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Grand Center 314-533-1884 "When you think Saint Louis, think Saint Louis Front Page," a weekly publication covering the news and events in the greater St. Louis area.  St. Louis Front Page P.O. Box 1354 St. Louis, MO 63188 Voice: 314-771-0200 Fax: 314-771-0300 To submit news, contact: editor@slfp.com To advertise, contact: advertising@slfp.com |
by Bob Moore, SLFP.com ST. LOUIS, MO. (SLFP.com), June 21, 2004 - Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Board Chairman Dr. Virginia Weldon today announced the completion of a major milestone in the history of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra - the successful matching of the $40 million Taylor Family challenge grant. In a press conference at Powell Symphony Hall, Dr. Virginia Weldon said, "Our Orchestra today is as strong and brilliant and accomplished as ever. Our musicians have shown that they too wanted to preserve this jewel in St. Louis' cultural crown. For themselves and for their community, they made their own very significant contribution with a cost-saving labor agreement and with a steady unaltered commitment to making great music in every performance. "When we announced the Taylor Family gift, I tried to summarize our position by quoting Sir Winston Churchill," continued Dr. Weldon. "I invoked his famous assessment of the Allied position after the victory in North Africa during World War II. 'This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. It is perhaps the end of the beginning.' "I regret to tell you that Sir Winston has failed to provide me with an eloquent summary of our position today," noted Dr. Weldon. "While I intended to say that we are well beyond the beginning of the end, we are well on our way, but we are not there yet." Dr. Weldon explained that the decision not to seek membership in the Museum Zoo District leaves the Orchestra with a big hill to climb in order to secure their future. "We will have to continue to rely on private forces," stated Dr. Weldon. "Thanks to the Taylor Family challenge and thanks to this community for having met it, it is now clear to me that we can and will face the challenge ahead of us. Four years ago, we had a near death experience. Today, we are vibrantly alive. With the wind at our back, we will not be stopped."
"We made this gift for a very simple reason, we love St. Louis," stated Jo Ann Taylor Kindle, president of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation. "We wanted to do what we could to save our world-class symphony orchestra and to preserve the tremendous contribution it makes to the quality of life in this region. We also saw this gift as a very special opportunity to give back to this community that for so many years has been so good to us and our company," continued Kindle. Kindle stated that the gift was offered as a challenge grant because it would provide an opportunity for St. Louisans to take on an important task and step up to match the gift. The challenge grant received support from a variety of sources, including symphony patrons, board members, corporations, foundations and individuals who wanted to make sure this orchestra would be here for future generations. More than 10,000 pledges were made over the challenge's 54 months.
In addition to its regular concert performances at Powell Symphony Hall, the Symphony is an integral part of the St. Louis community with a variety of education and partnership programs. Free ensemble and individual performances in parks, churches and other venues throughout the area bring classical music to thousands of people of all ages. Archived Stories:  First Night Returns to Grand CenterGrand Center Plans Grand Redevelopment 
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