Perhaps a stirring string quartet or a passionate piano performance? Whatever springs to mind, it’s the joy of music and the way it makes us feel that make us return to it time and again.
This love of music and appreciation for musicians is why leaving a gift in your will to Musica Viva Australia is one of the most significant acts you can carry out in your lifetime. It celebrates passion for music and can enable music for future generations of audiences and artists alike. Such an important contribution brings the performing arts and community together in a shared cultural future for everyone. A bequest to Musica Viva Australia is a generous investment in the future of Australian music – whether through education programs, world-class concert series or nurturing the artists of tomorrow.
Musica Viva Australia donor and Custodian, Richard Wilkins, has made provision for Musica Viva Australia in his will:
Music is the most important thing in my life, and really has been since I started to learn the piano at age 5. I have been a Musica Viva Australia subscriber for over 20 years and have greatly enjoyed the breadth of repertoire and range of performers that the company has presented. I have donated to Musica Viva Australia in most years recently; however, when preparing my will I wanted to make much larger gifts to those groups of most importance to me. I have therefore happily included a bequest to Musica Viva Australia in my will. Its three main activities are all vital to the musical life of Australia, in different ways. I was very fortunate to have a good musical education from an early age: the work of Musica Viva In Schools is a fundamental part of learning, especially for children who might otherwise not be exposed to the stimulus and enjoyment of performing and listening to music in their formative years. I am very pleased to support Musica Viva Australia in all these goals.
Former Musica Viva Australia CEO Mary Jo Capps has also made provision for MVA in her will:
In my two decades at Musica Viva Australia, I witnessed first-hand how a bequest could be transformative, especially when it was framed as a percentage of the estate. The actual percentage did not need to be huge to open the door for important projects… The more open the terms of the bequest, the greater the impact, as it is impossible to know today what might be critical in the future. Lloyd and I know our bequest will be carefully stewarded and, hopefully, will enable Musica Viva Australia to continue to flourish into the future.
Every gift, no matter how big or small, makes a tangible difference to what Musica Viva Australia can achieve, and all planned gifts become an integral part of our financial strength and sustainability. By making the decision to support Musica Viva Australia in your will, your legacy becomes inextricably linked with ours, and the knowledge that you have helped to ensure we can continue inspiring audiences of all ages across Australia, and providing musicians with opportunities, for years to come, is a special thing indeed.
Musica Viva Australia CEO Anne Frankenberg explains:
MVA was able to weather the challenges of the global pandemic, while maintaining important programs and ensuring support for the artistic community we are a part of, thanks to the vision of carefully stewarded past legacies. We recognise that the decision to leave a bequest represents an extraordinary level of trust in the work that we do, and feel a deep sense of accountability and gratitude towards those who have taken this step.
If you would like to know more about leaving a bequest to Musica Viva Australia, we invite you to start a conversation with us. Please contact Director of Development Zoë Cobden-Jewitt, your local State Manager or visit our Planned Giving page.
Image description: Z.E.N. Trio rehearsing in the Janette Hamilton Studio at Musica Viva House, August 2022. The Janette Hamilton Studio and Steinway were only possible thanks to a generous bequest from this long-term donor and music lover, as well as donations from Eleanor Goodridge OAM and Bob and Ruth Magid.
