Founded in July 2020 to provide hope in the arts “rising from the ashes” of a pandemic-devastated industry, the Firebird Pops Orchestra now maintains a robust in-person season from June through December each year in Greater Boston and the North Shore.
As we enter our fifth year, we remain thankful to our supporters, whether you've seen us in concert, watched a video, played in the orchestra, or shared our posts along the way; your support has been instrumental in the growth, evolution, and success of the Firebird Pops.
Over the course of five years, we have performed about 50 concerts with hundreds of musicians, rehearsing countless hours. Our work has been featured on several local and national media outlets, been watched hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube, and shared across the globe on social media. Firebird’s concerts have drawn as many as 1,100 attendees per cycle, and 80% of our performances sold out in 2023. We’ve performed in venues from museums to castles to porches and everywhere in between. And we’re just getting started.
2025 promises to be our biggest year yet—we say this every year, yes, but it’s thanks to the generosity of our donors that we’re able to continue pushing the boundaries of what we ever thought was possible when we gathered 60 musicians on Zoom to play the “Harry Potter Symphonic Suite.” Now with over 300 musicians on our rotating roster, we provide a unique opportunity for local musicians to perform repertoire typically reserved for professional ensembles. With big plans come big expenses, and the arts have not been immune to the rising prices we see in our everyday lives.
We know supporting live music and local performances is a household budget line item that’s easily cut and the demands on our time day in and day out limit opportunities to spend an evening at the theater. We appreciate every audience member deciding we’re a worthy investment of their time and funds.
Knowing this, we made the intentional decision to ask for your support outside our performance schedule only once per year. Our year-end fundraising campaign is critical to our ability to license popular music (an expense orchestras playing classical pieces don’t generally bear and routinely our largest cost), rent rehearsal and performance space, hire lighting and sound services and technicians, and offer stipends for key leaders in our orchestra.
Your contribution will make an immediate impact in the future of the Firebird Pops Orchestra. Whether you’re able to give $5 or $500, every little bit helps. Thank you for your support!