Palm Beach Symphony Announces Second $250,000 Challenge Grant From Paul and Karen Levy

Palm Beach residents and philanthropists, Paul and Karen Levy, have once again opened their hearts to raise money for Palm Beach Symphony’s education programs. For the second time this year, the generous couple is committing to match up to $250,000 in donations. This is the perfect time to consider making a holiday gift to the Symphony to meet the match during this season of giving.

“We are so grateful to Paul and Karen Levy for their generosity in an encore match. We’re seeing firsthand how much impact their first challenge grant continues to have, and we look forward to touching the lives of twice the number of students with this second challenge,” said David McClymont, Chief Executive Officer of Palm Beach Symphony. “Just think how far another half a million dollars can go. We are so fortunate to have a couple as kind as Mr. and Mrs. Levy support our mission and believe in the potential of our children.”

As a result of their first $250,000 match being met earlier this year, the initial $500,000 raised is funding artists-in-residence, 12 instrumental music programs and over 330 coaching appointments at nine Title I schools in Palm Beach County School District during the 2025-2026 school year. The schools benefiting are U.B. Kinsey/Palmview Elementary School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Northmore Elementary School in West Palm Beach, Highland Elementary School in Lake Worth Beach, The Conservatory School @ North Palm Beach, Plumosa School of the Arts in Delray Beach, Palm Springs Community Middle School, Jeaga Middle School in West Palm Beach, Woodlands Middle School in Wellington and Lake Worth Community High School.

“Our first challenge was a successful match and we’re hoping the community will come together and repeat that. We’re delighted to share what we have with young children here in Palm Beach County,” said Mr. Levy. “Passion begins with exposure, so without exposure to music, students cannot develop a passion for it. The next step of course is providing access to instruments to determine what they’d like to learn to play. Music provides a sense of discipline, mastery, focus and practice that are lifelong skills that go well beyond learning music, positioning them to be more productive children, students and adults.”

Additionally, local student ensembles are given the invaluable opportunity to witness Symphony musicians perform at in-school concerts as well as perform side-by-side with professional musicians during their school concerts. Select residency program student ensembles are invited to perform at Symphony events. This season, students are also attending piano, violin and cello masterclasses led by the Symphony’s featured international guest soloists and an open rehearsal led by Music Director Gerard Schwarz. To further encourage area youth to develop an appreciation for classical music, complimentary tickets to attend the Dale A. McNulty Children’s Concert Series production, A TV Guide to the Orchestra, and the 2025-2026 Masterworks Concert Series, where they’ll also see pre-concert performances given by local students, have been allocated for students and their families at these nine schools.

With the funds raised, instruments gifted to the Symphony’s Instrument Donation Program, launched in 2016, will be refurbished. The milestone 1,000th instrument was presented during the Ninth Annual Holly Jolly Symphony Fête this month, bringing the grand total to 1,022 instruments and 3,500 accessories. During the 2025-2026 season alone, 124 instruments have been donated thus far.

“I started playing piano when I was six-years-old,” said Mrs. Levy, who served on The Julliard School board when she lived in New York City. “Music adds such a wonderful dimension to life. Capturing these children when they’re young creates a passion that will last forever.”

Palm Beach Symphony’s education programs are made possible through support from The Paul and Sandra Goldner Conservatory of Music, Ray K. Farris, The McNulty Charitable Foundation, James R. Borynack and Adolfo Zaralegui / FINDLAY Galleries, Herbert H. and Barbara C. Dow Foundation, Mr. William Robertson, Charles Frederick Schmidt, The Annette Urso Rickel Foundation, Edith Hall Friedheim/Eric Friedheim Foundation, PNC Foundation, The Walter & Adi Blum Foundation, Inc., James H. and Marta T. Batmasian Family Foundation Inc., Harry T. Mangurian, Jr. Foundation Inc., Komansky Foundation, Josephine DuPont Bayard, Yvonne S. Boice Trust and Al Zucaro, and Lois Pope, with additional funding from Cultural Council for Palm Beach County Arts and Cultural Education Fund, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Proud sponsors of Palm Beach Symphony include Cindy and Jerome Canty, Mrs. James N. Bay, Carol and Harold Baxter, C. Kenneth and Laura Baxter Foundation, Inc., Kathy Lee Bickham and John Bickham, Leslie Rogers Blum, Je?rey and Tina Bolton, James R. Borynack and Adolfo Zaralegui / FINDLAY Galleries, Jerome J. Claeys, Thomas and Carol Bruce, Amy and John T. Collins, The Colony Hotel, Suzanne Mott Dansby, The David Minkin Foundation, Michelle DuBois and James Roiter, Ray K. Farris, Mary and Will Demory, Herbert H. and Barbara C. Dow Foundation,  Willard H. Dow and Kelly Winter, Dr. Richard and Diane Farber, Bill and Kem Frick/The Frick Foundation, Inc., Edith Hall Friedheim/Eric Friedheim Foundation, Gerry Gibian and Marjorie Yashar, Paul* and Sandra Goldner, Douglas and Jo Gressette, Irwin and Janet Gusman, Walter Harper, Thomas E. Harvey & Cathleen P. Black Foundation, Doris Hastings Foundation, Carol S. and Joseph Andrew Hays, John Herrick, Addison Hines Charitable Trust, Lisa and George Hines, HSS Florida, Charles and Ann Johnson/The C and A Johnson Family Foundation, Elaine Kay, Aban and Percy Kavasmaneck, Leonard and Norma Klor?ne Foundation, The Kovner Foundation, Gary and Linda Lachman/The Lachman Family Foundation, Patricia Lambrecht/The Lambrecht Family Foundation, Donald C. McGraw Foundation, The Honorable Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, The McNulty Charitable Foundation, Tish Messinger, David Moscow, Palm Beach Design Masters, Park Foundation, Patrick and Milly Park, Nancy and Ellis J. Parker, III, PNC Private Bank, Lois Pope, Provident Jewelry, Ari Rifkin/The Len-Ari Foundation, Dr. Martha Rodriguez and Dr. Jesus Perez-Mendez, Annette Urso Rickel Foundation, Karen Hunt Rogers, The Honorable Ronald A. Rosenfeld, David Schafer, Seth Sprague Foundation, Robin B. Smith, Kimberly V. Strauss, Don and Mary Thompson, Jerome and Carol Trautschold, Sieglinde Wikstrom/The Wikstrom Foundation, and The Ann Eden Woodward Foundation/James and Judy Woods.

*Deceased

ABOUT PALM BEACH SYMPHONY

Palm Beach Symphony is South Florida’s premier orchestra known for its diverse repertoire and commitment to community. Founded in 1974, this 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization adheres to a mission of engaging, educating, and entertaining the greater community of the Palm Beaches through live performances of inspiring orchestral music. The orchestra is celebrated for delivering spirited performances by first-rate musicians and distinguished guest artists. Recognized by The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County with a 2020 Muse Award for Outstanding Community Engagement, Palm Beach Symphony continues to expand its education and community outreach programs with children’s concerts, student coaching sessions and master classes, instrument donations and free public concerts that have reached more than 90,000 students in recent years. For more information, visit www.palmbeachsymphony.org.