“The South Bend Symphony Orchestra announced Wednesday that its June 17 ‘Gift of Music Gala’ fundraiser set a record in donations for the annual event,” writes Andrew Hughes in Sunday’s (10/2) South Bend Tribune (Indiana). “ ‘It raised $350,000, which is incredible,’ SBSO executive director Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev said. ‘This is by far the record. We’ve never raised this much money.’ The news comes as the orchestra enters the audition phase of its search for a successor to Maestro Tsung Yeh as music director. The first concert takes place Saturday at the Morris Performing Arts Center with Maestro Alastair Willis at the podium…. Rakhmatullaev said $90,000 of the $350,000 raised at the gala is earmarked for a new fund named for Yeh. ‘That money will go to a bank and will be utilized for artistic purposes,’ she said. ‘Just a portion of it will be used each year, so it is going to provide long-term sustainability for the organization.’ The remainder of the money raised will be used for educational programs and operating costs…. With the ‘Gift of Music Gala,’ Rakhmatullaev said, the SBSO raised 110 percent of its goal…. ‘I think we have some great momentum to build on.’ ”
Posted October 4, 2016
