St. Louis Symphony Orchestra raises $173 million for fundraising campaign, enhancing endowment and supporting transformational expansion and renovation of Powell Hall

(September 19, 2025, St. Louis, MO) Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) announced that extraordinary community support has contributed $173 million for its ongoing Music For All Campaign, the fundraising effort to support the expansion and renovation of its historic home and enhance its endowment. The fundraising total to date, the largest campaign in the orchestra’s 146-year history, was announced at a ribbon cutting for the new Jack C. Taylor Music Center, the SLSO’s historic home that includes a renovated Powell Hall and a 64,000-square-foot expansion.

Surpassing an initial goal of $155 million, the campaign closes at the end of the calendar year.  In addition to fully funding the $140 million expansion and renovation of Powell Hall, the campaign also supports the SLSO’s endowment, ensuring that the institution can fulfill its mission of enhancing lives through the power of music while fostering a vibrant and connected community.

Steve Finerty, Chair of the SLSO Board of Trustees, said, “After many years of dreaming and planning this transformative project for the people of St. Louis, we are ready to welcome audiences to our new music center. It took the talents of countless people to reach this point—especially the generosity and support of our community. With the success of this fundraising campaign and opening of our magnificent home, we are poised to launch a new era that will elevate St. Louis as a global music destination.”

Marie-Hélène Bernard, SLSO President and CEO, said, “This is more than a building—it’s a promise to our city, our artists, and the future of the St. Louis region to make music more accessible to all. This project is not possible without the many donors to this project—their belief in the SLSO as a source of pride and their farsightedness in preserving this civic treasure for future generations. I am deeply grateful for the remarkable team whose creativity, care, and attention to detail has brought this vision to life, as well as to Music Director Stéphane Denève for his inspiration and partnership, our musicians who are the heart of our organization, and our dedicated staff and volunteers.”

The Jack C. Taylor Music Center—named in honor of the late SLSO patron, philanthropist, and champion of St. Louis—unifies new and renovated spaces to create an international music destination in St. Louis. At the heart of the project is the renovation of Powell Hall, the orchestra’s home since 1968. Designed with community service at its forefront, the project will preserve the civic treasure for generations to come, make music more accessible, better serve the needs of the community, and help to shape the orchestra of the future.

The $140 million project, designed by the internationally acclaimed architecture firm Snøhetta with local firm Christner Architects as the architect of record, centers the SLSO’s priorities on artistic excellence, community engagement, and education leadership. The project transforms the audience and artist experience, providing new amenities and preserving and enhancing the internationally recognized acoustics and aesthetics of the concert hall, elevating the SLSO as a destination orchestra for musicians worldwide. A new Education and Learning Center provides additional space for the SLSO’s two resident choruses, its Youth Orchestra, and a growing portfolio of education and community programs.

The first concerts of the SLSO’s 146th season will be on September 26-28, 2025. The 2025/26 season programming showcases the virtuosity and nimbleness of the orchestra musicians and guest artists, and includes a wide variety of music, responding to the community’s diverse tastes and interests. 

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