Individuals Supporting the Music Festival
Online giving to SSMF is easy! Visit our unique online giving page to support scholarships that honor Martha McCrory, Mayna Nance/Jacqueline Avent Concerto Competition, OperaFest, or general festival programming. Your support allows the SSMF to attract some of the most talented young musicians from across the country and around the world – THANK YOU!
Explore all the options to give to SSMF below.
INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS
Invest in the future of music and join our inner circle.
Ensemble | Up to $299
- Program Recognition in the Festival book.
- Postcards from the Mountain: A personalized note and picture from a specific student impacted by your donation.
Section Chair | $300 – $699
- Rehearsal Invite: Exclusive invitation to a behind-the-scenes Orchestra Rehearsal.
- Commemorative Pin: A “Dream Maker” 70th Season enamel pin.
- Program Recognition in the Festival book.
Assoc. Principal Chair | $700 – $1,499
- VIP Reception Access: Invitation for (2) to all Festival VIP Receptions.
- All benefits of the Section Chair level.
Principal Chair | $1,500 – $4,999
- Donor Luncheon: Invitation for (2) to the VIP Exclusive Donor Concert
- Pre Concert Q&A with Resident Conductor: Invitation to join one of our resident conductors for an exclusive pre concert chat.
- All benefits of the Assoc. Principal Chair level.
THE ELITE LEADERSHIP CIRCLES
(Shared for Businesses & Individuals $5,000+)
Soloist Circle | $5,000 – $9,999
- Artistic Access: Private invitation to attend a Festival Masterclass.
- Scholarship Link: Be paired with a 2027 Student Scholar with a personalized video “thank you.”
- Premier Placement: Top-tier recognition in all print and digital media.
Concertmaster Circle | $10,000 – $24,999
- The “Stage Seat”: A once-in-a-lifetime invitation to sit on stage during an orchestra rehearsal.
- The First Downbeat: Invitation to the very first 30 minutes of the season’s opening Cumberland Orchestra rehearsal.
- All benefits of the Principal Circle.
Conductor’s Circle | $25,000+
- Private Dinner: Exclusive dinner with members of SSMF Faculty Artists and Festival leadership.
- The Maestro’s Score: A hand-inscribed, conductor-signed musical score of a season highlight, presented privately as a token of your impact on the 69th Season.
- Artist Concierge: A dedicated staff contact for all ticketing and hospitality needs.
Festival Endowments
The Sewanee Summer Music Festival is the fortunate beneficiary of endowed funds make possible through the gifts of dedicated and loyal members of the festival community. Endowments offer the festival vital scholarship and guest artist support. To learn more about how SSMF changes lives, view a previous Annual Report.
Existing Endowments
The Jacqueline Avent SSMF Scholarship Prize Fund established by Walter E. Nance, M.D. and Mayna Avent Nance
Blaffer SSMF Endowment funded by the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation
Albert Bonholzer Endowment for the SSMF established by Herman and Mary Baggenstoss and friends
Martha Clark Dugan SSMF Artist-in-Residence Fund established by the family of Martha Clark Dugan to bring world class artists to the Sewanee Summer Music Festival
Dudley Fort SSMF Scholarship Fund established by Dr. Dudley Fort, Jr.
Kathlyn B. Hays SSMF Scholarship Fund established through a bequest by Kathlyn Hays
Elmer and Katherine Ingram SSMF Scholarship Fund established through a bequest by Mr. and Mrs. Ingram
George and Mamie Neville SSMF Scholarship Fund established by Holton C. Rush in memory of George and Mamie Neville
David and Lorraine Schlatter SSMF Fund established by Mr. and Mrs. Schlatter
Dortha Skelton Violin Scholarship Fund established by a bequest of Dortha Skelton
The Frederick Hailey Croom, Jr. Cello Scholarship established by a gift of Dr. Henrietta Brown Croom in honor of her son
The Martha McCrory Scholarship Fund for the Sewanee Summer Music Festival given by the family of Martha McCrory to honor her life and legacy with the Music Center.
Sponsorships & Advertising
Sponsorships are a great way to support individual students and sections in the Sewanee Symphony or Cumberland Orchestra. Chair sponsorships go directly to support student scholarships, enabling talented young musicians to attend Sewanee. There are a number of naming opportunities for businesses who wish to connect with the audiences, participants, and families of the music festival, as well as our greater community.
“Sewanee is a special place where, not only do you get to play fantastic literature with some of the best people in your field, but you also get to do that with people you will remember and continue to cherish for the rest of your life…It’s hard to explain why, but I would encourage any young or experienced musician to try Sewanee and I do quite often. It just has to be experienced.”
-Trevor B. Class of 2016-17