Campaign Update
Campaign Goal:
$12 Million
Raised to Date:
$10.6 Million
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
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Aaron
Abbitt Family Foundation
Anonymous Foundation
Baldwin Advisory LLC
Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Banks
Clay H. Barr
Birdsong Foundation
Lilly and Bruce Bradley
John and Kathleen Broderick
Joan Brock
Leroy and Cora Collins
Minette and Charles Cooper
Mrs. Nancy A. Creech
Debra Wendells Cross and Robert W. Cross
Stacy and Aimée Cummings
Dr. and Mrs. Robert T. Davis
Ms. Ernestine I. Dole
F. Ludwig Diehn Fund of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation
Fannie, Milton, and Leslie Friedman
Family Foundation
As of 1/20/2020
*deceased
Kelly and Tim Faulkner
John and Irene Field
Barry and Anita Fletcher
Goode Family Foundation
Susan and David Goode
Connie Jacobson
Dan Jobson
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Kern
Mrs. Eleanor Marshall*
Bill Martin and Pamela Russell
Joanne C. McClellan
Andria and Mike McClellan
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick B. McDermott
Oriana McKinnon
Elizabeth Miklos
Newport News Shipbuilding
Deb Butler Painter
The Patricia and Douglas Perry Foundation
Diane and Bob Petterson
Karen and Tom Philion
Bradley and Carolyn Pittman
Louis F. and Prudence H. Ryan
Mr. Asa Shield, Jr. and Helene Uhlfelder, Ph. D
Jane and Win Short
Joan and Jim Spore
James A. Squires and Karen Jones Squires
Ira and Jean Steingold
Mr. Lawrence L. Steingold
Vanessa Allen Sutherland and Eliot Wolf
Mr. and Mrs. Rony Thomas
Elaine M. Themo
Garland Tillery and Jim Early
TowneBank Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. William R. Van Buren, lll
John T. Vojtek
Eleanor and Henry Watts
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne F. Wilbanks
F. Blair and Jane S. Wimbush
Don and Amanda Winchester
Steven and Lynne Winter





