Fifty seasons of music. Your gift writes the next fifty.
For fifty seasons, this community has kept something rare alive: musicians who live here, performing chamber music close enough to feel every note. None of it happens on its own.
Every gift, your first or your fiftieth, helps welcome extraordinary musicians to Rochester, brings new music into the world, keeps every student and child attending free, and carries this tradition into its next fifty seasons.
Thinking about a gift that lasts beyond one season? Explore The Encore Circle, our legacy giving community.
On This Page: Give Now · Giving Levels · The Encore Circle · Other Ways to Give
Why This Community Gives
"I have left every concert a happier person." — J.D., patron
"We went to today's concert and it was AMAZING. Looking forward to going again. We absolutely loved it." — C.J., patron
"My parents, 95 and 88, have revered these concerts for fifty years. I first heard the Brahms Clarinet Quintet performed live here as a young clarinetist — it had a huge effect on me." — A.K., patron
Your Gift at Work
Every contribution supports the people, programs, and shared experiences that make Chamber Music Rochester special.
Extraordinary Live Performances
Your gift brings remarkable musicians into an intimate room — close enough to watch their eyes meet.
New Music and Commissions
Composers write new works for chamber music because of gifts like yours, and Rochester audiences are the first to hear them.
Education and Discovery
Pre-concert talks, masterclasses, and conversations that turn curiosity into a lifetime of listening.
Free Student and Children's Admission
Every student and child who wants a seat gets one, free because of donors.
Community Outreach
Musicians teach and perform in Rochester-area schools and community spaces, often introducing kids to live chamber music for the first time.
Online Concert Broadcasts
For homebound listeners and anyone who can't make it to Beston Hall, your support keeps a seat open anyway.
Choose Your Giving Level
Every gift matters, and every level makes something possible. Choose what feels right for you.
$6,000 or more | Composition Patron
Help co-commission a new work written for Chamber Music Rochester, and be there for its first performance.
$3,000 or more | Concert Sponsor
Help underwrite the musicians, venue, and production of a concert.
$1,000
Helps welcome exceptional guest artists to Rochester stages
$500
Helps fund masterclasses, pre-concert talks, and free admission for students and children.
$250
Helps record and share concerts with homebound listeners and audiences unable to attend in person.
$100
Helps keep single tickets accessible at $35 for neighbors across Rochester.
Gifts of $100 or more are listed by name in our concert programs. Composition Patron and Concert Sponsor gifts are named individually; all other gifts are listed together as members of the Chamber Music Rochester donor community. Prefer to give quietly? We're glad to keep any gift, at any level, anonymous — just let us know.
Every gift, at every level, keeps chamber music close, intimate, and open to everyone.
The Encore Circle: Leave a Musical Legacy
Some gifts are written into a single season. Others are written into all the seasons still to come.
The Encore Circle honors everyone who includes Chamber Music Rochester in their will, trust, retirement account, life insurance policy, or other estate plans. It's how this community makes sure the next fifty seasons are as certain as the last fifty.
Our Founding Honorees
The Encore Circle was inspired by two women whose bequests reflected a lifetime of devotion to this organization. In their honor, Chamber Music Rochester's Board of Directors named Suzanne J. O'Brien and Linda G. Gillim as founding honorees of the Encore Circle.
Suzanne J. O'Brien (1937–2024) — Educator, Music Lover, Generous Spirit — named Chamber Music Rochester as a beneficiary in her will, ensuring sustainable support for musicians and music education for years to come.
"Her passion for music and education lives on through every note we play." — Juliana Athayde and Erik Behr, Artistic Directors
Linda G. Gillim (1938–2026) — a founding member of Chamber Music Rochester and Board President and Chair — helped transform an early vision into Rochester's premier chamber music organization. Her bequest carries that same dedication forward.
"Linda was the steady heartbeat of our organization from our very first concert to our brightest future." — Duffy Palmer, President, Board of Directors
Fifty years from now, someone will attend their first concert because of what you do today.
Ways to Join the Encore Circle
A gift in your will or trust — a specific amount, a percentage, or whatever remains after loved ones are provided for.
A beneficiary designation on a retirement account or life insurance policy.
A charitable gift annuity or trust that can also provide you income for life.
Sample Bequest Language
"I give, devise, and bequeath [a specific amount / a percentage of my estate / the residue of my estate] to the Society for Chamber Music in Rochester (EIN 22-2200196), a nonprofit organization located in Rochester, NY, for its general charitable purposes."
Please share this language with your attorney or financial advisor, and let us know once your plans are in place. We'd love to welcome you to The Encore Circle. If you'd prefer to keep your gift private, that's entirely your choice. We're honored to know regardless of whether your name is ever shared.
Other Ways to Give
Online donations are one way to support Chamber Music Rochester. You can also give through any of the following.
Give by Mail
Checks can be made payable to Society for Chamber Music in Rochester and mailed to:
Chamber Music Rochester
PO Box 20715
Rochester, NY 14602
Gifts of Appreciated Securities
A gift of stocks, bonds, or mutual funds can provide meaningful support — and may offer tax benefits based on your individual circumstances. Please contact us before transferring securities so we can provide the necessary information and properly acknowledge your gift.
IRA Charitable Distributions (Qualified Charitable Distributions)
Eligible donors may be able to make a qualified charitable distribution directly from an IRA. This type of gift may count toward a required minimum distribution and may offer tax advantages. Annual limits and eligibility change, please speak with your IRA administrator or tax advisor before making a QCD.
Memorial and Tribute Gifts
A gift in honor of or in memory of someone special can celebrate their life, their love of music, or their connection to Chamber Music Rochester. Please include the name of the person you wish to recognize when making your contribution, and let us know if you'd like someone notified of your gift.
Employer Matching Gifts
Some employers match charitable donations made by employees or retirees. Ask your employer if Chamber Music Rochester qualifies for its matching gift program, it may increase the impact of your support.
A Few Common Questions
Is my gift tax-deductible?
Yes. Chamber Music Rochester is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Can I direct my gift to something specific?
Yes. If you'd like your gift to support a particular program — student admission, a specific concert, or something else — just let us know when you give.
Can I give anonymously?
Yes, at any level, including through the Encore Circle. Just let us know your preference and we'll keep your gift private.
What if I have questions my advisor should be part of?
That's common, especially for planned gifts. We're always glad to speak with your attorney, accountant, or financial advisor alongside you.
Questions About Giving?
We'd be happy to talk with you about supporting Chamber Music Rochester. We're glad to loop in your advisor, too.
Phone: 585-624-1301
Email: Contact@ChamberMusicRochester.org
Mail: PO Box 20715, Rochester, NY 14602
Help Carry the Music Forward
Every Chamber Music Rochester concert begins long before the musicians take the stage with people who believe live music can create joy, curiosity, connection, and community.
Your support honors everyone who built this organization over the past fifty years, and welcomes new musicians, new audiences, and new possibilities for the years ahead.
Whether this is your first gift or your fiftieth season of support, thank you for being part of the Chamber Music Rochester story.