non-profit
About Us
The Santander Philharmonic Foundation was founded in 2012 in response to a profound need: to make music both a right and a tool for social transformation. Inspired by the philosophical legacy of Maestro José Antonio Abreu and adapted to our local reality, we have built our own model that views music as an educational, artistic, and community system.
This system is structured around two main lines of action that work in parallel yet complement each other:
On one hand, our artistic education programs, focused on orchestral and choral seedbeds that offer continuous training for children and youth from Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area; and on the other, the Santander Philharmonic Orchestra (OFS) — a professional platform that embodies artistic excellence, showcases local talent, and connects with audiences through concerts, events, and world-class artistic experiences.
Both areas feed into each other: students are trained with a comprehensive vision of art and community, while finding in the OFS a tangible horizon — a place where today’s dreams become tomorrow’s realities.
From our first seed programs to our current symphonic seasons, our story is the story of a territory that dreams — of more than 4,000 children and young people who have found their voice through music; of families and communities that have made music their common cause; of a team that believes, every day, that the key is to dream.
Today, more than ever, we continue building a musical network with purpose — we educate, we inspire, and we transform.
Sergio Camilo Durán Alvarez
Artistic Director, Santander Philharmonic Foundation
Thousands of children grow up without access to music and without the opportunity to develop their talent.
While music has the power to transform lives, countless young people remain excluded due to a lack of resources and limited cultural opportunities. With each passing day, talent, motivation, and the hope for a better future fade away.
Mission
To foster human development and social transformation through an integrated musical system that combines orchestral and choral training with professional artistic performance, promoting inclusion, cultural access, and community building in Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area.
Vision
By 2030, the Santander Philharmonic Foundation will be nationally and internationally recognized as a model of education and social transformation through music. It will be consolidated as a leading institution that integrates training programs with the Santander Philharmonic Orchestra, impacting thousands of children, young people, and communities; expanding cultural frontiers; democratizing access to the arts; and strengthening a musical network that inspires new generations.
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