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At London’s Banqueting House, 250 international guests gathered for an evening that connected classical music with the worlds of entertainment, fashion, business and philanthropy.
There are many ways to discover live music. A friend brings you to a concert. An artist you follow introduces you to another. Sometimes, an invitation takes you into a musical world you have not explored before.
The English Chamber Orchestra’s Royal Gala Fundraiser offered that kind of introduction on 17 October 2026. Among the 250 guests at Banqueting House in Whitehall were longstanding supporters and people hearing the orchestra in person for the first time. They had arrived through different connections, from business and diplomacy to fashion, entertainment and hospitality.
The setting gave everyone something to take in before the performances began. Red-carpet arrivals led into a champagne and caviar reception in the Undercroft, where guests met before moving upstairs for dinner in the Main Hall. Above the candlelit tables, the Rubens ceiling provided a reminder of the building’s place in Britain’s artistic history.
Then came the music. The English Chamber Orchestra performed works by Vivaldi, Handel, Grieg, Mozart, Vaughan Williams and Holst, bringing several centuries of composition into an evening concerned with music’s future.
For those new to the ECO, this was an opportunity to discover the orchestra through the experience of hearing it live. The programme gave the fundraising a clear connection to the musicians and performances it was intended to support.
HRH Princess Katarina, Lady de Silva, attended as Guest of Honour, championing opportunities for children and young people to experience the arts. Alongside ECO Chief Executive James Rutherford and Gala Event Director Elvijs Plugis, she presented awards recognising contributions to the arts, philanthropy and the orchestra’s charitable mission.
Those recognised included Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, Nadiya Bychkova, James Ferrell of Sprayground, Kiera and Spencer Chaplin, HSH Dr Donatus, Prince of Hohenzollern, and Ishani Bhoola.
Their presence reflected the range of communities represented in the room. Television, dance, design and the Chaplin family’s creative heritage sat alongside classical music, giving the occasion connections well beyond the orchestra’s existing audience.
Bringing those circles together was part of the work behind the gala. Elvijs Plugis, its Event Director and organiser and an ECO International Advisory Board member, led the organisation, partnership development and delivery through Sigulp. Working with the orchestra’s team and event collaborators, his responsibilities covered sponsor relationships, guest introductions, event production and delivery, marketing and communications.
Rebeca Riofrio co-hosted through the Parliamentary Society for Arts, Fashion & Sports, the gala’s Alliance Partner. Together, these relationships helped bring people to an orchestral performance through interests and networks they already knew.
That is an important distinction when considering how classical music reaches new listeners. Someone attending through a fashion connection or a business invitation may not have been looking for a concert. The invitation creates the opportunity; the performance gives them a reason to explore further.
The response since the gala suggests that some guests want to do exactly that. The organising team reports financial commitments, enquiries about sponsoring next year’s event and interest from people wishing to explore ambassador or representative roles overseas. Those prospective roles remain under discussion.
For the orchestra, the opportunity now is to develop that interest into continuing participation. It could mean another concert visit, an introduction in a different country, a corporate partnership or support for a young musician.
Under Chief Executive James Rutherford, the ECO’s work connects its concert life with education, community participation and emerging talent. These activities give supporters several ways to become involved beyond the annual gala.
Close Encounters, the orchestra’s education and community initiative, with Dr Gregory Boardman, brings musicians into schools and communities. Its emphasis on musical excellence applies wherever people are taking part, including those encountering orchestral music for the first time.
According to the ECO’s education team, schools involved in its Lights Camera Score project have reported improved attendance and increased participation in GCSE Music. In West Yorkshire, musical stories created by primary-school pupils inspired community gardens—an example of children’s ideas continuing to develop after the musical activity itself.
New Horizons, with Ada Witczyk, will support emerging musicians and composers through mentoring, practical experience and career development as they move from education into professional life. For a young person considering a career in music, access to that experience can be an important next step.
The gala’s partners contributed to an evening intended to sustain this wider work. TrinityBridge served as Principal Gold Partner, Orient Express as Gold Partner, ATARATMA London as Silver Partner and Eton Holdings as Bronze Partner. Generation by Kiera and Spencer Chaplin joined as Spirits Partner, Danbury Ridge as Wine Partner, and Empire Caviar as Supporting Partner, with additional support from Justerini & Brooks and Songtradr.
The Parliamentary Society for Arts, Fashion & Sports was Alliance Partner, Sigulp was Strategic Growth Partner, and H.R. Owen Rolls-Royce was a collaborator. The Hideaways Club contributed as Silent Auction Prize Partner, Jumblebee as Official Silent Auction & Fundraising Partner, and Getty Images and Country & Town House as Media Partners.
Following dinner, performances, awards and the silent auction, guests returned to the Undercroft for cocktails and conversation. The movement back downstairs gave people another opportunity to connect, now with a shared musical experience behind them.
The English Chamber Orchestra, whose Patron is His Majesty King Charles III, welcomes businesses, philanthropists and individuals interested in supporting performances, education and opportunities for emerging artists. Corporate partnerships, major giving, project funding, chair sponsorship and membership offer different routes into its work.
For anyone whose first encounter came at Banqueting House—or through reading about it—the invitation to become involved continues beyond the evening.
Find out how to support the English Chamber Orchestra.
Media enquiries: elvijs@sigulp.co.uk
