happened with João Pedro Pais, a well-known Portuguese singer, last November) are being extended.
There is also a full schedule of open air concerts, outreach projects bringing music to the less populated areas of the region and “teaching” concerts aimed at demystifying classical music and making it accessible to all levels of the population.
A spokesman for the Orchestra said: “In a year in which cultural development is the key note for southern Portugal, the Algarve Orchestra is keen to make its presence felt in the strongest possible way, confirming its position as a fundamental element in cultural promotion and employing the same elevated standards of quality and rigour that have guided its growth to date.”
