BSO performing at Rash Field for the Star Spangled Spectacular
Winston Zhou
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
ROBERT E . MEYERHOFF & RHEDA BECKER
Extraordinary gift names every community concert performed beyond the walls of the Meyerhoff or Strathmore beginning Summer 2023 and establishes the first-ever dedicated endowment for OrchKids .
Fifteen years ago , longtime Baltimore philanthropists Robert E . Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker made their first extraordinary gift to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra ( BSO ) which included seed funding to launch OrchKids , a program envisioned by Music Director Laureate and OrchKids Founder Marin Alsop to use music as a vehicle to create opportunities for Baltimore City youth . In July , the BSO announced that it had received another generous gift from Mr . Meyerhoff and Ms . Becker in two
“ We have watched the steady growth of the OrchKids program over these past 15 years , and wished to see it live on for many years to come . We also hope others will join us in ensuring the program ’ s future with the sustaining power of an endowment .”
— ROBERT E . MEYERHOFF
profound parts . First , operating funds supporting the BSO ’ s multi-year commitment to increase the size , compensation , and quality of the Orchestra , as well as to expand communitybased performances in Baltimore City and throughout the state of Maryland . The second part of the gift supports the strategic expansion of OrchKids , including a $ 1M gift to establish the OrchKids Fund within the Baltimore Symphony Endowment Trust .
Importantly , and while seeded by the Meyerhoff / Becker gift , the OrchKids Fund is an open fund , available to receive the support of other donors through outright or planned gifts . The power of having a dedicated endowment cannot be understated . OrchKids started in 2008 with 30 students at one school , and enrollment as of the 2022-23 year surpassed 1,850 students in grades Pre-K through 12 . The OrchKids Fund will provide sustaining support in the form of an annual draw : growing as OrchKids grows , and supporting impactful outcomes requiring recurring support in perpetuity such as the regular provision and maintenance of instruments and supplies , the salaries of our fantastic teaching artists , tuition and travel for outside external summer programs , and more .
SEP-OCT 2023 / OVERTURE 37