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Campaign Update

Campaign Goal:

$12 Million

Raised to Date:

$12 Million

Thank you! We reached our goal!

View Our Case For Support
View Our Latest Campaign Update

​The Virginia Symphony Orchestra proudly announces its largest fundraising campaign in its history…

Vision Forward Campaign

Celebrating 100 years of community service and creativity, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra has launched its “Vision Forward” campaign. This unique initiative will preserve the orchestra as a strong community asset for generations to come by significantly increasing the size of its endowment and providing the stimulus for future innovative programming both on and off the stage.

“The future of the VSO is bright and Vision Forward has created new momentum for the organization, we continue to evolve into an even stronger community partner serving all of Hampton Roads as its only full-time, professional symphony orchestra.”

– Mike McClellan
Chair, VSO Board of Directors

“As we look forward together to celebrating the VSO’s 100th anniversary in the upcoming season, the organization has much to celebrate – not only a venerable history of extraordinary musical performances and deep community engagement, but a strong financial foundation on which to build for the future.”

– Karen M. Philion
VSO President and CEO

Beyond The Stage

Since 2016, the VSO has significantly expanded its strategic vision by deepening its education and community service beyond presenting concerts. The VSO has created new and unique programming throughout the region including music therapy-based health and wellness programs with non-traditional partners including hospitals and nursing homes. Additionally, the VSO’s collaboration with Old Dominion University is one of the only programs of its type in the country that enhances music education for students by providing hands on instruction with the VSO’s professional musicians. And, just this past year, the VSO performed its first-ever sensory-friendly concert to expand access to people on the autism spectrum.

To learn more about Vision Forward, please call
Lauren DiPeppe, Director of Development, at 757-213-1417.

Special thanks to our Vision Forward donors

Abbitt Family Foundation

Mrs. Carolyn Abbitt

Captain Richard and Holly Aleks

Anonymous (8)

Anonymous Foundation

Arnold B. McKinnon Family Symphony Fund

Baldwin Advisory LLC

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Banks, III

Clay H. Barr

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Batten, Jr.

David and Claire Benjack

Mr. William D. Benson

Birdsong Peanuts

Sarah and Bruce Bishop

Mr. and Mrs. Manfred Bloch

Jim and Judith Bowers

Lilly and Bruce Bradley

Mrs. Joan Brock

John and Kathleen Broderick

Robert and Laney Brown

Dan and Janet Burdette

Capt. and Mrs. James G. Burritt

Caterpillar Foundation

Drs. Sarah B. Clarkson and John M. Herre

Leroy and Cora Collins

Susan and Norman Colpitts

Mr. and Mrs. Charles N. Cooper

Dr. and Mrs. William A. Coulter

Parker Councill and Robin Everett

Page and Virginia Cranford

Mrs. Nancy A. Creech

Debra Wendells Cross and Robert W. Cross

Mr. and Mrs. Stacy Cummings

Curtis Group Consultants

Ms. Christina L. Goode and Ms. Martha M. Goode

Dr. and Mrs. Robert T. Davis

Ms. Ernestine I. Dole

Ms. Cheryl A. Dronzek

Mr. William Drury

F. Ludwig Diehn Fund of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation

The Fannie, Milton, and Leslie Friedman Family Foundation

Kelly and Tim Faulkner

Barry and Anita Fletcher

Stan and Janet Glasofer

Susan and David Goode

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Greene

Dr. and Mrs. Adolphus Hailstork

Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Hall

Jim and Helene Haluska

Hampton Roads Community Foundation

Jo Ann and Buzzy Hofheimer

Mr. and Mrs. Stan Howard

Mr. and Mrs. James L. Howe III

Dr. and Mrs. T.W. Hubbard

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Hughes

Connie Jacobson

Norma and Alan Jaffe

Dr. Larry Kagan and Diana Erye

Mr. Jake A. Keller

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Kern

Teresa M. Kraus and Walter T. Camp

Ms. Maria Latona

Aubrey and Peggy Layne

Drs. Donald R. and Elyse B. Lehman

Fred & Cindy Levy

Lamuel and Sandra Lewis

Dr. and Mrs. Edward Lilly

David J. Littley, Jr.

Elizabeth L. Young

Dr. Jean Major

Bill Martin and Pamela Russell

Mr. and Mrs. Michael R. McClellan

James and Emily McDaniel

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick B. McDermott

Mr. Robert McLean

Ms. Betty Jean Meyer

Dr. Jonathan Miller and Ms. Barbara Miller Chapman

Robert and Kathleen Morris

Mr. James Muir

Newport News Shipbuilding

Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. O’Hanlon

Dennis and JoAnn Olson

Deb Butler

Grace & Fred Parkinson

Mrs. Jane Pellegrino

Mr. and Mrs. James D. Penny

The Patricia and Douglas Perry Foundation

Diane and Bob Petterson

Karen and Tom Philion

Bradley and Carolyn Pittman

PNC Bank

Bill and Robin Poulter

Dr. and Mrs. Mallory Read, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Van Reading

Mrs. Sandra Armstrong and Mr. Tom Richmond

Pamela Rinsland

Mr. and Mrs. John E. Roberts, Jr.

Louis F. and Prudence H. Ryan

John Saunders

Dr. Paul Sayegh

Betty & Jack Shannon Charitable Fund

Betsy B. Shelton

Mr. Asa Shield, Jr. and Helene Uhlfelder, Ph. D

Jane and Win Short

Charla Smith-Worley

Mark Sorin, DDS and Linda Ferro

Joan and Jim Spore

Ira and Jean Steingold

Mr. Lawrence L. Steingold

Vanessa Sutherland and Elliot Wolf

James and Carole Taylor

Mr. and Mrs. James E. Taylor

The Pruden Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Rony Thomas

TowneBank

TowneBank Foundation

Priscilla and Sam Roady

United Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula

Mr. and Mrs. William R. Van Buren, lll

Donna and Jeffrey Van Keuren

Virginia Chamber Players

The WatsonWalsh Family Fund

Neil and Pat Walsh

Eleanor and Henry Watts

Ashlin and Wayne Wilbanks

Mr. and Mrs. Arba Williamson, III

F. Blair and Jane S. Wimbush

Mr. and Mrs. Donald G. Winchester

Steve and Lynne Winter

John and Deborah Wyld

  • Truist
  • Birdsong Peanuts
  • Norfolk Southern
  • New Leaf
  • VSSGW
  • Virginia Symphony League
  • Bank of America
  • Cape Henry Collegiate
  • Wilcox Savage
  • WHRO
  • The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
  • CBN
  • PNC Bank
  • Regent University
  • NEA
  • Norfolk Collegiate
  • Carl's Wash
  • Sentara
  • PBMares
  • KPMG
  • Audacy
  • Trust and Wealth Management
  • TowneBank
  • Seven Venues
  • Arts Alliance
  • Rutter Family Art Foundation
  • Riverside Health
  • Breeden
  • Wilbanks Smith and Thomas
  • Ferguson Center for the Arts

Emmanual Losa

Emmanuel Losa

Cello

Born in 1998, Emmanuel Losa grew up in Marietta, Georgia to a Nigerian father and Jamaican mother. Starting his cello studies at the age of 12, he began to have an affinity for the orchestral world and later studying with the esteemed cellists of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, his primary instructor was Joel Dallow; in addition, studying with Dona Vellek (Assistant Principal Cello Emeritus) and Karen Freer (Assistant Principal Cello).

Emmanuel heavily enjoys studying various pieces of solo, chamber, and orchestral music, spending his summers at various festivals such as Bowdoin International Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, and Aspen Music Festival to name a few.

A student of Alan Stepansky at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, Emmanuel is pursuing an undergraduate cello performance degree in orchestral performance. He continues his studies with a focus on winning a position with a major orchestra.

Zacherie Small

Zacherie Small

Double Bass

After migrating from his native island of Barbados, Zacherie Small began his Double Bass studies the age of 19 with Jonathan Dadurka at Miami-Dade College where he graduated with a Associate of Arts in Music. Afterwards, he went on to study with Luis Gomez-Imbert at Florida International University where he now holds a Bachelor of Music in Double Bass Performance; Cum Laude, and a Masters of Music in Double Bass Performance. Also, recently graduated with his second Masters from Temple University studying with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra such as Nathaniel West, Joseph Conyers, and Robert Kesselman.

Small has performed with various orchestras. He is a member of the Miami Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Eduardo Marturet. He was also the Principal Double Bass of the Miami Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Jorge Vazquez. Small periodically performs with the Colour of Music Festival Orchestra.

Small has attended the Miami Summer Music Festival at Barry University for 3 years. During the festival, he has performed in many concerts with various conductors like Michael Rossi, Yuriy Bekker, Joel Smirnoff, David Efron, Stephanie Rhodes, and Steve Gruman. Also, participated in the Philadelphia International Music Festival to study with Nathaniel West and under the baton of Kensho Watanabe.

As well as being a performer, Small is the secondary music director South-Dade Middle School and does masterclasses at various schools in Miami, FL. He is also a teacher for the Artist of the Miami Music Project where he guides children in troubled neighborhoods to bring about social change, cultivate lessons, and run ensembles.

Tyler McKisson

Tyler McKisson

viola

Tyler McKisson is a 26-year-oldorchestral and freelance violist originally from Arvada, Colorado. He has recently received an Artist Diploma from The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as a Diversity Fellow where he regularly performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. McKisson received a Master’s degree in viola performance at the University of Colorado Boulder and a Bachelor’s degree in Viola Performance at the University of Northern Colorado with honors. McKisson’s musical career started at age ten when he joined his school’s string orchestra program and at age fourteen, he began his studies under his first private instructor, Brian Cook. McKisson has also studied under Christopher Luther, Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti, Erika Eckert, and Catharine Carroll Lees. He has played with several American orchestras including the Cheyenne Symphony with tenure, Atlanta Symphony, Kentucky Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, and the Aspen Conducting Academy.

Camille Jones

Camille Jones

violin

A passionate collaborator and advocate for diversity in the arts, Camille has worked with various festival orchestras and chamber groups, including the National Orchestral Institute and Festival (NOI + F), Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Next Festival of Emerging Artists.

As a 2019 Sphinx Orchestral Futurist Fellow, she has helped commission works and curate a professional development workshop for K-12 students in Prince George’s County, Maryland.This project piloted what is now the K12 New Music Initiative, a commissioning project to expand the repertoire of K12 orchestras with music by BIPOC composers. In the Fall of 2018, she curated Voices Unheard, a concert series at UMD that celebrated works by women composers and composers of color. In addition, she had the opportunity to collaborate with esteemed cello professor Anthony Elliott for a concert series at the Kerrytown Concerthouse titled Passing the Torch in 2021 and 2022. Camille is establishing herself as a freelance artist in the Michigan area as well, having performed for singer Michael Bublé, rapper Big Sean and Darren Criss. She has also served as a teaching artist for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Civic Youth Ensembles as well as the Sphinx Overture program in Detroit.

Camille received her B.M. in Violin Performance at the University of Maryland, College Park and a M.M. in Violin Performance from the University of Michigan, having studied under Danielle Belen.

Daphine Henderson

Daphine Henderson

bass

Daphine Henderson, a double bassist and vocalist in the DC metro area, completed her Master’s Degree in Double Bass Performance at the University of Maryland College Park in Spring 2023, where she also received two Bachelor’s Degrees in Music Performance with concentrations in Double Bass and Soprano Voice in Spring ’20. She was the first black woman to earn a Master’s Degree in Double Bass Performance at University of Maryland and the third black woman to receive a graduate degree in strings. Teaching herself the double bass at age 12, Daphine became extremely involved in music through her high school career, ranging from performing with the Maryland Senior All State Orchestra to being the drum major of her high school marching band. She is actively involved in the University of Maryland School of Music community, performing with numerous classical and wind ensembles.

Throughout her time at UMD, Daphine served as one of the ensemble assistants for the UMD Treble Choir, where she actively engaged with and lead her section. She sat as one of the student chairs and founding members of the School of Music’s IDEA Committee, which focuses on bringing diversity, accessibility, and inclusive engagement to the music community at College Park. Daphine is also a founding member of the PAGE (Project for All Gender Equality) for Bassists, where she spoke on a panel in the 2019 and 2021 International Society of Bassists conventions. Daphine teaches in Prince George’s County and Montgomery County, Maryland, and is an active strings coach for the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra. Additionally, she teaches all string instruments, piano, and voice at Crescendo Studios in Falls Church, Virginia.

Daphine is taking steps in her musical career to create an impact and be an inspiration for younger musicians of color that would otherwise not have ample resources and opportunities to pursue their passion. Following the completion of her graduate degree, Daphine plans to continue establishing herself as an advocate through her performance and an arts administrator for underserved and minority musicians, while continuing to inspire others through her love for music.

Avery Robinson

Omari Imhotep Adbdul-Alim

Violin

Omari Imhotep Abdul-Alim is an accomplished violinist and educator with a Master of Music in Violin Performance from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He is a dedicated instructor with extensive experience teaching violin to a diverse range of students, from young children to adults, in both individual and group settings.

Omari has also contributed significantly as a violin instructor and orchestral strings coach at the Academy for Discovery at Lakewood, as a member of VSO's first inaugural class of African American Fellowship.

In addition to his teaching accomplishments, Omari has an extensive performance background. He has been a substitute with VSO, New World Symphony, Chicago Civic Orchestra, and Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera. For the last year Omari has been an active performer in the San Diego area, playing with Coronado Philharmonia Orchestra, Poway Symphony Orchestra, the City Ballet of San Diego, La Jolla Symphony Orchestra and as resident violinist at First Lutheran Church of San Diego.

Omari is committed to enriching our musical education and performance landscape through his expertise and passion for music.

Avery Robinson

Avery Robinson

Cello

Avery Robinson grew up in Western Massachusetts where he was influenced by his parents’ love for jazz music. At the age of 10 he started playing piano and began learning bass when he was 12 years old. As a young musician, Avery’s passion for jazz persisted however, as he became exposed to the wonderful sounds of the symphony, his musical passion grew to include a second genre: classical music. After joining his high school orchestra, his career path was set.

Avery has studied at many top music schools such as the Eastman School of Music, The Hartt School of Music, and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and has graduated with honors. His teachers include Rachel Calin, Albert Laszlo, and Robert Black. Avery has been a member of the Kentucky Symphony, and most recently, the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra. He has also worked as a substitute for the Amarillo Symphony and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. In addition to his orchestral career, Avery is also an accomplished recitalist, having performed many solo and chamber recitals at various venues such as the Chautauqua Institution and at the “Classical Revolution” Series in Cincinnati. His love for performing with others shows in his expressive and sometimes fervent style of playing.

Avery has other passions in addition to music. Firstly, he is a huge art and history buff and loves to frequent museums and galleries whenever he can. He is also a lover of sports and an avid golfer.