The Kansas City Symphony today announced a $1 million gift from the Stanley J. Bushman Charitable Supporting Foundation.
This investment reflects Bushman’s enduring love of classical music and his legacy of philanthropy in Kansas City.
The gift will provide three years of sponsorship support for the Symphony’s Masterworks Classical Series, the organization’s most prominent performance series. Presented in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Masterworks Classical Series features 14 concert weekends each season and brings world-class orchestral music to audiences across the Kansas City region.
“We are deeply grateful to the Stanley J. Bushman Charitable Supporting Foundation for this remarkable gift and for the opportunity to honor Stanley’s lifelong passion for music, learning and community,” said Danny Beckley, president and CEO of the Kansas City Symphony. “This support strengthens the Symphony’s ability to present exceptional classical performances while recognizing a beloved Kansas Citian whose generosity touched countless people and organizations.”
“Stan always appreciated the beauty of the marvelous masterworks he enjoyed at the Kansas City Symphony. He also believed in the beauty of paying it forward,” said Merilyn Berenbom, chairman of the Stanley Bushman Foundation. “Investing in our outstanding Symphony brings invaluable dividends to so many. And, for that, we are forever grateful to Stanley Bushman.”
Bushman, who passed away in 2025, was widely respected for his business acumen, thoughtful counsel and continued generosity for arts, education, health care and Jewish community organizations throughout the region.
Additional details about the Kansas City Symphony’s 2026-27 Classical Masterworks Series are available at kcsymphony.org/classical-series-2026-27.