Heifetz Institute scholarship campaign hits record fundraising goal

After tallying more than 200 contributions from donors throughout the Shenandoah Valley, the Heifetz International Music Institute today announced the successful conclusion of its “Shenandoah Scholarship Campaign,” an unprecedented dollar-for-dollar $100,000 matching-grant challenge designed to bring some of world’s most talented young musicians to study at the acclaimed Institute regardless of their ability to pay.

“There are challenges, and then there are challenges,” noted Heifetz Institute Executive Director Benjamin K. Roe.  “Not only did we attempt to raise more funds in less time than ever before, but this was the first time we’d ever tried a matching-grant campaign. I am gratified and humbled by the outpouring of support from the Valley, and grateful to our Heifetz International Music Institute Board of Directors, who agreed to match local donations dollar-for-dollar if we could hit our ambitious $100,000 goal.”

As of press time, the Shenandoah Scholarship Campaign has raised $106,715 in pledges and donations ahead of its April 19th, 2015 deadline.  Combined with the $100,000 matching funds from the Heifetz Board, the Institute will be able to offer more scholarship assistance to more students than at any time in the world-renowned music center’s history.

The announcement came as the Institute was preparing to mount a series of springtime Heifetz On Tour concerts and appearances, the final Heifetz performances before the Summer Institute and Festival of Concerts formally opens on June 25.  “We had planned these concerts months ago as our final push in the Scholarship campaign,” notes Executive Director Roe.  “So now, as a way of giving thanks to the community, we are turning Friday night’s scheduled performance at Mary Baldwin College into ‘Dollar Donor Night’ – with an admission charge of just $1 for anyone who has supported the campaign.”

“Dollar Donor Night” will come in the midst of a series of performances featuring Heifetz scholarship recipients and audience favorites: Violinist Katharina Kang, violist Michael Casimir, cellist Allegra Whiting, joined by Heifetz Institute faculty pianist Stefan Petrov. All four will be returning to Institute for its Summer 2015 program, with Mr. Petrov as the Faculty Piano Coordinator; the 17-year old Whiting as a student, and Katharina Kang and Michael Casimir in their newly-established positions as Heifetz Institute Artistic Ambassadors.

Dates

• Wednesday, April 15th, 6:00 PM (reception, followed by a concert at 7:00) at the Heartstone Lodge and Retreat Center, Buena Vista, VA
• Thursday, April 16th, 7:00 PM at the United Methodist Church, Waynesboro, VA (co-presented with the Wayne Theatre Alliance)
• Dollar Donor Night: Friday, April 17th, 7:30 PM at Francis Auditorium, Mary Baldwin College, Staunton, VA

These Heifetz artists will also celebrate Virginia Garden Week with special performances at noon and 2 pm on Saturday, April 18 at the Inn at Old Virginia in Staunton, and will also participate in ceremonies during the week presented by the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Authority, the Shenandoah Valley Partnership (of which the Heifetz Institute is the newest member), and Mary Baldwin College – including the dedication of the flagship building of Mary Baldwin’s new Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences campus in Fishersville.

Reserved seating via donation and complete program information for these concerts are available online at www.heifetzinstitute.org, by calling 540.907.4446, or by visiting the new Heifetz Institute Box Office, Headquarters, and Gift Shop at 107 E. Beverley Street in downtown Staunton.