Newswire | The Orchestre Métropolitain Receives a Historic $5 Million Donation from the OVI Fund

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Montreal, September 24, 2025 — The Orchestre Métropolitain (OM) is delighted to announce a historic $5 million donation from the OVI Fund – The Ionescu Family Foundation, led by Alex Ionescu.

This contribution was officially announced last night at the season-opening concert conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Maison symphonique de Montréal.

This exceptional donation, the first of its magnitude dedicated to the OM’s endowment fund, marks a historic milestone in the Orchestra’s philanthropic history. Reflecting an inclusive, sustainable, and intergenerational vision of culture, this donation lies at the heart of OM’s 2025–2031 strategic plan, aimed at ensuring the sustainability of its artistic activities and organizational development. It plays a structuring and decisive role in the Orchestra’s mission of accessibility.

From left to right : Catherine Doyle, Director of Philanthropic and Strategic Development of OM, Victoria Ionescu, spouse of Alex Ionescu, Olivia Ionescu, daughter of Alex Ionescu, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of OM, Alex Ionescu, OVI Fund – The Ionescu Family Foundation, Loretta Ionescu, mother of Alex Ionescu, Fabienne Voisin, President and CEO of OM and Erik J. Ryan, President of the board of directors of the OM.
Photo: François Goupil

Symphonic Music: A Shared Good and a Cultural Legacy

Alex Ionescu’s tremendous generosity will enable the development of initiatives through which the Orchestre Métropolitain will meet with all Montrealers, breaking down barriers to cultural access for today and tomorrow. The OM will strengthen its presence across the city, with the goal of broadening and diversifying its audiences and placing accessibility, proximity, and transmission at the very center of its mission.

“Yannick Nézet-Séguin is a diamond that shines, an internationally renowned artist who remains profoundly Québécois and deeply attached to Montreal. I identify with this strong connection to the city and this idea of giving back to our community. After a few years in the United States, my family returned to Quebec to build, create, and make a difference. This city and this province welcomed us with open arms—it is time for us to give back. With the OVI Fund, named after my daughter Olivia Vivianne Ionescu, my wish is that every young person, every senior, every family in Montreal may one day experience the power of an orchestra. Symphonic music is our shared history; it is the reflection of what Montreal has best to offer the world. This donation to the Orchestre Métropolitain is also a message to Olivia and more broadly to immigrants: we can all invest in the Montreal cultural institutions that matter to us and support diverse places of artistic creation.”
— Alex Ionescu, OVI Fund – Ionescu Family Foundation

“This exceptional donation allows us to do what music does best: bring people together, move them, and transform them. The sustained commitment of the OVI Fund and the remarkable generosity of Alex Ionescu inspire us to dream bigger, to continue opening the arms of the Orchestre Métropolitain to all Montrealers, to make our music accessible to everyone—even beyond the concert hall walls—and to truly become a shared cultural good.”
— Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of OM

Alex Ionescu’s commitment to future generations and to all Montrealers—including children and adults with modest incomes—will allow for the presentation of accessible concerts in several boroughs. This support will finance and sustain urban tours fostering community collaborations and the democratization of symphonic music. Gathered under the Série Famille Ionescu and in collaboration with CAM en tournée, this program notably includes Symphonic Spells, featuring young conductor Naomi Woo, presented in Pierrefonds on October 29, in Pointe-Claire the following day, and at Maison de la culture Mercier on November 2nd. These OM concerts are highly affordable, with tickets ranging only $18 to $24. The OVI Fund’s support also makes free outdoor concerts possible, including the major Montreal gathering The OM at the Foot of Mount Royal.

“This contribution is more than a philanthropic gesture: it is a promise for the future. It allows us to imagine music that circulates freely, that finds its way into parks, streets, and hearts. Thanks to the OVI Fund, the Orchestre Métropolitain pays tribute to its creators by placing accessibility at the center of its mission and by nurturing a cultural legacy for all generations.”
— Fabienne Voisin, President and CEO of OM

“This is a historic turning point for our Orchestra: Alex Ionescu’s gesture helps us build a bright and inclusive future for symphonic music.The OVI Fund has become an essential player in Montreal’s cultural development, and this exceptional donation is a powerful call to action for all patrons to invest in a legacy that will resonate for generations.”
— Catherine Doyle, Director of Philanthropic and Strategic Development of OM

The OVI Fund – The Ionescu Family Foundation: A Catalyst for Cultural Transformation in Montreal

A young visionary patron of Romanian origin, Alex Ionescu is a first-generation immigrant. After spending a decade in Silicon Valley and Seattle, his family returned to Montreal—their adopted city—with their daughter Olivia. Today, they are determined to give back to the community that welcomed them and supported their growth. This spirit drives their philanthropic commitment as they actively support a variety of cultural projects.

The OVI Fund – The Ionescu Family Foundation thus acts as a catalyst for cultural transformation in Montreal, funding artistic and educational initiatives that aim to make culture more accessible to all—particularly children and families. It is part of a sustainable and inclusive vision of philanthropy, with significant contributions to the Orchestre Métropolitain and other cultural institutions.

At the end of the summer campaign Make Waves with your donation (Votre don fait des vagues)—which concluded with a magnificent concert at the foot of Mount Royal—Alex Ionescu made his first major donation to the OM, amounting to $300,000, multiplying the impact of other major donors and creating a true ripple effect. Among recent OVI Fund donations, one can highlight its contribution to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), enabling the creation of the Zhao-Ionescu Chair, which will permanently fund the position of Chief Curator at the MMFA, as well as its support for the Opéra de Montréal (OdM) in sustaining its artistic mission for the next five seasons.

ABOUT THE ORCHESTRE MÉTROPOLITAIN

A major cultural ambassador of Quebec, the Orchestre Métropolitain (OM) has built a unique bond with audiences by creating projects where emotion and excellence reign. Whether at the Maison Symphonique de Montréal or across the city—thanks to the Conseil des Arts de Montréal’s touring program and free concerts in the parks—every performance is an opportunity to move audiences.

For twenty-five years, the OM has grown alongside its principal conductor and artistic director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who offers bold, modern, and innovative programming. Their lifetime contract, a rare commitment, has forged a distinctive, confident, and unique personality for the OM. Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s flourishing international career shines on the OM and brings the orchestra to the world’s greatest stages, including tours in the United States (2024) and Europe (2025).

Since its founding in 1981, the OM has made it its mission to awaken children to music, nurture a passion for music among young people, and support emerging musicians. Through its cultural and educational initiatives—such as school activities, the OMNI competition, and the Conducting Academy where Yannick Nézet-Séguin passes on his artistry to the next generation of conductors—the orchestra fosters meaningful connections with its community, both young and old.