Fiscal year-end campaign

​June 2025
 
Dear Friends of the BSO,

What a tremendous BSO season we just wrapped up with the fitting and rousing finale of Sibelius' 2nd Symphony in May! It was a great finish to the 20th anniversary year with Dr. Beverly Everett as music director for the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra.

Thank you for joining us this past season and for helping to bring the BSO mission to life: 

“to enrich and educate musicians and audiences of northern Minnesota
through innovative orchestral experiences!”

You are the BSO! You energize us with your generosity, your attendance, and your support. You are the reason we enjoy live orchestral experiences in this region of Minnesota. We are tremendously grateful for you. 

This season we have much to celebrate:

• Completing our 86th Season as a first-class regional orchestra!
• Celebrating Beverly's 20th Season with the BSO!
• Showcasing the young musicians who have grown up with the BSO and now are cutting their own path as professional musicians and composers.
• Bringing attention to some of society's most critical issues through creative, innovative, and moving orchestral performances.
• Opening a new downtown office to provide store-front access and visibility in the heart of our community. 
• Celebrating life through music.

While the 86th season of the BSO has come to an end, our work to sustain the BSO as a vibrant community asset continues. The BSO budget year ends on June 30th, and we find ourselves short of meeting our budget goals. Like other organizations, especially arts organizations, recovery from the pandemic has been a bit slower than hoped.
As the BSO evolves, we are experiencing some growing pains and a funding gap. We have grown too big to qualify for some of our traditional funding streams (grants), and the timeline for decisions on larger arts grants is longer. Ticket sales contribute only about one third of our total revenue.

The revenue required to propel the BSO forward with continued quality programming includes contributions from individuals and businesses. It is in that spirit that we reach out to you today to ask for a year-end budget contribution. 

• Might you consider a special $86 or $87 contribution?
• Are you ready to join other BSO sustaining members who provide automatic monthly contributions? A monthly contribution of $25 generates a $25 discount on a season ticket; $50 monthly generates a $50 discount; $75 monthly generates a $75 discount, and $100 monthly results in a $100 discount. 
• Could you consider a generous rounding up when purchasing season tickets?
• BSO board members have each chipped in an extra $500 to help us close our funding gap this fiscal year. Would you match a board member contribution?
• Would you like to honor a musician with an additional contribution?

We hope to raise an additional $8,600 through our fiscal year-end campaign.

Please consider how you can help the BSO balance our books at the end of June and kick off the 87th season in a strong financial position. Thank you for considering what you can!
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You may scan the code below, use this link for making a contribution online, or mail your contribution to:  Bemidji Symphony Orchestra, P.O. Box 3136; Bemidji, MN 56619.