Leaving a Legacy That Ensures Music for Generations to Come

As the Minnesota Orchestra continues to create meaningful ways to stay connected with its audience, it has the strong support of passionate and generous donors who have made the Orchestra a beacon of light to our community. Among them are those donors who have made an extra commitment to this remarkable ensemble, ensuring this light will continue for generations to come. These donors are among the Minnesota Orchestra’s Laureate Society, guarantors who have included the Orchestra in their estate plans through wills, living trusts, or other deferred gift vehicles. It is with this generous commitment that the Minnesota Orchestra goes confidently into the future.

One example of this passion and generous spirit lies with Minnesota native Carole Wiederhorn. Carole and her late husband, Rick, began attending concerts in the 1980s and quickly fell in love with the sights and sounds of a live Minnesota Orchestra concert. Work eventually led Carole and Rick away to San Francisco. “It was not very affordable to go to a concert [there],” Carole explained, thinking back to their time in the Bay Area. They missed the community and personal connections of their hometown orchestra.

In 1996, Rick was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Seeking the best care options, they decided to retire early and move back to Minneapolis, making their home just three blocks from Orchestra Hall. This close proximity to the Hall reinvigorated their love of orchestral music, offering them easy access to concerts whenever they wished. In 2012, Carole and Rick made the decision to further their impact—by joining the Laureate Society and including the Minnesota Orchestra in their estate plan. Following Rick’s passing in 2019, Carole continued her two-ticket subscription, insisting on introducing new people to the wonderful music of the Minnesota Orchestra and the beauty of Orchestra Hall.

When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived at our doorstep and the Minnesota Orchestra made the difficult decision to cancel all remaining concerts in the 2019-20 season, Carole saw this as an opportunity. “This Orchestra is essential,” she said. “I see philanthropy as a pyramid. You have books on one side, art on the other, and at the top, music.” Carole met this crisis with determined generosity and a full heart by increasing her annual fund support as a Maestro’s Circle member.

Carole and 325 other Laureate Society members have ensured that the Orchestra will continue to be a strong asset to our community. Thanks to the passion of donors like Carole and the generosity of donors like you, the Orchestra can confidently reimagine programming to bring joy and inspiration to the community today, and when we are able to return to Orchestra Hall. Because of your steadfast support, the Minnesota Orchestra will endure.

If you would like to learn more about the Laureate Society and including the Minnesota Orchestra in your estate plan, please contact Emily Boigenzahn at (612) 371-7138 or plannedgiving@mnorch.org.