T R A N S F O R M AT I O N A L S U P P O R T
In building our long-term strategic plan, Blueprint 2023, our Orchestra community concluded that a truly sustainable DSO would require a shared commitment to growing our permanent endowment. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is grateful to the donors who have made extraordinary multi-year, comprehensive gifts to support general operations, endowment, capital improvements, named chairs, ensembles, or programs. These generous commitments establish a solid foundation for the future of the DSO. A strong endowment does more than secure the financial future for the DSO. It will also help us to achieve artistic excellence – attracting and retaining the best musicians, guaranteeing our education and youth programs for the future, and serving our city as one of its greatest cultural assets. The result will be heard in the continued warmth and clarity of our orchestra, in strong ticket sales and growing donor support, and in more people with increased access to and participation in music. To learn more about this critical effort, please contact Jill Elder, Vice President and Chief Development Officer, at jelder@dso.org.
SPOTLIGHT: RIC SONENKLAR AND GREG HAYNES
R
ic Sonenklar has been attending DSO concerts for at least 45 years and has enjoyed classical music since he was a boy. His husband Greg Haynes, who grew up listening to country and gospel, didn’t know much about the symphony world when he met Ric and started joining him for DSO performances. But that was nearly 30 years ago, and by now he’s a seasoned fan. “We attended every one of the programs at the American Panorama festival,” says Ric, who explains that both he and Greg enjoy American and 20th century composers. The couple also support Michigan Opera Theatre, where Ric serves on the Board of Directors, as well as the Chamber Music Society of Detroit and other local arts institutions. Last fall, Ric and Greg happily hosted like-minded DSO supporters to their home in Bloomfield Hills for Overture to a Season. Now, they are joining the musicians of the DSO in our collective quest to raise no less than $1 million in investments to the DSO Musicians Fund for Artistic Excellence. The fund, established by a groundbreaking $100,000 cumulative gift with participation from each DSO musician, is truly an inspiration. “The fact that the musicians took it upon themselves to do that, and to issue that challenge for more support… it shows that they’re invested in the orchestra and its future,” says Greg. “I’m not sure there’s any other group of musicians that have done this type of thing.” To learn more about joining us in this historic partnership with the musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, please contact Alexander Kapordelis, Campaign Director, at akapordelis@dso.org.
10
DSO PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE
SPRING 2019