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Crescendo Campaign announced at BPO opening night

by jmaloni

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Wed, Sep 16th 2015 09:55 pm

$30 million fundraising effort aimed at providing additional financial stability for orchestra

At the BPO's Opening Night Gala concert, Louis P. Ciminelli, board of trustees chairman, announced the Crescendo Campaign. It's a comprehensive fundraising initiative designed to provide financial stability for the BPO for years to come.

The campaign aims to raise $30 million, which will push the endowment past the $50 million mark, address current operational needs and secure new planned gift commitments. A silent phase of the campaign has already brought in more than $17 million. Ciminelli and BPO board Vice Chairman Angelo Fatta are co-chairs of the Crescendo Campaign committee.

In celebration of his 60th birthday on Sept. 17, Ciminelli has made a $1 million gift to the campaign in honor of BPO Executive Director Daniel Hart.

"It is our privilege to receive Louis Ciminelli's tremendous and transformative gift. His generosity is paving the way for our campaign," Hart said. "An increased, secured endowment will not only allow the BPO to expand its reach to the broader community, but allow us to approach our projects from a place of financial strength."

Ciminelli said, "The position of executive director, and Dan Hart in particular, is crucial to the health and well-being of this organization. Sound fiscal management is critical to the BPO, and I know that, with Dan in charge, the organization will be stable for many generations to come, for which I am forever grateful."

Additionally, as part of the Crescendo Campaign, the BPO will look to designate $10 million of the endowment funds raised to establish the Next Generation Education Fund. These funds will support key growth strategies for the BPO's award-winning education programs, including expanding the Music For Youth series, bringing more BPO musicians into classrooms, and assisting school districts with transportation to concerts.

"Having a successful campaign will increase our endowment to a level that will allow us to continue to provide the people of Western New York with world-class concert music and to extend our educational outreach to over 50,000 students each year," Fatta said.

"I am especially pleased that our Crescendo Campaign will help us increase our commitment to education, and will build upon our musicians' dedication to the young people of our region," BPO Music Director JoAnn Falletta said. "This endowment will help us share the beauty of music in a broader and more significant way, and help students learn about their environment - and about themselves - through the Buffalo Philharmonic."

To jump-start this fund, the Tower Family Fund Inc. has challenged the BPO to a dollar-to-dollar match opportunity. It has pledged a $1 million gift if the BPO can secure another $1 million in contributions.

To make a gift or learn more information about the campaign, contact Katie Bates Johnson, Crescendo Campaign coordinator, at 716-242-7828, or [email protected], or visit https://bpo.org/support-the-bpo/endowment/. For answers to frequently asked questions, click here.

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