Endowment Of Two New Orchestra Chairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:

Nick Dobreff, Manager of Publicity and Community Relations

616.485.3913 (m) – 303.308.2477 (o)

COLORADO SYMPHONY ANNOUNCES ENDOWMENT OF TWO NEW ORCHESTRA CHAIRS

Principal Cello and Assistant Principal Flute chairs receive endowments for 2018/19 Season

September 24, 2018 – Denver, CO – The Colorado Symphony proudly announces the endowment of two new orchestra chairs for the 2018/19 Season with the unveiling of the Tom & Noëy Congdon Chair for the Assistant Principal Flute and the Fred & Margaret Hoeppner Chair for the Principal Cello.

Tom and Noëy Congdon are longtime patrons and supporters of the Colorado Symphony and many other arts organizations in the community. Tom is the retired chairman of St. Mary Land and Exploration and previously served as chair of the Denver Art Museum board and on the board of Colorado Public Radio among his many volunteer commitments. Noëy has served on several non-profit boards including the Aspen Music Festival and School where she also served as chair. The inaugural occupant of the chair will be Catherine Peterson, Assistant Principal.

“The Colorado Symphony is extremely grateful for the generosity of the Congdon family,” said John Burtness, Chief Advancement Officer. “As well known and highly regarded supporters and patrons of many art forms in our community, we’re honored they’ve chosen to endow a chair in the flute section.”

Another couple who are longtime patrons and supporters of the Colorado Symphony have chosen to generously endow the principal cellist chair anonymously while naming it in honor of Fred and Margaret Hoeppner.

Fred Hoeppner joined the Denver Symphony Orchestra in 1950 as principal cellist and played with the DSO and subsequently, the Colorado Symphony, for 53 years until his retirement in 2003. Margaret Hoeppner joined the DSO as a cellist in 1961, married Fred in 1970, and enjoyed their years as collaborating musicians and partners.

During his tenure Fred also served as Assistant Conductor and along with Margaret, on the steering committee that helped form the Colorado Symphony after the collapse of the DSO. Fred and Margaret also served several terms as Musician Trustees, a role that Margaret is currently fulfilling with the Colorado Symphony. Fred passed away in 2017 and Margaret continues to play cello with her colleagues. The inaugural occupant of the Hoeppner Chair in Cello will be Judith McIntyre Galecki, Acting Principal.

“As a non-profit organization, endowments are vital to our long term stability and financial success,” said Jerome H. Kern, CEO & Chair of the Board of Trustees. “We’re thankful to the Congdon family and our anonymous donor for their generous contributions to the Colorado Symphony and their investment in our bright future.”

The Colorado Symphony endowment is currently valued at $24 million and a campaign has been launched with a goal of building that fund to a total value of $50 million. The campaign received an enormous boost when the Avenir Foundation offered to match new gifts to the Symphony’s endowment through June 2020.

###

CONTACTS:

For more information or to request interviews, please contact:

Nick Dobreff, Manager of Publicity and Community Relations

ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org – 303.308.2477 (o)

For high-resolution, downloadable images of the Colorado Symphony, contact: ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org

The 2018/19 Colorado Symphony Season is presented by Arrow Electronics and Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. Support also provided by: The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), 9News, United Airlines, and the Colorado Symphony Guild.

TICKETS:

Tickets to Colorado Symphony events are available online at coloradosymphony.org/tickets, by phone at 303.623.7876, and in person at the Boettcher Concert Hall Box Office, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1000 14th Street. The Box Office is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday, noon – 6 p.m.; and two hours prior to each performance.

ABOUT THE COLORADO SYMPHONY

One of the leading orchestras in the United States, the Colorado Symphony Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization performing more than 150 concerts annually at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver and across Colorado. Led by Music Director Brett Mitchell, the Colorado Symphony is home to eighty full-time musicians, representing more than a dozen nations, and regularly welcomes the most celebrated artists from the world of symphonic music and beyond. In the last year, the Colorado Symphony served nearly 233,000 people attending live performances at concert and non-traditional venues throughout Colorado’s Front Range. In addition, over 265,000 people listen to the Colorado Symphony through Colorado Public Radio’s live broadcasts of classical content featuring concert recordings, in-studio performances of individual musicians and small ensembles, and live streaming of interviews and performances with artists. Recognized as an incubator of innovation, creativity, and excellence, the Colorado Symphony continually expands its reach through education, outreach, and programming. The Colorado Symphony partners with the state’s leading musical artists, cultural organizations, corporations, foundations, sports teams, and individuals to expose diverse audiences to the transformative power of music. To learn more, visit coloradosymphony.org.

Press

Colorado Symphony Announces Endowment Of Two New Orchestra Chairs

Questions?