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Press Releases

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Announces Transformational $10 Million Endowment Gift from Dianne and J. David Rosenberg

October 10, 2024 | By Unison Media
Unison Media

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Announces Transformational $10 Million Endowment Gift from Dianne and J. David Rosenberg

Gift Dedicated to Advancing the Orchestra’s Innovation Initiatives

CINCINNATI, OH (October 10, 2024)—The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has announced a forward-looking initial endowment pledge of $10 million from Dianne and J. David Rosenberg to support the Orchestra’s innovation initiatives. As the Orchestra seeks to evolve artistic and educational experiences to engage today’s audiences and students, the Dianne and J. David Rosenberg Innovation Fund will catalyze programs that challenge traditional boundaries, elevate artistic excellence, and deepen community engagement. The investment will enable the CSO to engage the Cincinnati community in new and dynamic ways, in fulfillment of the CSO’s vision of being the most relevant orchestra in America.

“We are thrilled that Dianne and David Rosenberg, two exceptional leaders and visionaries who have consistently demonstrated their commitment to enhancing our community through meaningful philanthropic investments, have pledged $10 million to support the CSO’s innovation initiatives,” said CSO President & CEO Jonathan Martin. “Their extraordinary pledge will propel our initiatives forward, allowing us to further our mission of seeking and sharing inspiration with ever-expanding audiences. We are fortunate to have Dianne and David as proven partners in our mission, and we are grateful that this pledge is not just a one-time contribution but an investment that they intend to grow, ensuring that the Orchestra remains in service to the community and continues to contribute to the growth in Greater Cincinnati for years to come.”

As Chair of the CSO Board of Directors since 2022, Dianne Rosenberg has been at the forefront of implementing the Orchestra’s strategic plan that serves to fulfill the CSO’s mission and vision. The Dianne and J. David Rosenberg Innovation Fund will support the strategic initiatives of the CSO and enable ongoing audience research, learning programs as well as new concert formats, artists, and programming that push the boundaries of a traditional orchestral concert experience. This commitment also comes at a pivotal time as the CSO celebrates the arrival of Cristian Macelaru as its next Music Director beginning in 2025.

“The Innovation Fund empowers the CSO to experiment, take risks, and expand the boundaries of what’s possible in orchestral music,” said Dianne Rosenberg. “Our gift is an investment in the future of the Orchestra, ensuring it has the funding it needs to evolve creatively and attract new and diverse audiences for generations to come. David and I have such admiration for the musicians and staff whose commitment to artistic excellence continue to elevate the CSO’s international reputation. With their leadership, we know the Innovation Fund will have a transformative impact on the CSO and its role in the advancement of orchestral music.”

The Dianne and J. David Rosenberg Innovation Fund’s impact will be evident as the CSO expands education and concert innovation initiatives, including new commissions, recordings, and experimental concerts like the CSO Proof series, challenging traditional orchestra norms. In the 2024-25 season, the CSO will present two CSO Proofs and pilot two new Friday experiences, including Dvorák Deconstructed with Music Director Designate Cristian Macelaru in February 2025. Insights from audience research, concert pilots, and audience responses will guide programming decisions moving forward as the CSO seeks to evolve how it presents itself to excite 21st century audiences.

“This investment in the future of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is transformational and allows us to honor our storied legacy while boldly shaping the CSO’s trajectory and impact on the Greater Cincinnati community,” said Martin. “We are grateful to Dianne and David Rosenberg for their unwavering passion and support for our Orchestra and community. Together, we look forward with optimism as we work to fulfill our mission and vision.”

 

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

With a legacy dating back 130 years, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is considered one of America’s finest and most versatile ensembles. In the 2025-26 season, Cristian Macelaru joins the Orchestra as its 14th Music Director, after serving as Music Director Designate in the 2024-25 season. The Orchestra also performs as the Cincinnati Pops, founded by Erich Kunzel in 1977 and currently led by John Morris Russell with Damon Gupton serving as Principal Guest Conductor. The CSO further elevates the city’s vibrant arts scene by serving as the official orchestra for the Cincinnati May Festival, Cincinnati Opera and Cincinnati Ballet.

Since its inception in 1895, the CSO has dedicated itself to seeking and sharing inspiration with the Greater Cincinnati community through the transformative power of music. With a vibrant and dedicated history, the CSO has commissioned more than 200 new works and presented more than 300 world or U.S. premieres, solidifying its role as a cornerstone of musical innovation. The CSO’s commissioning legacy includes two Fanfare Projects, the first during World War II and the second during the Covid-19 pandemic, that sought to inspire, uplift and provide meaning during pivotal moments in our nation’s shared history through the universal language of music. In addition to its commissioning efforts, the CSO and Pops can be heard around the world through more than 300 commercial recordings, including those on the Orchestra’s own label, Fanfare Cincinnati.

 The CSO is committed to its vision to be the most relevant orchestra in America, realized through a focus on serving the entire community and continually innovating ways in which the Orchestra presents music. Recent examples include: One City, One Symphony, designed to bring people together through music and provide city-wide discussions about relevant society themes; Lumenocity, merging music and visual arts to bathe the iconic façade of Music Hall in projected light; Look Around, a piece composed to activate the entirety of Washington Park and unite the musical community of Cincinnati; and CSO Proof, the Orchestra’s flagship program for new concert experiences and formats.

The CSO is also dedicated to enriching and expanding access to music education through the power of culturally inclusive music to nurture and inspire lifelong learning. Through its key focus areas—Listen, Play and Develop—the Orchestra aims to bring music education the Greater Cincinnati community, offering opportunities through its two youth orchestras, Musicians in Schools, the CSO Brass Institute and one of the longest running Young People’s Concerts series in the United States, which was launched more than 100 years ago.

 A leader in diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the industry, the CSO was one of the first American orchestras to create and first to endow a Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer position on its administrative team, ensuring the absorption of best DE&I practices into every facet of the organization. In 2007, the CSO created the Nouveau Program, which has supported increased participation in classical music and provided equitable opportunities for music study and performance for more than 80 African American and Latine student musicians. The CSO is also an incubator for and partner to Equity Arc, a consortium of American orchestras, professional musicians and educators established to address the lack of racial equity in the classical music field by aligning resources and collaborating to strengthen the trajectory of classical instrumentalists of color at all stages of their pre-careers.

 

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 The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra gratefully acknowledges support from:

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