Symphony Nova Scotia is delighted to announce Jack and Joan Craig as the recipients of its 2014 Concertmaster Award.

Symphony Nova Scotia’s Concertmaster Award is presented to an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to the well-being of Symphony Nova Scotia. Nominations are solicited in advance, and are reviewed by a committee made up of Symphony board members, musicians, and staff.

Joan and Jack Craig’s longstanding support of Symphony Nova Scotia and the Halifax arts community made them a unanimous choice for this year’s award. The Craigs have supported Symphony Nova Scotia both personally and through The Craig Foundation for more than two decades, and their investment has been instrumental to Symphony Nova Scotia’s financial sustainability and community outreach programs.

The Craigs were among the earliest supporters of the Symphony Nova Scotia Foundation, giving leadership gifts to both the Georg Tintner Memorial Fund and the Listen to the Future Endowment Campaign. Their passion for community outreach has allowed the orchestra to expand its reach beyond Halifax to communities throughout the province, and recently served as the inspiration behind Symphony Nova Scotia’s new free Family Series and sensory friendly concerts for children with autism or developmental disabilities.

The Craigs are both members of the Order of Canada, and have also been major contributors to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing, and Canada’s first research chair in autism at Dalhousie University. They are the original founders of the Provincial Autism Centre (currently Autism Nova Scotia), and have been beneficiaries of many awards, honorary degrees, and accolades.

“Joan and Jack are kind, spirited, and above all interesting to be with,” says Dale Godsoe, Chair of the Symphony Nova Scotia Foundation. “Their abiding philosophy is based on their curiosity about life and their commitment to everybody’s fulfillment. They are true philanthropists who are a vital asset to Nova Scotia.”

Past recipients of Symphony Nova Scotia’s Concertmaster Award include Drs. Richard and Ruth Goldbloom, Dale Godsoe, Rudy & Mickie Haase, Sherry Porter, Bob Geraghty, Dr. Bill Lewis, Julius Silverman, Dr. S.T. Laufer, Norman Newman, Women for Music, and CBC.