Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra

The yearning for the most beautiful music, experienced live and performed by exceptional artists, is shared by music lovers across the world.

Founded in 2013, the Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra (GPO) was established in response to a growing demand for high-quality live classical music experiences in Gauteng. Since its inception, the orchestra has aimed to enrich the cultural landscape of Pretoria and Johannesburg while creating meaningful opportunities for South African musicians.

As a non-profit organisation, GPO was created to address an important gap in the local music environment by presenting accessible symphonic and orchestral performances to diverse audiences. A central part of its mission remains the development and support of young South African talent through performance opportunities, collaborations and professional artistic platforms.

The orchestra forms part of the broader artistic vision established by Daniël Vos and Willem Vogel, founders of Salon Music and Salon Productions in 1993. Over more than three decades, Salon Productions has played a significant role in preserving, promoting and developing classical music in Pretoria, Gauteng and beyond. What began as intimate salon concerts evolved into an independent artistic movement dedicated to creating accessible, high-quality classical music experiences for South African audiences.

Through chamber music concerts, orchestral productions, recordings, broadcasts and collaborations with leading South African musicians, Salon Productions continuously created platforms where classical music could flourish outside traditional institutions. The emphasis has always been on intimacy, artistic excellence and bringing musicians and audiences closer together.

While Brooklyn Theatre TV formed part of this larger cultural journey, the heart of the vision remained as the ongoing work of Salon Productions — producing concerts, nurturing artists and building sustainable audiences for classical music in South Africa. Digital platforms are utilised to the full extent, giving supporters the opportunity to subscribe to Brooklyn Theatre TV via Youtube and to listen to multiple recordings on all major digital platforms

Since 2020, Salon Productions expanded its activities to Johannesburg through regular performances and recordings at M1 Studios, continuing to present concerts, digital productions and collaborations during a particularly challenging period for the performing arts industry.

Today, a new chapter is unfolding through a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Pretoria. This partnership represents a renewed commitment to strengthening classical music within Pretoria by creating opportunities for young musicians, encouraging collaboration with the University of Pretoria Symphony Orchestra, and contributing to a vibrant cultural future for the city.

The objective remains unchanged since 1993:

to preserve, promote and develop classical music in Pretoria and South Africa through meaningful artistic experiences that inspire, educate and enrich the community. Sharing this mandate with all communities internationally via digital platforms.