Press Release
October 12, 2009
Orchestra Nova San Diego Receives $275,000 Grant from The James Irvine Foundation
The newly re-named Orchestra Nova San Diego (formerly the San Diego Chamber Orchestra), under the creative leadership of artistic director and conductor Jung-Ho Pak, has been selected by The James Irvine Foundation to receive a $275,000 grant to help broaden and diversify its audiences and strengthen its financial sustainability.
The Foundation's 2009 Arts Regional Initiative supports leading arts organizations that occupy an important role in their communities by providing quality and publicly accessible programming, fostering the careers of emerging artists and contributing to community development.
"Orchestra Nova's growth has been breathtaking, and to be recognized with this prestigious grant is yet another important step on our path to become one of the most innovative and successful orchestras in the country," said Tyler Richards Hewes, the orchestra ' s executive director.
The orchestra, now in its 4 th season under Maestro Pak, is comprised of 30+ professional musicians who perform in three San Diego County venues: St. Paul 's Cathedral, downtown; Sherwood Auditorium, La Jolla; and, new this year, the state-of-the-art Irwin M. Jacobs Qualcomm Hall in Sorrento Valley . All three venues were sold out for various concerts last season as was last month's opening concert in Sorrento Valley . The orchestra also recently (Fall, 2008) kicked off one of the most extensive music education programs ever initiated by a nonprofit organization in San Diego County , the Frances Hunter Music Memory Program.
Gay Hugo-Martinez, president of Orchestra Nova's board of directors, said, “Jung-Ho has been the moving force behind our exciting vision for the orchestra, but it's the acknowledgement and funding from an organization like The James Irvine Foundation that helps us bring that vision to fruition.”
“Orchestra Nova was a strong candidate for the second phase of the Arts Regional Initiative because it showed a willingness to develop a new strategic plan that reflects current economic realities, and it seeks to use its exciting new venue to attract younger, middle-class and more geographically and ethnically diverse audiences,” said Ted Russell, Senior Program Officer at The James Irvine Foundation.
More information about the grant: tyler.hewes@orchestranova or 858-350-0290, ext. 5.
More information about Orchestra Nova: www.orchestranova.org
Photos available at www.orchestranova.org ( Media Center ).
The James Irvine Foundation is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation dedicated to expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. The Foundation's grantmaking focuses on three program areas: Arts, California Democracy and Youth. Since 1937 the Foundation has provided over $1 billion in grants to more than 3,000 nonprofit organizations throughout California . With $1.3 billion in assets, the Foundation made grants of $78 million in 2008 for the people of California .
