Philadelphia Orchestra marks 14th China tour with $10.5m gift for global tours and new music (Image Credit: The Philadelphia Orchestra)
The gift was announced following a major fundraising campaign by the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts that raised $344 million, surpassing its original target of $330 million.
The organisation said the campaign proceeds would support operations, maintain venues including the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music and Miller Theater, and strengthen its endowment.
From a historic China visit to a continuing diplomatic role
Music has crossed political borders for decades, and the Philadelphia Orchestra is preparing to continue that tradition with a $10.5 million gift from former US ambassador David L Cohen and his wife, Rhonda R Cohen. 2026, the commitment will support international tours, cultural exchanges and new music, according to the orchestra and Ensemble Arts’ official announcement on October 22. It comes ahead of the orchestra’s 14th visit to China, continuing a relationship that began in 1973, when it became the first American orchestra to perform in the People’s Republic of China. During Cohen’s tenure as US ambassador to Canada from 2021 to 2025, the ensemble toured Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa. Its recording of Price’s music won a Grammy Award in 2022, bringing renewed attention to a composer whose work had long received less prominence in the classical music world.
David Cohen and Rhonda Cohen said they had witnessed how music could build trust and bring people together during their years of public service. The gift will also support emerging composers and strengthen the organisation’s leadership. The initiative aims to use music to build relationships between communities and countries, even when diplomatic and political relations face challenges. The announcement comes as the orchestra prepares to travel to South Korea and China. Its forthcoming Asian tour will combine performances with opportunities for cultural exchange, including engagement with local communities and arts leaders. The funding is intended to help sustain such activities over the longer term. The orchestra’s international work has also included performances in Canada. In an interview with WHYY, David L Cohen described the goodwill and attention generated by the orchestra’s performances. The experience reinforced his belief that cultural institutions can contribute to international relations in ways that traditional diplomatic engagements may not always achieve. Alongside international touring, the donation will support artistic innovation through the creation of the Artistic Innovation and Discovery Fund. Guided by music and artistic director Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s artistic vision, the fund will help the orchestra perform works by overlooked, underrepresented and emerging composers, while also celebrating the contributions of Jewish artists. The initiative aligns with Nézet-Séguin’s efforts to broaden the classical repertoire beyond its established composers.
The orchestra has previously championed works by Black American composers Florence Price and William Grant Still.