This spring, 88 young musicians from around the world will gather in Charleston for four weeks of intensive training, rehearsals, and Festival performances. The Festival incurs yearly costs of around $317,000 to provide transportation, housing, meals, per diems, and weekly salaries to orchestra members. Each $500 sponsorship supports the Festival’s engagement of one orchestra member for the current season and helps underwrite these costs. During the Festival, orchestra sponsors are invited to a cocktail reception to meet their sponsored member(s). This fun and casual evening has proven to be one of the most popular donor events of the season, giving patrons and artists a rare opportunity to get to know one another and—more importantly—allowing orchestra members to personally thank their sponsors.