The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra has raised $4.8 million in its emergency campaign, making it a virtual certainty it will cross the $5 million finish line soon.

That $4.8 million includes a "Finale" grant of up to $200,000 from an anonymous donor, which will match dollar for dollar new and increased gifts to the orchestra, the MSO announced in a statement Friday.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A $20 million pledge from philanthropists Richard and Helen DeVos to the Grand Rapids Symphony has launched a $40 million endowment campaign to provide long-term support for the orchestra.

Another $12 million has been pledged by others toward the $40 million goal of the Legacy of Excellence Campaign to secure the orchestra’s future financial well-being.

The $20 million pledge represents one of the largest gifts ever made to an American orchestra’s endowment fund.

By Eric Lacy | elacy@mlive.com
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DETROIT, MI - It's definitely been a good year for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

This weekend’s “Home for the Holidays” concerts featuring the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) set the box office record for an annual concert event.

Box office revenues exceeded $425,000 with more than 10,000 tickets sold.

The previous record was set last year with over $365,000 in revenue and 8,657 tickets sold, according to a DSO press release. Prior to that, only the 2007 shows neared the record with $354,000 in revenue and 8,133 tickets sold.

In 2013-2014 the Buffalo Philharmonic saw an increase in concert revenue of 5.5%, an 11.9% surge in contributions, endowment growth of 7.7%, and an increase in ticket sales with records set for subscriptions.

This after a successful 12-13 season.

Louis P. Ciminelli, Chair of the BPO Board of Trustees commented, "We are pleased to officially report to the community that our budget was balanced once again with healthy increases in concert revenue and contributions, in what was probably one of the most exciting seasons on record for the BPO."

The Hawaii Symphony Orchestra and Musicians’ Association of Hawaii, Local 677 (Honolulu, HI), are pleased to announce a new two-year agreement that will run through June 2016. It includes a minimum 14-weeks of employment each year, adding two additional weeks to accommodate more diverse programming and outreach. 

HSO’s 2014-2015 season will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall, where the symphony performed at its formal opening in September 1964. That program will include selections performed at the 1964 opening, along with a brand new ballet commission.

The symphony has also launched a new box office solution, SRO4, that is similar to platforms used in Major League Baseball. It will offer more purchasing and ticket delivery options.

The Houston Symphony’s gala raised over $2.5 million in one evening for education programs on the heels of several years of record breaking fundraising.

http://issuu.com/houstonsymphony/docs/april2014magazine