Noteworthy

There’s a certain brightness that only brass can bring—a sound that shines through the texture and lifts the hall. This month, that brilliance finds a lasting echo. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has received a transformative $3-million gift from longtime champions Sheryl and David Kerr, establishing the Drysdale/Kerr Principal Trumpet Endowed Fund and ensuring permanent support for the musicians who give the orchestra its golden edge.

The Kerrs’ connection to the TSO stretches back to 1985, and is woven through nearly four decades of attendance, advocacy, and leadership. Sheryl served as a TSO Board member (1990–2003) and a Toronto Symphony Foundation Trustee (2005–2010), and now sits on the Honorary Governors’ Circle. Their generosity has shaped the orchestra’s story and now secures its future.

In recognition of their gift, the Drysdale/Kerr Principal Trumpet Chair will be held by Principal Trumpet Steven Woomert, whose bright tone and effortless clarity have become signatures of the TSO’s brass sound.

“Our connection to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra comes from a deep appreciation for what it brings to this city,” said Sheryl and David. “Every performance reminds us how vital live music is—it has the power to comfort, to challenge, and to unite. By endowing the Principal Trumpet Chair, we wanted to give back to an organization that has given so much to us and to Toronto, and to support the musicians who make that experience possible. We’re grateful to play a small part in sustaining the artistry that defines the TSO.”

“Sheryl and David Kerr have once again demonstrated their profound belief in the power of music to uplift and unite,” said Mark Williams, TSO Beck Family CEO. “By endowing the Principal Trumpet Chair, they are ensuring that the musicians who hold this position will be supported in perpetuity, ensuring a lasting legacy that celebrates excellence, artistry, and community. This extraordinary act of generosity secures not only the future of a vital role within our orchestra, but also the shared experience of music that connects us all. We are deeply honoured by their trust and inspired by their vision.”

The announcement coincides with the TSO’s performances of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet—the orchestra’s fourth live-recording project with Harmonia Mundi—where Woomert’s trumpet cuts through the tragedy with flashes of defiance and light. It’s a fitting week to celebrate a gift rooted in resonance, the enduring power of sound, sustained by those who believe in its future.

Lead Photo: TSO Music Director Gustavo Gimeno, Sheryl and David Kerr, TSO Beck FAmily CEO Mark Williams