Be a Part of the Elkhart County Symphony!

A Personal Invitation from Glenn Northern, Executive Director

For a tax-deductible contribution of $350, you can sponsor a specific Assistant Chair Position for the 2026–27 season—directly supporting one of the musicians who brings our concerts to life while helping us maintain the full instrumentation audiences expect from the ECSO.

Choose a chair. Support the person who fills it. Become a part of OUR Symphony.

A New Way to be Part of ECSO

Assistant Musician’s Chair Sponsorships give individuals, families, and businesses an accessible—and very personal—way to support the Symphony.

As a sponsor, you will have a direct connection with a member of the ECSO and be specifically recognized as that Chair’s supporter in ECSO Playbills, inserts, and online season materials.

But I hope you’ll see your sponsorship as something much more meaningful than having your name under the lights.

This Is Our Symphony

One of the things I’ve learned over my years as an educator, performer, and now Executive Director is that music becomes especially powerful when it connects people. And that is one of the things I love most about the ECSO: the musicians you see on our stage truly are part of our community.

They are your neighbors. They are educators, professionals, parents, and grandparents. Some have performed with the Symphony for decades; others are beginning their musical journeys. Remarkably, we even have members of the same families—and different generations of those families—sharing our stage.

As a lifelong music educator, that means a great deal to me.

It is one thing to talk about passing a love of music from one generation to the next. It is another thing entirely to look across an orchestra and actually see it happening.

Parents and children perform side-by-side. Experienced musicians share what they have learned with younger players. Young people in our audiences see members of their own community making extraordinary music together. And programs like our Youth Concerto Competition, revived for Season 79 after more than a decade, give talented young musicians an opportunity to imagine themselves on that stage someday.

That is how a musical tradition grows: one musician, one opportunity, and one generation at a time.

The Elkhart County Symphony isn’t simply an ensemble that performs in Elkhart County. It is woven into the fabric and musical DNA of this community—and supporting the people in the chairs helps ensure it remains that way for generations to come.

CHOOSE A CHAIR. SUPPORT THE PERSON WHO FILLS IT.

Our musicians represent one of the Symphony’s most significant investments, with musician salaries accounting for approximately 27% of the Elkhart County Symphony’s total budget.

Behind every performance of Season 79—from the vibrant Latin American-inspired sounds of ¡Ritmo Botánico! at Wellfield Botanic Gardens to the artistry of cellist Khari Joyner at Duel Vi2lity, the sweeping power of Verdi Requiem at Sauder Concert Hall, the excitement of Cinematic Symphony, and our spectacular season ending Planetary Finale at The Lerner Theatre featuring Holst’s The Planets and percussion ensemble pax duo—will be musicians who choose to share their talents with this community.

Your sponsorship helps put them on that stage.

OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR SYMPHONY

For those interested in making a larger investment, Principal Chair Sponsorships remain available for Season 79. If you are interested in sponsoring a specific Chair, please contact me at (574) 229-8839.

You can also support ECSO by making a general tax-deductible contribution, purchasing season or individual concert tickets, volunteering, attending our educational and community programs, or introducing someone new to the Symphony. Every gift, every ticket, and every new audience member helps build the future of OUR orchestra.

After more than three decades as an educator, I have learned that we cannot simply hope the next generation will value music. We have to show them how much we value it. And just as importantly, we have to show the dedicated musicians making music today—young and old, established and aspiring—how much we value them.

I hope you’ll consider becoming an Assistant Musician’s Chair Sponsor for Season 79.

Choose a chair. Support a musician. Bring the music to life.

Together, we can support the remarkable musicians who call our community home and make sure the story of the Elkhart County Symphony continues for generations to come.

Thank you, as always, for supporting the Elkhart County Symphony. I hope to see you Sept. 13 at Wellfield Botanic Gardens for our 2026–27 season opener, ¡Ritmo Botánico!

– Glenn Northern, Executive Director, Elkhart County Symphony Association

[email protected]
574-229-8839

Ready to sponsor a musician? Choose the Assistant Chair position you would like to support and complete the onsite sponsorship form. After submitting the form, please contact the Symphony to confirm your pledge and complete your sponsorship.

If you have questions, I’d be happy to hear from you personally.