March 19, 1947 was the cherished date of the very first Winston-Salem Symphony concert, held on the campus of Salem College and led by conductor James Lerch.
To commemorate the date of our first concert, we celebrate Giving Day with a goal to raise $125,000 to preserve a musical future for our community.
The success of our Symphony Giving Day is vital to our mission to bring music to life. Our goal this year is ambitious! We aim to raise $125,000 in unrestricted funds from 240 donors.
With your support, we will unlock matching funds, connect more people through music, and sustain our education programs that reach nearly 10,000 children in Forsyth County each year. Programs such as these represent one-third of our budget and ensure that music remains an integral part of our area youth’s academic journeys.
Be a part of something big.
Not only is March 19 our Giving Day—the entire month of March has been officially recognized as North Carolina Arts in Our Schools Month. Give or pledge today and celebrate with us. Be one of the 240 donors who, together, recognize the transformative power of music education.
To celebrate the Symphony’s Giving Day, pledge your support here:
Jacqueline Liu Piano
2024 Peter Perret Youth Talent Search Winner
Your contributions help to sustain and grow music education for area children.
Music Education is a main component of our mission and vision. P.L.A.Y. Music, our elementary-strings program, reaches more than 200 students in area Title One schools. The Symphony’s vibrant, four-ensemble Youth Orchestras Program offers a deeper connection to musical learning for young musicians—and a fun performing outlet to boot. Additionally, we make dozens of educational opportunities available to children and adults each season as a way of enriching our community and engendering a love of music among all ages. From small ensemble performances at each elementary school to full-orchestra concerts for area fourth- and fifth-graders, an elementary program for beginning string players, and pre-concert conversations and symposia, your gifts become knowledge.
Your contributions bring world-class experiences to Winston-Salem.
Thanks to you, we’re bringing music to life through live performances with renowned artists such as Renée Fleming, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Branford Marsalis, and Ben Folds. The Symphony puts your gifts to good use, allowing audiences to experience music in a new way.