The Rockbridge Symphony has been recognized for its contribution to the arts in Lexington and Rockbridge County with a $4,500 Creative Communities Partnership Grant, awarded jointly by the city of Lexington and the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
The grant program encourages local governments to support arts organizations in their communities, with the Virginia Commission for the Arts matching local tax dollars committed to qualifying organizations. For the Rockbridge Symphony, the funding will provide a meaningful boost to its 2026–27 budget and support its ongoing efforts to make live orchestral music accessible throughout the community.
“This grant helps us continue to bring low-cost, quality orchestral music to Lexington and to Rockbridge County,” said Matt Mainella, artistic director, “Support like this speaks to the generosity and commitment to the arts that we’re fortunate to enjoy in our community.”
Among the projects the grant will support are repairs to a set of timpani drums gifted to Maury River Middle School by Washington and Lee University. Restoring the instruments will directly impact the middle school band students while also supporting the Rockbridge Symphony and the broader community of musicians and concertgoers alike.
“This grant provides greatly appreciated financial support, but beyond the dollars, it shows that our community leaders value having a thriving orchestra right here in Rockbridge County,” said Jack Bissett, percussionist and steering committee president. “Community orchestras across the country face real challenges, and many struggle to survive. A local orchestra not only gives audiences a shared space to experience quality live music, it also brings together seasoned professionals, longtime community musicians, and emerging players to make music and learn from one another. That kind of connection is worth sustaining.”
The Rockbridge Symphony kicks off the season with its first concert on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Lexington Presbyterian Church with a concert titled, “Won’t You Dance?” Music will include selections from Fiddler on the Roof, the foot-tapping “Pops Hoe-Down,” and Offenbach’s ever-popular “Can-Can.”
For more information, visit www.rockbridgesymphony. org.
