Stradivarius Society Luncheon
by Meranda Dooley, Manager of Individual Giving
On Thursday, October 30, the Madison Symphony Orchestra hosted the annual Stradivarius Society luncheon at the Madison Club. Members and guests were welcomed by Casey Oelkers, Director of Development, before being served a delicious lunch. Robert Reed, Executive Director, shared remarks about the current season, the financial strength of the Symphony, and the exciting audience development initiatives underway.
The final and most anticipated portion of this luncheon is always our guest artist. Maynie Bradley is a member of the first violin section of the MSO, performs chamber music in festivals across the country, and works as a therapist for people with autism of all ages at Achieving Collaborative Treatment. She began her performance with the familiar Rondo by J.S. Bach and then Varsha by Reena Esmail, an Indian-American composer who fuses Hindu and classical musical languages into her pieces. Next was “Bye-Bye Breakdown” from Fiddle Dance Suite by Winton Marsalis, a rousing and virtuosic solo, and the finale was a beautiful arrangement of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.
Members of the Stradivarius Society, the MSO’s planned giving society, have committed to providing a gift in their will, trust, or other estate documents to benefit the Symphony after their passing. All planned gifts are directed to our endowment, which provides financial stability to the Symphony through a reliable and significant annual distribution that is critical to fulfilling our mission. For the current season, the endowment will provide nearly 18% of the MSO’s operating income. We currently have 67 living member households. If you are interested in learning more about planned giving and the Stradivarius Society, please visit madisonsymphony.org/stradivarius.
Thank you to those who attended this event, to Maynie Bradley for gracing us with her talents, to the Madison Club for welcoming us in their space and providing excellent service, and to Valerie Kazamias for assisting with planning this event.
Check out photos from the event below.
