Cape Symphony patron Peg Nicholson happily “washed ashore” in Falmouth in the late 1990s. A lifelong classical music lover, she first discovered the Cape Symphony at a “Pops Goes the Summer” Labor Day weekend event on the Cape Cod Fairgrounds, and became a regular concertgoer. Before long, a friend coaxed her on to the Advisory Committee, then to the Finance Committee, and “next I knew they were recruiting me for the Board!” Peg served four years on the Cape Symphony Board of Trustees, and has been an avid supporter of the Symphony’s mission.

Asked about her favorite Cape Symphony experiences, Peg fondly recalls the Opera’s Greatest Moments concerts. “I love all music, but opera especially, going back to a summer in Europe when I saw a tremendous production of Aida, with live camels and all!” She loves the Holiday on the Cape concerts, the Passport concerts… actually, it becomes hard to choose a favorite. “The Orchestra has gotten so good over the years. I think they can play anything, they’re so talented!”

Peg has been an annual contributor to Cape Symphony since 2015. In a philanthropic collaboration with John and Hannelore Meyer, she also sponsored #elijah, a piece by John Wineglass commissioned by Cape Symphony to honor Elijah McClain. She and the Meyers funded Wineglass and violinist Randall Goosby, who premiered the piece with the Cape Symphony Orchestra in November 2021.

Peg and the Meyers contributed substantially toward the establishment of Cape Symphony’s Instrument & Instruction Access Program, which aims to remove financial barriers and provide instruments and educational opportunities for aspiring young musicians on Cape Cod. “I used to be a teacher, in another life,” she said, “so the education component is very important to me. If we don’t encourage the next generation, who will play in the Cape Symphony Orchestra, or any other, in years hence?”

We couldn’t agree more, and we’re very grateful indeed.

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