Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra Holds Spring Fundraiser

The RIDGEWOOD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA's annual spring fundraiser featured fine food and wine—and of course music.

After a two-year hiatus, the orchestra’s musicians, board members, friends and family gathered at It’s Greek to Me restaurant in Ridgewood on Sunday afternoon, June 12, for a successful return of the fundraiser. Nearly 50 supporters were there to celebrate the orchestra’s musicians and its mission of offering beautiful music close to home.

RSO board president David Nussenbaum spoke about the orchestra’s 2021-22 season and the coming concert at West Side Presbyterian Church, to be held Saturday, June 25, at 8 p.m. For that performance, pianist Ron Levy is joining the orchestra to play Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4.

The orchestra also is planning two free outdoor concerts in July: The first is at Rindlaub Park in Saddle River on Saturday, July 9 at 7 p.m., and the second is at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Westwood on Sunday, July 10 at 4 p.m.

During Sunday’s event, violinists Michelle Park and Liz Smith, violists Alison Muldoon and Philip Chuang and cello player Laura Bird, all musicians with the orchestra, gave special performances for attendees. And Maestro Kyunghun Kim spoke about the orchestra’s successful season, given the myriad challenges coming off a pandemic. The fundraiser was organized by longtime board member Knarig Khatchadurian-Meyer.

The RSO is a regional, nonprofit organization made up of 75 dedicated musicians whose only compensation is their common love of making and sharing music. The group relies on tax-deductible financial donations to help keep its music alive, with ticket sales covering only a fraction of its costs. Please visit https://www.ridgewoodsymphony.org/ for more information or tickets for its final concert of the season.