Palm Beach residents Karen and Paul Levy have announced a $250,000 challenge grant in support of the Palm Beach Symphony outreach efforts to students.
Video: Preschoolers play in snow at Four Arts Winter Wonderland event
Video: Preschoolers play in snow at Four Arts Winter Wonderland event
- The Levy’s challenge grant of $250,000 is the second they have made to the Pal Beach Symphony.
- During the ninth annual Holly Jolly Symphony Fête, the Palm Beach Symphony donated 31 instruments to three Palm Beach County Title 1 schools.
- The grant money will support the music organization’s outreach programs for youth.
Palm Beach residents Karen and Paul Levy have announced, for the second time this year, a challenge grant of $250,000 in support of the Palm Beach Symphony’s efforts to support music education in underserved county schools.
Announced during the symphony’s 9th annual Holly Jolly Symphony Fete at the Kravis Center of the performing arts, the challenge grant is the second time this year the couple has vied to match up to $250,000 in donations, after the philanthropist couple’s first $250,000 challenge grant in April.
“Our first challenge was a successful match, and we’re hoping the community will come together and repeat that. We’re delighted to share what we have with young children here in Palm Beach County,” Paul Levy said in a statement. “Passion begins with exposure, so without exposure to music, students cannot develop a passion for it. The next step of course is providing access to instruments to determine what they’d like to learn to play. Music provides a sense of discipline, mastery, focus and practice that are lifelong skills that go well beyond learning music, positioning them to be more productive children, students and adults.”
The couple’s first challenge grant culminated in $500,000 raised to support the symphony’s artists-in-residence, 12 instrumental music program and over 330 coaching appointments at nine Palm Beach County Title 1 schools during the 2025-2026 schools year, the symphony said in a release.
Karen Levy, who served on The Julliard School board when she lived in New York City, began playing piano when she was 6 years old, she said in a statement. “Music adds such a wonderful dimension to life. Capturing these children when they’re young creates a passion that will last forever,” she said.
During the Kravis center event, the symphony also announced another major milestone, when it donated its thousandth instrument as part of its effort to support local Title I schools.
Overall, 31 instruments, 27 of which were brand new, were given to students and teachers from Woodlands Middle School, The Conservatory School @ North Palm Beach and Plumosa School of the Arts.
“Music education for young students is so important because it gives them the tools to be successful. The tools are so much more than the instruments that we’re putting into their hands,” David McClymont, CEO of Palm Beach Symphony, said in a release. “Music teaches confidence, how to work with a team, camaraderie, discipline and dedication. These are life skills they can apply in various scenarios for the rest of their lives.”
The gifts are the latest in the symphony’s instrument donation program. Started in 2016, the program sees the symphony purchase new or spruced up preowned donated musical instruments and accessories that are then provided free of charge to underserved Palm Beach County schools and students in need, according to the organization’s website.
Already in the 2025-26 season, the Palm Beach Symphony has donated 124 instruments.
During the Holly Jolly Symphony Fete, the Palm Beach Symphony also announced Dreyfoos School of Arts’ Director of Jazz Studies, Christopher De León, with the 2025 Instrumental Music Teacher of the Year Award.
Diego Diaz Lasa is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected].
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