The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra raises more than $1.1 million to support artistic, education, and community programming at gala featuring Yo-Yo Ma

(May 9, 2024, St. Louis, MO) – Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra announced it raised $1.135 million for its artistic, education, and community programs at its gala event and concert featuring the internationally acclaimed musician and philanthropist Yo-Yo Ma on Friday, May 3. Gala guests enjoyed an evening at Stifel Theatre including dinner, drinks, and dancing with live music, all in support of the SLSO as it concludes its 144th season. The highlight of the gala was a sold-out concert, which included Ma’s performance of Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Claude Debussy’s La Mer, conducted by SLSO Music Director Stéphane Denève. Gala co-chairs were Jo Ann Taylor Kindle, and Penny Pennington and Mike Fidler.

The gala is the SLSO’s largest fundraising event of the year, enabling the institution to make music accessible to all through a combination of concerts and events, media broadcasts, and community and education programs, which reached more than one million people in the 2022/2023 season. The SLSO’s programming engages music lovers, educators, and students far beyond St. Louis, impacting people in 49 states and 9 countries in the 22/23 season.

Marie-Hélène Bernard, SLSO President and CEO, said, “Our community proved once again that St. Louis has one of the most dedicated, engaged, and generous arts audiences in the country. We are deeply grateful for the support of our donors, whose generosity sustains our commitment to making music accessible to all. We are also thankful for the leadership of gala co-chairs Jo Ann Taylor Kindle and Penny Pennington and Mike Fidler, whose incredible energy and passion made this a banner night for the SLSO.”

The successful gala followed the April 17 launch of the community phase of the Music for All Campaign, a fundraising effort that supports the ongoing transformational expansion and renovation of the SLSO’s historic home at Powell Hall. The project shapes the SLSO’s future, providing much-needed updates to Powell Hall, and improves the artist and audience experience through a 64,000-square-foot expansion. To date, Music for All has raised nearly $147 million towards a $155 million goal.

With gratitude for gala sponsors:

Presenting Sponsors
Jo Ann Taylor Kindle and Enterprise Mobility
Penny Pennington, Mike Fidler, and Edward Jones

Gold Sponsors
Thelma and David Steward

Silver Sponsors
Argent Capital Management
Laura and Norm Eaker
Emerson
The Kennedy Family and Fraîche Wine Group
Noémi Neidorff
Thompson Coburn

Bronze Sponsors
Elizabeth Mannen Berges and James Berges
JiaMin and Michael Dierberg
Drury Hotels LLC
Nancy and Walter Galvin
Mercy