''Generous' Lichfield supporter leaves £800,000 legacy gift for City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Musicians have paid tribute to a 'generous' concert-goer who donated one of the largest legacy gifts in their orchestra's 97-year history.
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra was left the £800,000 donation by a Lichfield man, who frequently enjoyed the group's concerts.
It said the charitable gift will support the orchestra's activities in the country for the next eight years, including its centenary in 2020.
Individual giving manager Eve Vines said: "Our recent £800,000 gift was given by a gentleman who was very special to us, and who first started supporting the orchestra in memory of his wife.
"In addition to coming to concerts to hear the full orchestra perform, he really valued the work which CBSO musicians did with young people around the region.
"I’m quite sure that it was this, together with his friendship with a number of the musicians, that inspired him to leave a legacy.”
The orchestra, which is based at Birmingham's Symphony Hall, features in more than 100 concerts across the globe each year, playing classics, contemporary, film music and symphonic disco.
It also works with young people across the region, who are involved in the CBSO Youth Chorus, CBSO Youth Orchestra and the CBSO Children’s Chorus.
The contribution from the anonymous donor will help ensure the orchestra 'continues to thrive' for music lovers in the future, the group said.
Chief executive Stephen Maddock OBE said: "This important legacy represents a significant contribution to the £15 million to £20 million we need to raise from the private sector over the next eight years.
"Support from generous private funders enables us to maintain and build upon the CBSO’s world-class artistic standards and the breadth of its work in the local community.
"Without such support every aspect of our work would be diminished beyond recognition. Gifts from generous individuals, companies and trusts are all part of the mix, and so too are legacies of all sizes.
"I am always touched and humbled when I learn that someone has chosen to remember us in this way: in doing so they ensure we can continue to offer musical inspiration for generations to come."
