A Gift For The New Haven Symphony

After years of struggle in a tough economic environment, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra may have gotten a big break from a prominent Connecticut family. The symphony will get a large chunk of a $20 million bequest by the late Richard English, whose grandfather founded the orchestra.

"It is a sea change for us to be so stable and so strong that we really can talk about where we want to spend our money," said Elaine Carroll, the symphony's executive director.

The bequest could mean $400,000 for the symphony each year going forward, Carroll said -- a quarter of its current $1.6 million budget. Music director WIlliam Boughton says the symphony has only started to talk about how to use the money, and while a new concert hall isn't likely,  more music programs for public school students might be in the works.

"The responsibility is now upon us to use Mr. English's kind bequest to the benefit of the New Haven community," Boughton said. "So they're really the beneficiaries We're the custodians of it.

Portions of the bequest will also to to the New Haven Museum, the Neighborhood Music School, and the Connecticut Yankees Council Boy Scouts of America. For WNPR, I'm Neena Satija.