Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation has announced that Bill and Martha Harvey will serve as honorary chairs for its annual Duke Symphony Orchestra concert fundraiser, scheduled for April 9th, continuing the Foundation’s tradition of having a local Duke alumnus chair the event.

[caption id="attachment_27580" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-27580" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/ARTS-DUKE-SYMPHONE-Harvey-2-300x203.jpg" alt="Bill and Martha Harvey seen at the recent Valentine Ball will serve a co-chairs of the Duke Symphony fundraiser. " width="300" height="203" /> Bill and Martha Harvey seen at the recent Valentine Ball will serve a co-chairs of the Duke Symphony fundraiser.[/caption]

The Harveys have been actively involved in the fundraiser since its inception and are longtime supporters of both Beaufort Memorial and the arts. Bill recently completed 9 years on the BMH Foundation Board, the last two as Chairman. The couple’s lifelong love of music is evidenced by their current involvement in church and community choirs, harking back to their college days when Martha went to school on a voice scholarship and Bill sang in the Glee Club at Duke. He remembers how special it was to sing Handle’s Messiah alongside the Duke Symphony Orchestra all those years ago, and looks forward to the Foundation’s annual fundraiser all the more.

For 13 years now, Conductor Harry Davidson has traveled with more than 60 Duke students and faculty to perform works of well-known and emerging classical composers.

“The first year, our audience responded to the opening number with a spontaneous standing ovation,” said Alice Moss, Executive Director of the BMH Foundation. “They’ve been a hit every year since.”

Bill and Martha agree, noting that Davidson “does an amazing job of explaining it all, setting the stage for each piece by presenting its unique story and helping the audience know what to listen for. It’s almost like he’s painting a picture for your ears, and you come away with a much deeper appreciation of the music.” Another feature of the evening is the collaboration of the orchestra with the USCB University Chorus directed by Victor Varner.

After the concert, patrons have the opportunity to join Davidson and the musicians for a special Conductor’s reception at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hussey.

“Our musicians look forward to the concert each year,” says conductor Harry Davidson. “As our only performance away from Duke, the Beaufort concert is a highlight of our schedule.”

While in town, the Duke visitors stay in homes of Beaufort residents. “It’s always a treat to host the students who travel all this way to volunteer for the weekend,” says Martha. “We’ve gotten to know some truly remarkable young men and women over the years. Some are undergraduates; others are in grad school or on staff at Duke. We’ve even had groups of 4 or 5 who requested to stay with us year after year because we had so much fun together. They really enjoy their time in Beaufort.”

The concert is one of the Foundation’s most popular and successful fundraisers, having raised over $265,000 to support BMH’s Healing Arts Program at the Keyserling Cancer Center and other BMH facilities.

Make Plans Now: General admission tickets are $35. Patron tickets start at $75 and include premium seating and an invitation to the conductor’s reception after the concert. To purchase tickets, visit www.bmhsc.org or call 843-522-5774. Ticket prices are higher at the door.