James & Jennifer Girvan

James and Jennifer Girvan are passionate about the arts and appreciate beauty in all its guises. Their affection for each other grew out of a long friendship and a shared love of music, painting, and nature. James, a retired Architect, practiced in Montreal with his firm Mayers & Girvan. He is also an accomplished and prolific artist and a member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour. Jennifer worked as a freelance artist and designer in both Wolfville and Montreal. Most of her work, executed in mixed media of fabric, leather, metal, and found objects, has been privately commissioned and sold throughout Canada. Married for close to five years now, they are enjoying a full and happy retirement with all that Halifax has to offer. Enthusiastic Symphony lovers, they are also subscribers, donors, and members of the Legacy Circle.


“Excellence, perfection… touching the essential… That’s what comes to mind when I think of the Symphony,” says Jennifer. “You can lose yourself in the music and the dross falls away.”

“I feel it has a direct impact on wellbeing – something welcomed by both body and spirit. In my case, there seems to be a kind of rewiring at work when I’m immersed in music. Beauty is always healing.”

“Music ought to be part of everyone’s life,” says James. “It is a curative eliciting joy and all the emotions. My experience began with earphones and a crystal set when I was 10. That was almost 80 years ago! Music continues to be a balm for my soul.”

“I chose to support the Symphony with a gift in my will because of the enjoyment I get from it in my life right now. We hope that future generations are going to love the symphony as much as we do… and that’s a fair assumption.”


For more information on Legacy Giving, please call Jordan Fisher at 902.421.4403 or email [email protected].