Giving Back: A Look Inside the Weaver Private Foundation – Chorus Austin

The Weaver Private Foundation is dedicated to creating a relationship between our employees and the communities in which we work and live. We encourage a workplace culture of outreach, and one of the Foundation’s goals is to support Weaver employees in their personal volunteer efforts. So, twice a year, we give our employees the opportunity to apply for contributions to an organization they’re involved with. In this half of the year, the Foundation donated $19,000 to 14 different organizations on behalf of our employees in support of their community involvement efforts. Below we highlight one of these organizations and the reasons our employees support them.  

Chorus Austin – Austin, Texas
Nominated by Michelle Roberts

Chorus Austin is a not-for-profit community-based organization dedicated to bringing great choral works to Austin and the Central Texas area. With two ensembles, the Symphonic Chorus and the Chamber Ensemble, they have 150 active singers under the baton of Artistic Director and Conductor Ryan Heller.

For over 50 years Chorus Austin has entertained Austin area audiences and strives to build the community by:

• Performing choral concerts and musical programs of professional quality;
• Providing artistic development opportunities to its members and the community;
• Bringing choral music to new audiences through outreach and education programs; and
• Initiating creative programming and introducing audiences to otherwise inaccessible music.

Weaver’s Michelle Roberts, TSBS Administrative Assistant II, sings soprano in the Symphonic Chorus, while also serving as the coordinator for our Outreach Choir. She tells us, “Music has always been an important part of my life and who I am. Austin is known for its local music scene, but the classical side tends to be overshadowed by the contemporary one. I believe what we do fills an urgent need in our society. We have an amazing artistic director, Ryan Heller, whose passion for sharing beautiful (and relevant) music is infectious. Music can touch people in so many ways, and I am honored to be part of a group that not only shares that gift, but is comprised of members of our own community.”

To view all Fall 2017 recipients, click here.