Emirates Airline, Sydney Symphony Orchestra extend partnership

Image: Emirates/ Keith Saunders

Emirates has extended its 21-year partnership with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra until 2025. It is the airline’s longest-running non-sports partnership.

Emirates’ sponsorship will continue to offer ticket and hospitality experiences, presenting partner opportunities for the symphony’s popular concert series, as well as branding and promotional opportunities.

Over the two decades of partnership, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra has performed to over four million people across almost 3,000 live performances.

Emirates’ renewed partnership comes as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra enters a new artistic period, highlighted by its return to a reopened Sydney Opera House Concert Hall in July 2022, under the direction of Simone Young, the Orchestra’s internationally renowned Chief Conductor.

Barry Brown, DSVP Australasia at Emirates, says, “Like air travel, music has the power to lift our spirits, broaden our horizons and open up the world around us. We’re proud to continue our support to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, which is home to exceptional standards of performance, outstanding musicians, and is regarded as one of the world’s leading orchestras.

“Emirates is well-known for sponsoring the best in sports, but we’re also passionate about growing global music, arts and culture to enrich the lives of the communities we serve. Our Sydney Symphony partnership, now well into its second decade, is Emirates’ longest running non-sports sponsorship and we look forward to continuing our great work together.”

Sydney Symphony Orchestra will work with the airline to reach global audience

Performing over 150 concerts a year to a live audience of more than 350,000 people, the Sydney Symphony will work with the airline to expand the global audience through the Orchestra’s Sydney Symphony on Demand digital platform which features full-length concert experiences.

The platform also presents special chamber music recordings with the finest musicians making new Australian work available to audiences around the world. The platform, launched in partnership with Emirates in 2020, provides free access to a catalogue of great performances.

The partnership will also continue to offer ticket and hospitality experiences, Presenting Partner positioning for the Orchestra’s popular Emirates Master Series, as well as branding and promotional opportunities, among other benefits.

Craig Whitehead, chief executive officer of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, adds: “Emirates has been a significant partner in the Orchestra’s long history of bringing the greatest artists and extraordinary musical experiences to the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House.

“Emirates’ support has also allowed us to continue an ambitious programme of commissioning and recording new work by Australian composers. We are looking forward to sharing our performances on Emirate’s global platform, where the unique nature of our performances will be available to audiences around the world.”

Within Australia, the airline also sponsors the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, including its recent exhibition titled, taypani milaythina-tu: Return to Country.

The partnership saw the carrier transport a precious Aboriginal object from Paris to Tasmania, 230 years after it was first removed.

The artefact, a rikawa (kelp water carrier), is only one of two known to be in existence, and its new home at the museum will allow the Tasmanian Aboriginal community to reconnect with their cultural history.

Emirates also has a longstanding sponsorship with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, now approaching 20 years.