The Wilmington Symphony Orchestra has received the largest donation—$50,000—to its endowment in its 42-year history, the symphony announced in a release last week.
The symphony’s board of directors received the gift this month from the estate of Nancy H. McAllister, a charter member and former concertmaster of the symphony whose accomplishments include the creation of the current string music program in area public schools.
McAllister died last December at the age of 71.
The gift endows the symphony’s concertmaster chair in McAllister’s memory, the release from the symphony states. The symphony’s performance this Saturday, April 27, at Kenan Auditorium is also being dedicated in her memory.
“The Wilmington Symphony Endowed Chair Fund provided a means by which to perpetuate her legacy and to help ensure the well-being of this institution she helped to build,” the release states.
“We remember Nancy McAllister as a passionate, fiercely devoted and motivated educator, professional violinist, pianist, organist and conductor,” said estate trustee Robert Hoggard, who presented the gift to board president Tim Ford.
“Through her complete dedication and love of music, together with her single-minded determination and countless hours of hard work, she mentored and inspired many fine musicians, and influenced and invigorated many local organizations including the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra,” Hoggard is quoted as saying.
The release states McAllister “single-handedly persuaded the public school system in the late 1960s to allow her to create the current string music program, and she diligently built the program and recruited many teachers to expand it. She was an original member of the Wilmington Symphony and served for many years as its Concertmaster.
Hoggard, a former student of McAllister’s and now a professional violinist, added: “As a performer and as teacher and mentor of several generations of talented young musicians, she raised performance levels and abilities and lit many fires that still burn within. So many times I hear ‘It was because of Nancy that I am a musician today,’ which is a stunning tribute to her work and influence.”
The endowment fund was established to help ensure the sound financial future of the Wilmington Symphony. Gifts to the endowment—and specifically for chair endowment—are restricted from use in day-to-day operations and are invested instead “in safe, income bearing instruments,” the release states.
“This gift is the third to endow a specific seat in the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra but the first to endow a chair in perpetuity,” it states, noting others are 20-year endowed chair gifts for “First Violin – Second Stand, Outside Chair” by “The Robert W. Austin Family,” and “Percussion Section Chair” by Christy Ball “In Memory of Clyde and Milton Rutledge.”
More information on the Wilmington Symphony, as well as its youth education programs, is available on its website.
