24/25 Season Donor Impact Report by Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra

2024/25 DONOR IMPACT REPORT

Dear RPO Family,

cR eate. insp ire. co nnect.

These pillars have defined the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s civic vision for over a century. Your support through the RPO & COMPREHENSIVE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN means this community-first mission will resonate for generations to come.

RPO & launched into its public phase with an ambitious, dazzling, and impactful 2024/25 Season, a milestone only possible thanks to you. This first year of the RPO’s second century featured a stellar lineup with some of the world’s finest artists, including Emanuel Ax, Time for Three, and Zlatomir Fung; blockbuster film scores from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1TM to The Wizard of Oz; and inspiring collaborations with the Rochester Oratorio Society and Rochester City Ballet. A breathtaking finale of Stravinsky’s Firebird closed the year with a bang.

Captivating new works by Roberto Sierra and James Lee III premiered as part of the RPO’s new Voices of Today initiative, a commissioning, recording, and storytelling project that will Create a rich tapestry of new works by today’s leading artists. This project will further establish Rochester and the RPO as an incubator for new music that pushes boundaries.

Beyond the 80,000 patrons who attended an RPO series concert this season, over 40,000 community members took part in free programming through RPO for All, our wide-ranging commitment to bring the orchestra into every corner of Greater Rochester. Whether it be the 20,000 students we Inspire with tailored education programming, or the tens of thousands of Rochesterians we Connect with through free RPO Outdoors concerts, the Care & Wellness Initiative, and more, we are excited to continue to grow free, high-impact programming in the years to come.

It is your unwavering support and devotion to the RPO that has allowed us to bring world-class artistry to Rochester, and we cannot wait to see the amazing things that we will accomplish together. This unforgettable year set the tone for another 100 years as a community cornerstone, and none of it would have been possible without your loyal support. If you have any questions about the RPO’s present or future, please do not hesitate to reach out via our email addresses below.

With gratitude,

Rob Dermody, VP of Development rdermody@rpo.org

Amy Gallaher, Director of Development agallaher@rpo.org

George DeMott, Development Officer gdemott@rpo.org

Bryce Davis, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives bdavis@rpo.org

Dorian Delfs, Development Officer ddelfs@rpo.org

Elizabeth Garijo-Garde, Institutional Partnerships Officer egarijo-garde@rpo.org

cR eate.

Trailblazing programming has been core to the RPO since the orchestra’s earliest days. Whether it be our 2019 Grammy Award, decades of nationwide radio broadcasts on NBC, or the 1931 world premiere of William Grant Still’s Afro-American Symphony, the first symphony written by a Black American to be performed by a leading American orchestra, artistic innovation and creative use of technology are woven into the DNA of the RPO. This heritage holds the key to understanding the RPO’s latest visionary program: Voices of Today.

Made possible by a gift from Stephen Ashley in loving memory and honor of his late wife Janice, Voices of Today builds on this tradition by commissioning new works from exceptional contemporary composers. Each Voices of Today work will be recorded and distributed through Azica Records, providing a national platform for these vital new works. This, too, connects with RPO history, adding to an extensive library of over 100 recordings dating back to 1939.

“As a music director, I need to seek for a raison d’être for our orchestra. The future should always connect with the past. Our ancestors put the RPO on the map in presenting new music, and I’m very excited that we can revive this tradition in a new, fresh way.”

–MAESTRO ANDREAS DELFS

1939: One of the RPO’s earliest recordings, Howard Hanson’s Romantic Symphony conducted by Hanson himself. Recorded on May 11 in Eastman Theatre, the LP was issued on RCA Victor.

1962: The RPO performs on television for the first time, continuing a tradition of leveraging technology dating back to the first RPO radio broadcast in 1929.

2020: American Rapture wins a GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition for composer Jennifer Higdon’s Harp Concerto.

2026: The first Voices of Today recording, Four, features new works from three American composers:

Derrick Skye: To Seek is Jubilance

The first commission of Voices of Today, Skye creates a brilliant and colorful cultural fusion that draws inspiration from the universal ideals echoed in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. The work features four vocal soloists.

James Lee III: Sensational Dynamism

A four-hand piano concerto inspired by the excitement and energy of gymnasts— Christina and Michelle Naughton bring strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, artistry, and endurance to this propulsive piece.

Roberto Sierra: Sinfonia Concertante

A work that merges the Sinfonia tradition of the Classical era with Carribbean influences, featuring four RPO soloists: Juliana Athayde, violin; Ahrim Kim, cello; Erik Behr, oboe; and Matthew McDonald, bassoon.

Your philanthropic support makes these ambitious projects possible.

insP ire.

1929 marked a meaningful milestone for Rochester and its orchestra: the first of 96 consecutive years of programming for our region’s students. What started as concerts in four RCSD schools grew over the following decades into a slate of performances at Eastman Theatre, engagements at area schools, the Rochester Philharmonic League Young Artist Awards, and even side-by-side performances.

While today’s world is vastly different, the need remains. Thanks to your support, today’s RPO education programs carry the torch of a proud history. RPO & will secure the future of these longloved programs while also launching new initiatives to focus resources where they’re needed most in our second century.

Education Concerts. 14,467 students from 36 districts across nine counties attended an RPO Education Concert this year. Three sequential programs—Tiny Tots, Primary, and Intermediate— build on one another, starting with basic musical concepts and growing to include connections with other school subjects. Even as our longest-running education program, these concerts continue to evolve and inspire.

“I’ve been able to feel a genuine connection with and concern for the needs of our young audience members...this part means the most! Seeing the musicians turn and smile at the audience is a special moment and finding interactive music is so special. For the first time today, two of my kindergarten boys said they want to be conductors when they grow up so they ‘can do the music like he did!’ My heart melted to hear that!”

–ZACHARY ARENZ, 2024 NYS TEACHER OF THE YEAR

FLOWER CITY SCHOOL RCSD #54

98% of teachers rated overall quality as “Good” (22%) or “Outstanding” (76%)

OPUS | Orchestral Program for Urban Students. Access to music education matters. Through OPUS, the RPO seeks to counteract persisting inequities and give City students resources to pursue music in and out of school, to whatever degree they choose, regardless of their family’s financial situation. Through collaborations with four Rochester City School District buildings, EnCompass, ROCmusic, and the Eastman Community Music School, OPUS creates over 50 new opportunities for City students to engage with the RPO.

Introduce

School #45

EnCompass

In collaboration with these partners, we host events ranging from open rehearsals and Q&A sessions with guest artists, to weekly RPO coaching and mentorship, to sharing the stage with RPO musicians at side-byside performances. OPUS partners have shared how this program has already had an immense impact on their students.

“We have removed fear and uncertainty…this is exactly how to remove barriers and create opportunities”

–PATTY YARMEL, PROGRAM DIRECTOR STRINGS FOR SUCCESS AT RCSD #19

co nnect.

Founded as a civic orchestra dedicated to the community life of Rochester, the RPO anchors a thriving creative economy with national impact. SMU DataArts, the leading center for quantitative arts research, recently named Rochester the #15 most arts-vibrant community in the country—the smallest metro to place in the top 20 and above much larger communities like Denver, Portland, and Cincinnati.

RPO For All represents the orchestra’s continued commitment to reach every corner of our community. This series of wide-ranging, 100% free programs is designed to connect, inspire, and engage through the power of music both on and off the stage. This effort includes Around the Town concerts, performances across four counties as part RPO Outdoors, and over 100 other engagements each year.

Care and Wellness Initiative Open Rehearsals give families facing medical challenges the chance to experience the grandeur of the full orchestra at Kodak Hall in a more relaxed concert environment. As opposed to a normal performance, when the hall is filled with hundreds of other attendees and logistics can be challenging, open rehearsals allow individuals and their families to experience the full orchestra in a personal way.

The RPO Care & Wellness Initiative exemplifies this commitment. Launched in 2021, the Initiative reaches those with intellectual & developmental disabilities (IDD) and neurodegenerative diseases, breaking down barriers to their participation in music. With programming developed in collaboration with music therapists from Nazareth University and partner sites, Care & Wellness ensures that everyone, regardless of health and disability status, can access the RPO.

“You couldn’t have known this, but you supported a speech therapist working directly with a student to practice using a new device to express herself, a physical therapist relying on the music to motivate a student to stretch a tight arm, and many teachers and staff using this opportunity to model and practice appropriate behavior…we can’t thank you enough. We love our RPO!”

–JEN TRIMBLE-FORD, MT-BC MUSIC THERAPIST, MARY CARIOLA CENTER

Beyond the walls of Kodak Hall, Chamber Ensembles bring RPO musicians into accessible community venues. Through these performances, small groups such as string quartets or brass quintets travel to host sites, integrating the RPO into existing routines and familiar environments to make these performances more comfortable for attendees.

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During this unique performance, the

an inclusive and

Concert programming is designed with intent, with special consideration given to dynamics, rhythm, and genre. A number of accommodations are offered to attendees, including noise-reduction headphones, “quiet rooms” for those who are overstimulated, a therapy dog, and more. Additionally, preparatory materials for families including a social narrative are made available beforehand. Together, these considerations and adaptive concert etiquette come together to create a one-of-a-kind afternoon at the RPO.

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100% of partners would welcome back the RPO in the future.

The orchestra has seen first-hand the impact of this accessible arts programming. With your philanthropic support through RPO & , the Care & Wellness Initiative will continue to ensure that all lives in Rochester are touched by music.

The

Sensory-Friendly Concert offers an orchestral experience tailored to the needs of the IDD community.

orchestra strives to create

relaxed atmosphere.

The RPO’s first century saw an ensemble created to play along to silent films grow into a Grammywinning, internationally renowned institution. This was only possible thanks to the loyal support of the Rochester community. Rochester and the RPO worked to achieve this vision together.

These roots inspire the RPO & comprehensive Capital Campaign, which has already launched the orchestra into our second century. Your support enables our vision for the future—to create, inspire, and connect through music. Through RPO & , we embrace tradition & innovation, the classic & contemporary, and the past & future.

The breadth of programming described here is only possible with your generous support. As we continue forward with the incredible momentum of this campaign, we are filled with gratitude for our growing RPO family. comprehensive capital campaign

“The RPO is Rochester’s premier cultural institution. I have been a Philharmonic series season subscriber since 1979 when I arrived in Rochester for my medicine internship, and have been attending RPO concerts ever since. We are so fortunate to have the RPO in our community to enrich our lives, and that is why I encourage all of you to support the RPO& Comprehensive Capital Campaign.”

–RALPH F. JOZEFOWICZ, M.D RPO BOARD MEMBER

Our second century is truly the RPO