The University of Lynchburg has extended its partnership agreement with the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra. Under the current memorandum of understanding, signed last summer, the University is providing storage, rehearsal, and performance spaces for the LSO and its Lynchburg Symphony Youth Orchestra.

In return, the University receives marketing benefits and exposure to talented local students who will be applying to colleges soon.

“The Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra, including the youth symphony, has been a great partner with the University of Lynchburg for the past several years,” Dr. Jeremy Craft, director of the Lynchburg Arts Consortium said.

“Starting this year, that partnership will continue, specifically under the umbrella of the Lynchburg Arts Consortium. While I’m new to this partnership, I’m excited about learning more about the organization and dreaming about what might result from the partnership.

“As Lynchburg’s University, it’s exciting that we can host the LSO, which has been an artistic pillar in the community for years.” 

As part of the agreement, the University is the Season Presenting Sponsor of the 2024-25 performance season, which runs from September to May. Sponsors are listed on the LSO’s website, thanked from the stage, and included in promotional materials and social media efforts.

According to the LSO’s executive director, Ula Kauppi ’25 MA, the LSO looks forward to extending the partnership through the 2025-26 season.

“We highly value this partnership,” she said. “The LSO and LSYO gain access to valuable facilities for rehearsal and performance and the University … gets a lot of marketing benefits from this since a lot of attention is on the LSO right now. We have sold out our first two shows of the concert season and are on track to sell out the March show.”

Kauppi, who will graduate from Lynchburg’s Master of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership Studies program in May, described the partnership as a “good association” for the University.

She added, “It’s good will, and it shows the community that the University is committed to the arts. I’m here for it because I want the University of Lynchburg to thrive. It’s very important to me as an alumna.”

The LSO’s two youth orchestras — a beginner strings orchestra and a more advanced symphonic orchestra — rehearse at the University’s Sydnor Performance Hall on Tuesdays. Kauppi said this gives the 80 “highly motivated, academically strong” high school and middle school students an opportunity to spend time on campus and “get to know the University.”

Kauppi said “it’s huge” for the students to get to practice and perform on the Sydnor stage. “They don’t get this experience anywhere else,” she said. “It’s special. For a lot of these kids, it’s their first visit to a college. …

“It’s something we like to offer them — getting to go to a college and practice and rehearse and access all these spaces. Lynchburg has wonderful facilities.”

Kauppi said that at times, University of Lynchburg students have been involved in production, mentoring, coaching, and performing. “We do often need some students to help with …. the youth orchestra,” she said.

“The LSYO is a legitimate orchestra. Sometimes, there are holes that we need to fill in. We try to hire college students who are skilled. They have to be good, but we love to hire them to fill in the gaps.”