{"id":9722,"date":"2026-10-12T09:37:31","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T13:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.luxuryhomemagazine.com\/thepalmbeaches\/blog\/?p=9722"},"modified":"2026-10-12T09:37:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T13:37:31","slug":"good-works-palm-beach-symphony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.luxuryhomemagazine.com\/thepalmbeaches\/blog\/2026\/10\/12\/good-works-palm-beach-symphony\/","title":{"rendered":"Good Works: Palm Beach Symphony"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”9724″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1787062151333{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”30″ css=”.vc_custom_1780856389577{border-radius: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text]by Carolina Buia <\/em>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30″ css=”.vc_custom_1780856389577{border-radius: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Past and present philosophers have viewed the study of music as vital to humanity. Aristotle said that music must be studied not just because it\u2019s enjoyable, but because it \u201ccultivates judgement and character.\u201d Martha Nussbaum, University of Chicago\u2019s professor of law and ethics, recently said on public radio that opera \u201ccreates emotions of love and reciprocity\u201d and is vital to our democracy. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30″ css=”.vc_custom_1780856389577{border-radius: 30px !important;}”][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#050505″][vc_single_image image=”9805″ img_size=”728×90″ alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” qode_css_animation=”” link=”https:\/\/capitalfunding.com\/”][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#050505″][vc_empty_space height=”30″ css=”.vc_custom_1780856389577{border-radius: 30px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”9723″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space height=”30″ css=”.vc_custom_1780856389577{border-radius: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Perhaps Nietzsche was the most succinct: Without music, life is a mistake!<\/p>\n

And make no mistake, Palm Beach Symphony\u2019s long-serving CEO, David McClymont, has made it his personal score to ensure that music education is fostered early and throughout a child\u2019s journey. \u201cAs a father of four, investing in our youth is paramount,\u201d says McClymont. \u201cThe Symphony\u2019s goal is to make classical music relatable, affordable and welcoming to people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30″][vc_single_image image=”9725″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space height=”30″][vc_column_text]The Symphony\u2019s programs have reached over 100,000 students in the community through concert series, artists-in-residence programs, and STEAM nights at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium. Last December, at its ninth annual Holly Jolly Symphony F\u00eate at the Kravis Center, the Symphony\u2019s elves presented 31 instruments\u2014including 27 brand-new ones\u2014to students and educators from three Palm Beach County Title I schools that participate in the Paul & Karen Levy Residency Program. This donation included the milestone 1,000th instrument gifted since the donation program began in 2016.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30″][vc_single_image image=”9726″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space height=”30″][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#050505″][vc_single_image image=”9806″ img_size=”728×90″ alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” qode_css_animation=”” link=”https:\/\/www.pearbuild.com\/”][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#050505″][vc_empty_space height=”30″][vc_column_text]Another powerful initiative is the Lisa Bruna B-Major Award, which gifts an advanced level instrument or major accessory to up to three high school seniors annually who intend to pursue music at the college, university or conservatory level. The B-Major Award was launched in 2018. In a bittersweet move, McClymont renamed it the Lisa Bruna B-Major Award the following year in honor of Bruna, the Symphony\u2019s former Marketing and Communications Director, after she passed away from cancer.<\/p>\n

Its first recipient, Valentina Paolucci, received a Cremona copy violin made in Italy circa late 1700s\u2014early 1800s. \u201cThis instrument, with its beautiful dark tone, propelled me to new heights,\u201d says Paolucci. \u201cNo matter how much you practice, you can\u2019t get to a certain quality of sound without help from the instrument itself. I was in high school, working two jobs, waking up at 6 AM just to practice before school, trying to save for an instrument. Despite my efforts, I couldn\u2019t save up enough by the time college auditions came around. I was very frustrated using my student violin before I won the award.\u201d
\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30″][vc_single_image image=”9727″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space height=”30″][vc_column_text]Paolucci accepted a full ride to study violin at the The Frost School of Music at the University of Miami and later completed a master\u2019s degree in Orchestral Conducting at Juilliard, also on a full ride. Today, Paolucci conducts and performs around the world; she pays her good fortune forward as co-founder of Through the Staff, a non-profit offering free music lessons to underprivileged children. \u201cPalm Beach Symphony changed my life,\u201d says Paolucci. \u201cToday, I\u2019m committed to bringing people together through music and helping others discover the same joy, confidence, and opportunity that Palm Beach Symphony gave me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ready to start the Symphony\u2019s newest season, McClymont is looking forward to setting a community engagement record. \u201cWe hope to see everyone from students to teachers to surfers to CEOs in our audience,\u201d he says. \u201cOur ambitious, seven-show Masterworks Concert Series features some of the finest soloists in the world, as well as the world premiere of our Music Director Gerard Schwarz\u2019s new Symphony. This is a season built to celebrate where we\u2019ve been and where we\u2019re going.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you have an instrument to donate, please contact the Palm Beach Symphony at 561-655-2657. <\/em>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30″][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#050505″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1684267325729{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

Visit Luxury Home Magazine of The Palm Beaches<\/a> to learn about more charitable associations in South Florida.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”sidebar”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”50″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1610052315170{margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

You May Also Like…<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text]\n

\n