Symphony New Brunswick’s Section Cello Chair Endowed by Generous Donor

Dr. Mary Pedersen of Fredericton has contributed over $25,000.00 to the Symphony New Brunswick Foundation in memory of her late mother, Marion Isabel Pedersen and her late piano teacher, Sister Marie Estelle. 

Dr. Pedersen recently moved to back to New Brunswick from Ontario. Generous philanthropist, and lover of the arts, Mary is the eldest of 6 daughters. Her parents, now deceased, were Nickolaj and Marion Pedersen, potato farmers from Four Falls, NB.  She has had a successful medical career of 42 years in family and emergency medicine and is a military veteran. Mary is thrilled to be back in Fredericton and looking forward to continued enjoyment of music and the arts in the region. After all, “music is the medicine of the mind”.

“My mother and music teacher instilled within me a love of classical music.  I believe in the vital role of the arts in New Brunswick and am thrilled to support the Symphony New Brunswick Foundation with this gift” says Dr. Pedersen.

“We are grateful for the support of Dr. Pedersen. It is especially meaningful when a new member of our community recognizes the provincial asset that is our orchestra. We must continue to grow our Foundation to sustain the Symphony in our province for many years to come so that we can continue to enrich lives through music.“ says Reid Parker, President of Symphony NB and the Symphony NB Foundation.

The Section Cello Chair in the Orchestra will now be known as the The Marion Isabel Pedersen and Sister Marie Estelle Memorial Chair. Dr Pedersen was inspired by her mother who encouraged her as a child to pursue a musical education. Sister Marie Estelle was a warm, kind, and patient music teacher who allowed Dr. Pedersen to discover her passion for the classics. Both these strong, kind women significantly impacted Dr. Pedersen’s relationship with music. It thus made sense to support an orchestra lead by Music Director, Melanie Leonard, who encompasses these same qualities.  

As its largest single annual donor, the Foundation gives financial sustainability to the Symphony and currently contributes approximately 30% of Symphony NB’s annual budget. The Foundation has ambitious growth objectives to support the creation of additional full-time jobs. To find out more about the SNB Foundation contact Director Donor Relations, Gillian Gresh.