Donors provide Symphony tix for students

It all started in the kitchen.  I was talking with a couple of subscribers at a reception when they lamented the fact that more students didn’t attend our concerts.  One thing led to another and we started exploring ways we might work together to change that.  The subscribers were Bob Levine and his wife Rebecca Kadish, who live in Hollis and who’ve been enthusiastic supporters of the symphony for years.

That enthusiasm eventually took shape as a major contribution to Symphony NH, structured so as to ensure the provision – in perpetuity – of four free tickets for high school music students at each subscription concert.  Bob and Rebecca wanted these tickets to go to students who have shown an interest and aptitude for music, either through band or chorus, by the time they reach high school.  It made sense to me to set this up through the NHS North Tri-M Music Honor Society, a reliable source for identifying those students.

“Symphony NH is no longer just Nashua,” noted Rebecca and Bob.  “We hope that we might inspire other music lovers to sponsor a similar program for their community and school.”

I reached out to NHS North Band Director, Kristin Olsen, who also plays horn with the Symphony.  Her excitement matched that of the donors:  “This is great for the students,” she said.  “It’s important for them to see people in their community making music on a professional level, and I’m sure they’ll get a lot out of going to the concerts.”

Last week, an announcement at the Tri-M Music Honor Society induction ceremony made the gift public, and the program official.  Olsen thanked Bob & Rebecca for their generosity and foresight in giving these students an opportunity to see professionals making music in their own community.

So the next time you’re at a Symphony NH concert and you notice a group of high school students in thrall to the music, remember that it took one couple who cared about the future of the art form to fill those seats, and that they’ll be full for as long as there’s a symphony here for us all to enjoy.

Thanks, Bob & Rebecca, for your generosity!