Welcome from Our President & CEO

Dear friends,

Since I began my tenure as President & CEO nine years ago, I have been keenly aware of how fortunate the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is to have so many loyal and generous friends. Such engagement is the lifeblood of the orchestra, and I am deeply grateful for the many ways you support our work.

The much-anticipated project to expand and renovate Powell Hall is now underway. It will shape the future of the SLSO—transforming the audience and artist experience; preserving and expanding the building as a civic asset; and creating exciting new opportunities for music education and collaboration. Our new music center, to be completed in 2025, is a once-in-a-generation chance to make music more accessible for all and to deepen our impact for decades into the future.

Today, I invite you to consider ways that you might participate in this historic civic effort by making a special philanthropic gift to Music for All: The Campaign for the SLSO. Through this legacy project, we are seeking $155 million in community support to fund the renovation and construction costs, as well as endowment for operation of the expanded facility.

Your philanthropic support will be a significant investment in the future of the SLSO and will help propel us forward as we work to reach our goal. With more than $145 million already pledged, your gift will be meaningful and impactful. There are a variety of ways to participate, and I hope you will consider making this project a priority in your philanthropy.

In spring 2024, all new gifts to this campaign will be doubled, thanks to a generous $2.5 million challenge grant by the Berges Family Foundation. Long time friends Jim Berges and Elizabeth Mannen Berges are passionate about the SLSO, and they have pledged to match your gift or pledge, dollar for dollar. This makes your support now especially beneficial.

Gifts and pledges at all levels are welcome and will play a critical part in the SLSO’s ability to create meaningful musical experiences in our community for generations to come. 

Thank you for the many ways you support the SLSO!

With gratitude,

Marie-Hélène Bernard 
President & CEO