Donors Endow Chair at RPO& Campaign Celebration Event

Naming of the Nick and Kitty Jospé Chair surprises RPO Assistant Principal Cellist Lars Kirvan

Rochester, NY (August 6, 2026)— The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has announced the newly endowed Nick & Kitty Jospé Chair, held by Assistant Principal Cellist Lars Kirvan.

Longtime pillars of Rochester’s cultural community and devoted RPO supporters for more than three decades, Nick and Kitty Jospé made the endowment gift in recognition of their lifelong love of music, especially the cello.

Nick and Kitty Jospé share “Music has always been a meaningful part of our lives.  Furthermore, we have long been captivated by the skill, energy and passion Lars brings to the orchestra.” Kitty adds, “My father was an amateur cellist, and as Elementary School teacher and headmaster, also a firm believer in the importance of music.  I know he would be so pleased that we have been able to support the RPO and its multiple outreach programs in this way to help ensure artistic excellence for generations to come.”

Endowed chairs are among the most meaningful forms of philanthropic support an orchestra can receive, providing permanent funding for a musician’s position and helping ensure long-term artistic stability and excellence.

The Nick & Kitty Jospé Chair is one of several major endowment gifts through the RPO& Campaign, joining contributions from the Lisk Morris Foundation, Dr. Ralph Jozefowicz, Patrick and Barbara Fulford, and others. Just four years into the campaign, gifts and future commitments to the RPO endowment total nearly $30 million, almost double where the funds stood at the start of the campaign. The RPO& Campaign supports artistic excellence, education and community engagement programs, with the intention of growing the RPO’s endowment to $45M by June 2027 to ensure the orchestra’s long-term institutional stability.

For Kirvan, the announcement came as a complete surprise. His wife, RPO Second Violinist Liana Koteva Kirvan, helped make the moment especially memorable. The couple were performing at the campaign celebration event as members of the RPO String Quartet. But when the Jospés took the podium to speak, only one of the Kirvans knew what was about to happen.

“I was completely surprised and deeply honored,” said Lars Kirvan. “To have my position associated with Nick and Kitty’s generosity is incredibly meaningful. Their commitment to music in Rochester makes it possible for musicians like me do what we love at the highest level.”

Kirvan joined the RPO in 2008. A native of Fairfax, Virginia, he earned his bachelor’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with Stephen Geber, the renowned former principal cellist of the Cleveland Orchestra.

“This remarkable gift reflects both the Jospés’ deep belief in the power of music and their commitment to Rochester’s cultural future,” said Katherine Lindahl, RPO Board Chair. “Lars is an outstanding cellist, colleague, and ambassador for the orchestra, making him an exceptionally fitting recipient of this honor.”