Our Mission

Planting trees at the Verbier Festival 2023
© Janosh Ourtilane

At Harmonic Progression, we are dedicated to fostering sustainability within the classical music community.
Based in Switzerland, our not-for-profit organisation works internationally to empower musicians, institutions, and audiences to take practical environmental action. We believe the vast majority of people in classical music want to do good and help protect our planet but face common barriers: questioning their impact, lacking awareness of environmental facts, or struggling to find time for change. We bridge this gap through eco-workshops, resource-sharing and digital engagement.

Our mission is to empower the classical music community with knowledge, practical solutions, and a supportive network. Through collaborative projects, we're transforming individual and institutional actions into industry-wide environmental impact.
Harmonic Progression is here to help turn good intentions into meaningful change.

Our Projects aim to give people in classical music a chance to start helping today.

Strings4All

Strings4All is an ongoing resource-sharing project that strengthens sustainability in classical music through practical action.
We collect used instrument strings from musicians in Europe, the USA, and Australasia, and give them new life by distributing them to musicians in need across Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Mexico, and Thailand. With over 15,000 strings distributed to date, we're helping prevent musicians from having to stop playing due to the high cost of strings whilst promoting sustainability through reuse. Our vision is to have collection boxes in concert halls worldwide. Click here to find out how you can get involved.

Eco Workshops

Harmonic Progression's founder Sam Goldscheider leads specially developed, free workshops for music conservatoires, concert organisers, artist agencies and ensembles, providing a unique platform for dialogue about sustainability in classical music.
In 2024, we delivered 13 successful workshops at institutions including the Verbier Festival, Zurich University of the Arts, IMG Artists London, and Royal College of Music Stockholm. Over 18 more workshops are planned for 2025 across Switzerland, UK, US, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Click here to learn more about our workshops and how to organise one for your institution.

One Task a Month

One Task a Month invites classical musicians to take one environmental action each month.
Through simple challenges, we provide accessible ideas and create supportive communities for sustainable practices. Each participant's journey is showcased across our digital platforms, inspiring industry-wide change through small, meaningful actions. Join our growing network of musicians making a difference for our planet.

International Network for Sustainability in Classical Music

Harmonic Progression hosts the International Network for Sustainability in Classical Music, bringing together classical musicians and music institutions to motivate, inspire and connect. It’s a space to share experiences and projects, learn from each other, and develop practical, sustainable solutions for the sector. The network holds regular online meetings, providing a platform for exchange and for the collaborative development of approaches to reducing environmental impact. Click here to read more about the network and explore our members.

Our Team

  • The founder, Sam Goldscheider, has worked in classical music management for over 14 years. He started Harmonic Progression to help more people in the classical music world think about and take action for our planet. Since 2016, he has held the position
    of Head of Orchestras at the Verbier Festival, where he initiated the Green Project in 2019 to reduce the festival's environmental impact. Sam's career includes significant roles within major musical organisations across Europe, including IMG Artists London, the Prague Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Sony Classical Berlin. Before settling in Switzerland, he held the position of Executive Assistant to Jasper Parrott at the international artist management group Harrison Parrott. Originally from the United Kingdom and of Czech heritage, Sam holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Cambridge. In 2024, he officially established the Harmonic Progression association, dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and action within the classical music industry.
    What does he really think will help?
    More people realising that their actions do count, that they have the power to inspire those around them, and that we’re all connected, rather than more important than, and disconnected with, the rest of the world.

  • Erika Cedeño is a Venezuelan violist based in Germany, performing as a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician across Europe and Latin America. She played as principal viola of the Teresa Carreño Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela and performed as a guest with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel, Sir Simon Rattle, and Claudio Abbado in renowned venues such as the Berliner Philharmonie, Carnegie Hall, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, KKL Luzern, Wiener Konzerthaus, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in China.
    She currently plays with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie and is regularly invited by the Badische Staatskapelle Karlsruhe, the Philharmonie Baden-Baden, and the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz.
    As a board member at Harmonic Progression, she coordinates the Strings4All campaign, managing donations, shipments, and deliveries of strings and accessories to music schools in Venezuela.

  • Swiss cellist Jonathan Gerstner has studied with renowned musicians across Europe and performed in prestigious orchestras and festivals, collaborating with esteemed artists such as Marina Viotti and Sir Simon Rattle. From 2019, Jonathan stopped taking airplanes, responding to the urgency of the climate crisis. Since then, he has been travelling to all his concerts by train. In 2024, together with some friends, he started EcoClassica, an organisation dedicated to help classical music make the transition to a model that considers climate justice and planetary boundaries.

  • British horn player Ben Goldscheider has performed as a soloist with leading orchestras, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonia, and appeared at prestigious venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and Berlin Philharmonie. A passionate chamber musician, he collaborates with renowned artists and was a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist from 2020 to 2022.

  • Alessandro Tommasi is a classical music manager and critic, supporting organisational initiatives at Harmonic Progression. He is Head of Artistic Administration at the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, Artistic Director of the Cristofori Piano Festival Padova, and has worked for institutions such as the Verbier Festival, Trame Sonore – Mantova Chamber Music Festival, Medici.tv, Barco Teatro, and the Concours International d'Orléans.

  • Marina Gross is the head of development at the Verbier Festival. As a board member she contributes to the strategic development at Harmonic Progression.

  • Iris Yuan is an Artist Manager at IMG Artists, works in Artistic Planning at the Pietrasanta in Concerto Music Festival, and is the General Manager of the Z+ Music Festival.

  • Sofia Livotov joined Harmonic Progression as Administrative Coordinator in November 2024.
    As a professional opera singer and graduate of Hochschule Musik Luzern and Conservatorium van Amsterdam, she brings valuable artistic insight to her role.
    Working as an independent contractor, she coordinates the organisation's key projects including Strings4All, Eco Workshops and One Task a Month. Further responsibilities span administrative support, fundraising and sustainability research. She brings extensive knowledge of the classical music industry along with experience in administration and sustainability projects.