A Legacy in Sound: The Sage Tower Mumma Chair for Principal Oboe
For decades, Sage Mumma’s presence shaped our community in ways both visible and transformative. Originally from Darien, Connecticut, Sage moved to Anne Arundel County with her husband Michael in the 1970s. She immediately became active in the civic and social life of her new home. She co-founded the Junior League of Annapolis and the Arnold Preservation Council, and was a Deacon of Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park. Her story — one of curiosity, generosity, leadership, and deep love for music — lives on through The Sage Tower Mumma Chair for Principal Oboe at the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, a permanent endowed fund established by her family to honor her extraordinary commitment to sustaining live orchestral music and the artistry of our organization.
Music was a central interest throughout Sage’s life. In college she was a founding member of the Midnight Ramblers folk trio and later sang soprano with the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel Choir, the Senior Choir at Woods Church, the Encore Chorale for older Adults, and the Chorale at Willow Valley Communities, among others. Sage’s connection to symphonic music began during graduate school in Pittsburgh, when she and her then boyfriend, Michael Mumma, attended concerts regularly while he pursued his Ph.D. in physics. The couple married, and after settling in Maryland became devoted ASO subscribers, maintaining season tickets for 39 consecutive years. Sage joined Friends of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (FASO), in 2004, serving in many leadership roles until 2016. Her ideas and generosity helped shape initiatives that remain vital components of the ASO’s fundraising strategy even today. “Sage was a person with great ideas who was able to pass them on to a larger group and have them become wellsprings of good things for the organization,” her husband Michael reflects.
One of those ideas — musician sponsorship — fundamentally changed how donors could connect personally with the orchestra. Sage championed the concept that individuals could financially support seats for ASO musician, thus offsetting the costs of musician salaries, while providing an opportunity to build relationships that deepened a mutual respect between the art, the artists, and listeners. The ASO Musician Sponsorship program has since grown into one of ASO’s most meaningful donor engagement opportunities.
“Sage was very engaged and had smart, well-intentioned opinions,” recalls Anna Greenberg, former Chair of the ASO Board of Trustees and longtime member of FASO. “She was dedicated to whatever project she was working on. She and her husband were very supportive, which is exactly what we needed at the time to perpetuate the artistry and success of the orchestra.”
The Sage Tower Mumma Chair for Principal Oboe
Our community lost Sage to a terminal illness on March 1, 2024. After her passing, Michael and their children sought a lasting way to honor her life and values. Their choice to permanently endow the Principal Oboe Chair — currently held by longtime ASO musician Fatma Daglar — reflects Sage’s passion for artistry, innovation, and personal connection.
“To create something enduring felt essential,” Michael explains. “Because we had known Fatma for many years as sponsors and friends, it felt natural to support her seat into perpetuity. Even if we did not know her, we would have wanted to endow an ASO musician, because we wanted to support the important roles that musicians play in the artistry of the orchestra.”
The Sage Tower Mumma Chair for Principal Oboe endowment is the first of its kind for the ASO; it is a perpetual fund that supports a specific chair. The endowed Principal Oboe Chair now stands as a visible and lasting tribute to ensure sustained artistic excellence that honors Sage’s remarkable legacy.
“Our family had a vested interest in perpetuating the health and welfare of something that meant so much to Sage. I was extremely pleased in not only the manner our gift was handled, but the ASO’s careful stewarding of our donation so it can support the organization for years to come. I have confidence that the ASO understands the importance of the donation. Together we can ensure that the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra not only endures, but flourishes for generations.”
Why Endowments Matter
Live music possesses a rare power to transcend age, class, race, culture, and background, uniting the audience in a shared experience. You can get lost in a symphony concert. Let everything that worries you outside the concert hall be forgotten. Become swept away by what you see and hear. Belief in this unparalleled power lies at the heart of everything we do at the ASO.
The ASO seeks to provide extraordinary musical experiences with uncompromising artistic excellence that are relevant to our community. Fulfilling that mission requires significant resources. Our work is supported through a combination of ticket revenue, institutional grants, and philanthropic giving from individuals.
In particular, endowments, a special form of individual giving, helps provide crucial long-term financial stability to the ASO. Endowed gifts create reliable, sustainable support that enables artistic innovation, protects against economic fluctuations, and strengthens educational and community outreach efforts.
“Endowments give the orchestral organization durability and endurance,” says ASO Executive Director Erica Bondarev Rapach. “Sage Mumma’s legacy ensures that we can protect the artistry we present to audiences, and makes it possible for our musicians to thrive and for the music to play on.”
Creating Your Own Musical Legacy
Establishing an endowment is a way to carry personal values and meaning forward by creating something lasting. Endowments can support principal chairs, educational programs, or community initiatives — each shaped by the donor’s unique values and vision. Donors may choose to honor a spouse, family member, friend, mentor, or personal hero.
To explore opportunities, patrons are encouraged to connect with Erica, Board Chair Katie Edwards, MD, or any member of the ASO Board of Trustees, who can guide donors through the process with care and transparency. “An endowment gift to the ASO is an incredibly impactful way to support our mission. It can form a deep and personal connection between our artists and the audience, sustaining Annapolis’s cultural vitality for generations to come.” says Edwards.
A Gift That Resonates
For Fatma Daglar, the impact of the Mumma family’s generosity is both an honor and an inspiration. “The endowment for perpetuity is such a generous gift; I’m incredibly grateful,” she says. “When I heard about the endowment, I was humbled, but then especially motivated to practice more and play my best.”
Michael hopes The Sage Tower Mumma Chair for Principal Oboe serves as both a tribute and an invitation: a tribute to the musicians whose artistry enriches our lives, and an invitation for others to imagine how their own legacy might live on through music.
We extend heartfelt gratitude to the Mumma family for their visionary leadership, enduring generosity, and profound commitment to artistic excellence. Through the Sage Tower Mumma Chair for Principal Oboe, Sage’s love of music continues to inspire — resonating in every note, and in every audience member who experiences our Annapolis Symphony Orchestra.