Herbst Family Concertmaster Chair Fund supports the Concertmaster position in perpetuity
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO) announced the establishment of a new endowed fund supporting the orchestra’s Concertmaster position in perpetuity. Named the Herbst Family Concertmaster Chair Fund, the endowment provides long-term financial stability for this essential leadership role, ensuring continued artistic excellence for generations of VSO musicians.
“The creation of the Herbst Family Concertmaster Chair Fund is profoundly meaningful for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra,” said Elise Brunelle, Executive Director of the VSO. “An endowment like this strengthens the foundation of the orchestra, providing stability for one of our most vital artistic positions and ensuring the VSO continues to thrive well into the future.”
The endowment was established by Bill Herbst, a lifelong listener and supporter of classical music who has attended VSO concerts since moving to Vermont in 1987. In addition to the endowment, Herbst has loaned a violin to the orchestra’s current Concertmaster, Katherine Winterstein. The endowment and the violin loan are separate contributions, each intended to strengthen and elevate the Concertmaster role.
“I’ve loved classical music since my early years, and when I moved to Vermont, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra became my most direct connection to live orchestral music,” said Herbst. “I was given the option to support the Concertmaster position for a number of years—or to make that support permanent. Creating an endowment felt like the right way to ensure a lasting impact. If this encourages someone else to think, ‘That would be fun to do,’ then that’s a wonderful outcome. Our local arts organizations depend on people stepping forward.”
Winterstein has performed with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra for more than 25 years and has served as Concertmaster since 2002.
“For an orchestra of this size, a gift like this makes a real difference,” Winterstein shared. “What we’re always working toward is both stability and growth, and an endowment like this supports both. To already support the orchestra through the loan of an extraordinary instrument and then to deepen that commitment with an endowment is a remarkable vote of confidence in the orchestra and its future.”
The endowment is administered through the Vermont Community Foundation, ensuring responsible long-term stewardship of the fund.
“An endowed fund carries today’s gifts forward, turning them into a lasting legacy,” said Emilye Pelow Corbett, Senior Advisor and Planned Giving Program Director at the Vermont Community Foundation. “We’re honored to partner with Bill Herbst to steward the Herbst Family Concertmaster Chair Fund and ensure his generosity continues to benefit the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and its musicians for generations to come.”
For more information about the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and the philanthropic support that uplifts its mission statewide, visit vso.org.
To learn more about establishing an endowed orchestra chair with the VSO, contact Allison Steinmetz, Senior Director of Philanthropy, at [email protected].
About the Vermont Symphony Orchestra:
With a legacy of more than 90 years delivering top-tier musical performances and educational programs, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra is a cultural cornerstone in the region, enriching communities and the lives of Vermonters statewide. With a commitment to artistic excellence, innovative programming, and community engagement, the VSO has established itself as one of the country’s premier state orchestras.
3.10.2026. Burlington, VT — The Vermont Symphony Orchestra
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