By Nicole Ward Beckley
After a fulfilling career as a public-school educator in New Jersey, Sarah Van Gunten, now retired and living in Asheville, continues to make a positive impact and will even after her lifetime.
Like many people entering retirement and looking to relocate, Sarah Van Gunten avidly researched and spent extended time at several possible locations in different states. While considering Asheville as a potential location during a winter stay, she attended an Asheville Symphony performance at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. She struck up a conversation with the person sitting next to her.
Having spent her career living just outside of the bustling New York City metro, Van Gunten was immediately warmed by the friendliness and impressed with the orchestra’s artistic excellence.
“I loved that I could have a conversation with a stranger, unlike in metro New York City, where that’s uncommon,” Van Gunten said. “Here I was in this vast concert hall, having a very friendly conversation, and hearing the Asheville Symphony Orchestra.”
By then, she found herself saying, “I think this is a place that I would retire to.”
New Beginnings & Meaningful Connections
Van Gunten moved to Asheville on July 1, 2014, just a few months later, and one of the first things she did was buy a season ticket to the Symphony.
“I think the only way to make any place your home is to become involved,” Van Gunten said.
Over the past 11 years, she has become a devoted advocate and ambassador for the Asheville Symphony and an active citizen of Western North Carolina. She would not only join the Asheville Symphony Guild — a volunteer organization that raises funds to support the Symphony and is focused on music education for young people — but also become its president for several years.
The Guild’s president also serves on the Asheville Symphony Board of Directors, and the dual roles strengthened Van Gunten’s connection to the organization even further. During the summer of 2022, as the Symphony ramped up operations for its first post-pandemic season with a minimal staff, Van Gunten and another Guild member volunteered in the Symphony office, helping to open mail, answer phones, and sell season tickets.
After her term as Guild president ended, she was asked to join the Symphony Board and has served as Chair of the Education Committee for the past three years. With her career background and love of music, Van Gunten finds herself well-suited for the position.
Changing Lives & Inspiring Greatness
Van Gunten started taking piano lessons at 6 or 7 years old and continued through high school. Inspired by her father, who had a small record collection at their home, she developed an adoration for classical music. She also sang in her school, church, and community choirs — something she still does as a member of the Asheville Senior Chorus and other groups.
She firmly believes in the power of music to change lives and inspire greatness. As the Education Chair of the Symphony Board, she has been able to put that inspiration into action by working on the Music in the Schools and the Asheville Youth Symphony Orchestra programs. Realizing that not everyone grows up with a dad who shares his love of music, she says it’s a matter of introducing young people to everything in the world that might be of interest to them, that they might want to pursue, or enjoy throughout their lives.
She recalled, “After one of the Music in the Schools performances, one of the bus drivers said, ‘You probably just don’t understand that the kids on my bus have never heard anything like that before. And they were still talking about it on the bus as he drove them home.’”
There are lessons to be learned through orchestral music, Van Gunten believes. “Watching an ensemble allows kids to learn how to work together, how together you create something beautiful. So much goes into making music with a group of other people that goes far beyond the actual musicianship itself.”
Future Plans & Lasting Value
As an educator, Van Gunten spent a lot of time thinking about the future — for others and herself — and she still does. She says it’s never too early to start planning.
“I remember turning 40, and for the first time saying to myself, ‘You know what? You’re not going to be here forever.’ So fast forward, to nearly another 40 years, and I’m asking myself, ‘What can I do to serve somebody else in the future?’”
For more than a decade, Van Gunten’s involvement with the Asheville Symphony and other organizations has helped make Asheville her home. Citing the Symphony’s progress she’s seen over the years, such as artistic advancement, creative innovation, outstanding leadership, and community engagement, her plans involve leaving a gift to the Asheville Symphony through her will.
She encourages anyone else in a similar situation to do the same, and asserts that joining the Asheville Symphony Legacy Society and making a planned gift doesn’t have to be complex.
“Usually, I think people designate an organization in their will, much like you designate a member of your family — because you love it, you’re passionate about it, you see its potential, you want to see it grow into the future and to begin to impact other people’s lives as it has impacted your own,” she said.
“I think that’s really what it’s all about: to leave something behind as you move on, of lasting value, which will bring joy and light into other people’s lives as it has yours.”
Are you interested in learning how you can support the Asheville Symphony with an impactful gift? Let us help you find the right plan for orchestrating your legacy. Contact the Asheville Symphony Development team by phone at 828-254-7046 or email us at development@ashevillesymphony.org.
