Donor Spotlight

Interviews

Donor Spotlight: Kate Donaldson and Ryan Whitacre

Kate Donaldson is a proud Impresario Society member and has been attending Grant Park Music Festival concerts since the late 1980s.  She joined the Festival's Board of Directors in 2012 and has served as Chair of the Development and Membership Committee and the Investment Committee, in addition to her position of Secretary of the Board.

A violinist herself, Kate says supporting the Festival has been a natural fit. "It's very important to me that classical music continues to thrive with not just older generations," she says. "Having an outdoor festival that is free to the public is a perfect way to ensure that people of different ages, and racial and economic backgrounds have access to world class musicians and performances."

With too many concerts to claim as her "favorites," she especially loves the violin soloists and the large orchestral and choral works that are hallmarks of the Grant Park Music Festival. This year, she also looks forward to the world premieres that the Festival has made a priority for its 85th anniversary season.

We thank Kate for her dedication to the Grant Park Music Festival and her generous support over the years.

Festival Board Secretary, Kate Donaldson, and her husband, Ryan Whitacre.