By Jenny Bilfield, President & CEO

Dr. Gary Mather, our dear friend and Honorary Board Member of Washington Performing Arts, devoted husband of dedicated Board Member, Tina Co Mather, passed away on November 10, 2024. In his final hours, Gary was serenaded at his bedside by violinist Paul Huang, a cherished friend of Tina and Gary’s, who detoured to their home in McLean en route between Toledo to New York.

I would like to take a moment to share reflections about the Gary we, and I, knew.

Gary was a passionate arts patron and music advocate, and a dedicated philanthropist who authentically embraced the totality of Washington Performing Arts’s ethos of inclusivity and excellence — “Everybody In, Nobody Out.” A true champion of arts education, Gary and Tina supported Washington Performing Arts’s Gateway Student Ticket Fund (discounted tickets for students and their companion or caregiver), ensuring that classical music could be accessible to young audiences and families. His commitment to nurturing future generations of music lovers reflected his belief that great art should be available to all.

With Tina, Gary also enabled us to bring to Washington, D.C., a historic performance of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, led by Daniel Barenboim. In addition, they embraced one of our most ambitious projects – the SHIFT Festival for American Orchestras – and together the Mathers made a significant, overarching leadership gift in support of our 50th anniversary season. These are just a few examples of transformative engagement and commitment that were hallmarks of Gary’s involvement with Washington Performing Arts.

A lifelong learner with astute ears and a keen intellect, Gary loved spending time in conversation with the brilliant, original artists we presented with his help over the years, among them Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Paul Huang, and Joyce DiDonato. He took a very personal interest in their work and careers, and was supportive of numerous bold creative ventures within, and beyond, Washington Performing Arts.

Among many examples, I remember one from my earliest days at Washington Performing Arts; Gary and I spoke about the importance of commissioning new work to propel classical repertoire forward – specifically a project that Hilary Hahn was seeking to get off the ground, and which Washington Performing Arts was eager to support. Gary was very interested in the creative process of writing and performing new work (it was often a conversation topic with my composer-husband Joel). Once committed, Gary’s deep engagement throughout the process intensified, from the informal “first hearing” and run-through with Hilary at the Mather home, all the way through to the successful premiere and eventual recording of six stunning Partitas by Antón Garcia Abríl, the centerpiece of Hilary Hahn’s expansive “Encores” initiative.

Early on in our friendship, Gary shared with me videos of himself playing guitar as a younger man. He did so much, so very well, and was quite an accomplished classical guitarist who practiced for hours on end, studying repertoire and listening to as many recordings as possible to inform his understanding and technique.

Anyone who attended the Washington Performing Arts galas over the years will remember Gary’s indomitable competitive spirit in the heat of bidding on private house concerts donated by premier Washington Performing Arts recitalists. It was a highlight of the evening – not only raising crucial funds for Washington Performing Arts programs, but also leading to innumerable musicales that Gary and Tina hosted at their home, to which they invited friends. Their living room became a “home away from home” and a very special place to experience great music in a warm and welcoming community.

This November, we dedicated our presentation of the Berliner Philharmoniker, with conductor Kirill Petrenko, to Gary. It was a performance that Gary and Tina were eager to co-sponsor – connecting very personal themes of excellence, access, and friendship. I will be forever grateful for Gary’s enduring friendship, and his legacy of generosity, vision, and boundless love for music – nurtured at the side of his beloved Tina and through so many of our performances and special gatherings.