10/13/2010
Nashua Symphony Association named 2010 New Hampshire Champion in Action in area of arts and culture
Citizens Bank and WMUR-TV to provide $25,000 grant, PR and volunteer support
Manchester, N.H. (October 14, 2010) - Citizens Bank New Hampshire and WMUR-TV have named the Nashua Symphony Association as their 2010 fourth quarter Champion in Action® in the area of arts and culture. As part of the award, the Nashua Symphony Association will receive a $25,000 grant, media coverage, and extensive promotional and volunteer support for its dedication and commitment to enhancing the quality of cultural life in New Hampshire.
“Citizens Bank is pleased to join WMUR-TV in naming the Nashua Symphony Association as its newest Champion in Action,” said Cathleen A. Schmidt, President, Citizens Bank, New Hampshire. “By providing financial, marketing, and volunteer support, we can assist these Champions in taking a big step forward in advancing their programs and services. The Nashua Symphony Association has been producing first-class orchestral and choral music for New Hampshire citizens for the past 87 years. We are proud to recognize its efforts in the community and help it continue to grow.”
The Champions in Action® program is designed to recognize and support nonprofit organizations for their contributions to New Hampshire communities. A new Champion in Action is selected each quarter among a range of social service areas.
“Sharing in this initiative with Citizens Bank continues to be a source of great pride," said Jeff Bartlett, General Manager of WMUR-TV. “We are very pleased to help out organizations across the state that demonstrate such a strong commitment to making a difference in the lives of so many New Hampshire residents. They truly are champions.”
The Nashua Symphony Association is the only professional orchestra in northern New England to have an affiliated Symphony Chorus. In 2008 Jonathan McPhee, renowned Music Director of the Boston Ballet, joined the Nashua Symphony Association as Music Director and Principal Conductor. The Symphony’s concerts regularly include music of living composers, world-class soloists from the region and engaging “chats” about the music, making their events approachable for the audience.
“The Nashua Symphony Association strives to generate civic pride, serving as a cultural focal point for citizens, to help them deepen their relationship to music, to their community and to each other,” said Eric Valliere, Executive Director of the Nashua Symphony Association. “The Nashua Symphony Association is committed to showing how an arts-rich environment can be an important part of a healthy community. We are so proud to be recognized for our efforts.”
The symphony also takes a leadership role in music-education opportunities for citizens of all ages through concerts, in-school programs and related activities that touch nearly 9,000 students in grades K-12 each year. According to Valliere, over the past decade, the Association’s Educational Outreach programs demonstrate their efforts to make music accessible and fun for the region’s youth. The organization offers three unique programs including Concerts in the Schools, The Ripple Effect and Nashua Youth (h)EARS.
“The strong support demonstrated by the local community has encouraged us to share this local treasure with audiences outside of the Greater Nashua area,” Valliere said. “Recently the symphony successfully toured its Made in NH concert program to communities around the state.”
As a Champion in Action, the Nashua Symphony Association will receive:
• A $25,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from the Citizens Bank Foundation.
• Media coverage from WMUR-TV, including public service announcements and television profiles.
• Volunteer support from Citizens and WMUR-TV employees.
• Extensive public relations support.
• Promotional support, highlighting the current “Champion in Action” in all Citizens Bank branches and on its
ATMs.
• Exposure on both Citizens Bank and WMUR-TV Web sites.
“We are honored to be recognized by Citizens Bank and WMUR-TV as a Champion in Action,” said Valliere.
“The Nashua Symphony Association believes that we can help build community through music. With the support of WMUR and Citizens Bank, we will be able to continue to improve the quality of arts and culture for all.”
A nonprofit organization supporting economic development will be named the first quarter Champion in Action and will be announced in January 2011.
To learn more about the Nashua Symphony Association, visit www.nashuasymphony.org or call (603) 595-9156. The Nashua Symphony Association is located at 6 Church Street in Nashua, NH 03060.
About Citizens Bank
Citizens Bank is a division of RBS Citizens, N.A., operating its seven-state branch network in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. It has 83 branches and 162 ATMs in New Hampshire.
RBS Citizens, N.A. is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $140 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. CFG’s two bank subsidiaries are RBS Citizens, N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. They operate a 12-state branch network under the Citizens Bank brand in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, and the Charter One brand in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. CFG has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. CFG is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).
About WMUR-TV
WMUR-TV (Ch. 9) is an ABC-TV affiliate headquartered in Manchester, N.H., and is owned and managed by Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc., one of the nation's largest television station groups. WMUR-TV is New Hampshire's largest commercial TV station, reaching more than a million people. Founded in 1954, the station's news, feature and sports coverage has won numerous awards for professional and journalistic excellence. WMUR-TV is considered the broadcast news source of record for New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary election. WMUR-TV provides online news and information at www.WMUR.com
