Musical Fund Society
of Philadelphia
"The cultivation of skill and diffusion of taste in music"

 

 Gifts to the Foundation

October, 2006


Dear Friend:

Just this week I enjoyed a brilliant concert that reminded me yet again why I joined the Musical Fund Society. For a highlight of that evening was a world premiere by a Philadelphia composer, a premiere that the Society funded. The piece sparkled. It was a work that enlivened everyone present—the composer, of course, and the audience, which called him back several times. The handshakes and smiles and hugs after the concert spoke of the joy that enveloped everyone, and to the power of music.

But it was also a validation for the musicians and the organization behind them. Commissions are risks, after all, and risks are not something non-profit music groups jump into every day. Tight budgets and fluctuating government and corporate support make groups—no matter how large or small—wary of taking that extra step to fund a commission, or to reach out to local school children.

This is where the Musical Fund Society comes in. Last year we funded commissions, innovative programs, educational outreach, and the development of new audiences. While we're proud of that, we know that we could provide so much more help with additional funds from the Musical Fund Society Foundation. We cannot fund all the groups that apply, but even a little bit more would make it possible for one more group to take on that special project—that risk—that all of us want to encourage.

Your tax-deductible gift to the Musical Fund Society Foundation can make that difference. You have already helped us reach our goal of building the Foundation to over $100,000 (which seemed like a distant dream just a few years ago!); the income from this helps us to fund these organizational grants.

Our goal is to reach $15,000 in gifts this year, which will help us fund one or two extra deserving organizations. Please join me by sending your contribution to the Musical Fund Society Foundation today. We enclose an envelope for your convenience. By contributing whatever you can, you announce that an outreach of music here is an important part of civility itself, an announcement we cannot repeat often enough.

With my thanks and best wishes,




Kile Smith
President
Musical Fund Society Foundation

Send your tax-deductible gift to:

The Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia
P O Box 22464
Philadelphia, PA  19110