The Judy Simmonds Fund, will support the Kawartha Youth Orchestra by encouraging and supporting a young member of the Orchestra who has some passion and love for their instrument to play music with other people, find a sense of community and belonging, and thrive musically. The fund was established by Judy Simmonds’ daughters Jill, Cathy, Joy, and Anne. Judy’s daughter, Joy Simmonds, moved to Peterborough 15 years ago and has played cello with the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra ever since. She is also a board member and passionate supporter of Kawartha Youth Orchestra.
Judy Simmonds (1929-2022) was an enthusiastic ukulele player and singer who contributed considerably to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as a volunteer. “The arts were certainly a driving force in my mum’s life,” says Joy Simmonds. “She loved meeting the musicians and conductors, but she also enjoyed the social aspect of working with that volunteer committee, many of whom became her life-long friends.” Her crowning achievement with the symphony came in the late 1970s and early 1980s when she singlehandedly raised $2 million towards the construction of Toronto’s now-revered Roy Thompson Hall.
If you would like to support young musicians through the Judy Simmonds Fund, you can donate here: