The Richmond Symphony has announced the receipt of it’s largest single donation to it’s Annual Fund. The $250,000 donation challenges the RSO to raise an additional matching $250K. Read on for the full press release.

Contacts: D. Todd Gray
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
(804) 788.4717 Ext. 120
tgray@richmondsymphony.com

Phil Melita
Communications Manager
(804) 788.4717 Ext. 121
pmelita@richmondsymphony.com

RICHMOND SYMPHONY RECEIVES
ANONYMOUS GIFT OF $250,000

December 22, 2005 – Richmond, Virginia – The Richmond Symphony is the recipient of a $250,000 anonymous contribution, which is the largest single gift the Symphony’s Annual Fund has ever received. The donor has made this gift as a fundraising challenge for the organization. To fully meet the challenge, the Symphony is seeking to raise an additional $250,000, of which $100,000 is desired from new donors and funding sources.

“At year’s end, many individuals seek opportunities to support causes that contribute to the quality of life in our community,” said Arthur S. Brinkley, III, President of the Richmond Symphony Board of Directors. “This is an amazing gift from a donor who recognizes the vital role the Symphony plays in Richmond. I hope that others who admire the Symphony’s concerts and education programs will use this opportunity to make year-end gifts as well and help meet the goal.”

“On behalf of the Symphony’s staff and musicians, I am delighted and deeply appreciative of this gift,” said David J.L. Fisk, Executive Director of the Richmond Symphony. “The Symphony’s Annual Fund supports performances and education programs during the 2005 – 2006 Season. Subscription and ticket revenue is only a fraction of any performing arts organization’s budget. Each year we must rely upon contributed income to complete our budget and this gift will provide an immediate return to the residents of the Richmond metropolitan community.”

Founded in 1957, the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia. The organization includes an orchestra of over 70 professional musicians, the 115 voice Richmond Symphony Chorus and 302 students in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra. Each season over 200,000 members of the community enjoy presentations of concerts, radio broadcasts, and educational outreach programs. As a nonprofit corporation, the Richmond Symphony is partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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