Your Charlotte Symphony Experience
Whether you’re attending your first Symphony performance, or you’re a longtime subscriber, we’d like to extend to you a warm and inclusive welcome! Below is some helpful information to ensure you make the most of your Charlotte Symphony experience.
What should I wear?
The Charlotte Symphony has no specific dress code. We encourage you to be comfortable and come as yourself in a style of your choice.
When do I applaud?
Audiences applaud to welcome the concertmaster, conductor, and featured artists onstage. Some works may have several sections, or movements, separated by a brief silent pause. It is tradition to hold applause until the last movement. If you are unsure, wait for the conductor to face the audience. But if you feel truly inspired, do not be afraid to applaud!
Can I take photos?
Certainly! We welcome and encourage you to capture and share photos before and after the concert, as well as during intermission. Feel free to use your cell phone for photography without flash during the performance, but please refrain from video or audio recording.
Friday, April 5, 2024, at 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 7:30 pm
Belk Theater at Blumenthal Arts
Kwamé Ryan, conductor
Sterling Elliott, cello
WANG JIE (b. 1980)
Symphonic Overture “America, the Beautiful” [approx. 6 minutes]
P.I. TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33
Sterling Elliott, cello [approx. 18 minutes]
INTERMISSION
JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68
I. Un poco sostenuto; Allegro
II. Andante sostenuto
III. Un poco Allegretto e grazioso
IV. Adagio; Più Andante; Allegro non troppo, ma con brio [approx. 45 minutes]
concert duration: approximately 90 minutes. There will be one 20-minute intermission. This concert is made possible in part by Judith & Mark Brodsky
CONCERT PROGRAM page 7
Born in Canada and raised on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, Kwamé Ryan discovered his passion for conducting at the age of nine. He read Musicology at Cambridge University and studied conducting under the guidance of renowned composer/conductor Peter Eötvös. Ryan held the position of General Music Director of Freiburg Opera between 1999 and 2003 and served as Musical and Artistic Director of the National Orchestra of Bordeaux Aquitaine between 2007 and 2013.
Beginning in the 2024–25 season, Ryan will begin his tenure as the 12th Music Director of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, having served as Music Director Designate through the 2023–24 season. Ryan last appeared with the Charlotte Symphony in November 2023, for two critically acclaimed performances of Verdi’s Requiem. Additional highlights of the 2023–24 season include return visits to the BBC Concert Orchestra and Charlotte Symphony, as well as debuts at Opera Theatre St. Louis, the New York Philharmonic, and Houston Grand Opera for the World Premiere of Intelligence, the long-anticipated new stage work by acclaimed composer Jake Heggie.
An active guest conductor in the United States and the UK, Ryan has led the Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Atlanta, and Houston symphony orchestras, as well as Boston Lyric Opera, English National Opera, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and London’s Philharmonia Orchestra. He is a regular guest conductor at the BBC Proms and most recently returned to Brussels’s La Monnaie for the world premiere of Kris Defoort’s The Time of our Singing, which won the International Opera Award for World Premiere of the Year in 2021.
(continued next page)
CONDUCTOR BIO page 8
Kwamé Ryan music director designate
As a guest conductor in Germany, he has conducted the Stuttgart and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestras, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Berlin Konzerthausorchester, Saarbrücken Staatsoper, and Stuttgart Staatsoper. In France, he has worked at Opéra Bastille, Opéra National de Lyon, and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
A recipient of international awards for outstanding work in the field of music education, Ryan has served as Musical Director of the National Youth Orchestra of France and as Director of the Academy for the Performing Arts at the University of Trinidad and Tobago.
CONDUCTOR BIO (continued) page 9
Sterling Elliott cello
Acclaimed for his stellar stage presence and joyous musicianship, cellist Sterling Elliott is a 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient and the winner of the Senior Division of the 2019 National Sphinx Competition. Already in his young career, he has appeared with major orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony, and the Dallas Symphony, with noted conductors Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Thomas Wilkins, Jeffrey Kahane, Mei-Ann Chen, and others.
This season, Elliott debuts with the Minnesota Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Pacific Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, and New Jersey Symphony. He also performs the world premiere of a new orchestral version of John Corigliano’s Phantasmagoria, commissioned for him by a consortium of orchestras including the Orlando Philharmonic and music director Eric Jacobsen. He makes his UK recital debut at Wigmore Hall in February.
The 2022-2023 season saw his debuts at the Aspen Music Festival, performing the Brahms Double Concerto with Gil Shaham, as well as with the Colorado Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, and Ft. Worth Symphony, among others. He appeared in recital under the auspices of the San Francisco Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, Shriver Hall in Baltimore, the Tippett Rise Festival, and Capitol Region Classical in Albany, NY.
Fast becoming a favorite on the summer festival circuit, Sterling has appeared at Music@Menlo, Chamberfest in Cleveland and Chamberfest Northwest in Calgary, Music at Angel Fire, and the La Jolla Music Society. In Summer 2023, he made his orchestral debut with the San Francisco Symphony; performed chamber music with Nicola Benedetti, Stefan Jackiw, and others at the Edinburgh Festival; and made a return appearance at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
GUEST ARTIST BIO page 10
(continued next page)
Sterling Elliott participates in several programs alongside exceptionally talented young artists. In April 2023, he was selected by The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for its Bowers Program, a three-year residency. As a Bowers Program artist, he will perform in CMS tours nationally, and play subscription concerts at Alice Tully Hall. In June 2023, the London-based Young Classical Artists Trust named him their YCAT–Music Masters Robey Artist, a two-year program during which YCAT will provide UK booking and management and Sterling will fulfill an ambassadorial role, leading workshops and engaging with young learners in schools across London to inspire and enhance their musical education. In Spring 2022, Sterling participated in Performance Today’s Young Artist Residency, which featured educational events, interviews, and a feature on the nationally syndicated radio program.
Sterling has a long history with the Sphinx Organization where he won the 2014 Junior Division Competition, becoming the first alumnus from the Sphinx Performance Academy to win the Sphinx Competition. The following year he went on to tour with the Sphinx Virtuosi before being awarded the Organization’s Isaac Stern Award in 2016. This season, Sterling will receive a Sphinx Medal of Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization, awarded to artists who, early in their career, demonstrate artistic excellence, outstanding work ethic, a spirit of determination, and an ongoing commitment to leadership and their communities.
Born into a musical household, Sterling initially wanted to play the violin like his older brother and sister. After a bit of encouragement, he completed The Elliott Family String Quartet, an ensemble that enjoyed personalized arrangements of genres such as bluegrass, gospel, and funk music.
Sterling is pursuing an Artist Diploma at the Juilliard School under the tutelage of Joel Krosnick and Clara Kim, following completion of his Master of Music and undergraduate degrees at Juilliard. He is an ambassador of the Young Strings of America, a string sponsorship operated by Shar Music. He performs on a 1741 Gennaro Gagliano cello on loan through the Robert F. Smith Fine String Patron Program, in partnership with the Sphinx Organization.
ARTIST BIO (continued) page 11
GUEST
YOUR CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY
Kwamé Ryan, Music Director Designate
Christopher James Lees, Resident Conductor
Christopher Warren-Green, Conductor Laureate
FIRST VIOLINS
Calin Ovidiu Lupanu, Concertmaster
The Catherine & Wilton Connor Chair
Joseph Meyer, Associate Concertmaster
Kari Giles, Assistant Concertmaster
Susan Blumberg°°
Jane Hart Brendle
Cynthia Burton
Ayako Gamo
David Horak †
Lenora Leggatt
Jenny Topilow
Dustin Wilkes-Kim
Hanna Zhdan
SECOND VIOLINS
Oliver Kot, Principal
The Wolfgang Roth Chair
Kathleen Jarrell, Assistant Principal
The Pepsi-Cola Foundation of Charlotte Chair
Carlos Tarazona°
Monica Boboc
Martha Geissler
Sakira Harley
Tatiana Karpova
Ellyn Stuart
VIOLAS
Benjamin Geller, Principal
The Zoe Bunten Merrill Principal Viola Chair
Kirsten Swanson, Acting Asst. Principal †
Matthew Darsey †
Ellen Ferdon
Wenlong Huang
Viara Stefanova
Ning Zhao
CELLOS
Jonathan Lewis, Principal
The Kate Whitner McKay Principal Cello Chair
Allison Drenkow, Acting Asst. Principal
Alan Black, Principal Emeritus*
Marlene Ballena
Jeremy Lamb
Amy Sunyoung Lee
Sarah Markle
Oksana McCarthy †
DOUBLE BASSES
Kurt Riecken, Principal*
Jason McNeel, Acting Principal
Judson Baines, Assistant Principal*
Justin Cheesman, Acting Asst. Principal
Jeffrey Ferdon
Luis Primera†
FLUTES
Victor Wang, Principal
The Blumenthal Foundation Chair
Amy Orsinger Whitehead
Erinn Frechette
PICCOLO
Erinn Frechette
OBOES
Erica Cice, Acting Principal
The Leo B. Driehuys Chair‡
Teil Taliesin†
Terry Maskin
ENGLISH HORN
Terry Maskin
CLARINETS
Taylor Marino, Principal
The Gary H. & Carolyn M. Bechtel Chair
Samuel Sparrow
Allan Rosenfeld
E♭ CLARINET
Samuel Sparrow
BASS CLARINET
Allan Rosenfeld
BASSOONS
Joseph Merchant, Principal
Joshua Hood
Nicholas Ritter
CONTRABASSOON
Nicholas Ritter
MUSICIAN ROSTER page 12
HORNS
Byron Johns, Principal
The Mr. & Mrs. William H. Van Every Chair
Andrew Fierova
Philip Brindise†
The Robert E. Rydel, Jr. Third Horn Chair
Richard Goldfaden
Andrew Merideth†
TRUMPETS
Alex Wilborn, Principal
The Betty J. Livingstone Chair
Jonathan Kaplan
Gabriel Slesinger, Associate Principal
The Marcus T. Hickman Chair
TROMBONES
John Bartlett, Principal
Thomas Burge
BASS TROMBONE
Scott Hartman, Principal
TUBA
Colin Benton, Principal
The Governor James G. Martin Chair
ARTISTIC OPERATIONS
TIMPANI
Jacob Lipham, Principal
The Robert Haywood Morrison Chair
PERCUSSION
Brice Burton, Principal
HARP
Andrea Mumm Trammell, Principal
The Dr. Billy Graham Chair
This roster lists the full-time members of the Charlotte Symphony. The number and seating of musicians onstage varies depending on the piece being performed.
° Non-revolving position
°° Alternates between first and second violins
† Acting member of the Charlotte Symphony
‡ Funded by The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc.
* On leave
Michael Reichman, VP of Artistic Operations & General Manager
Carrie Graham, Senior Director of Artistic Planning
Tim Pappas, Director of Operations
Nixon Bustos, Principal Music Librarian
Emily Schaub, Assistant Music Librarian
Erin Eady, Personnel Manager
Claire Beiter, Operations Coordinator
John Jarrell, Stage Manager
The Charlotte Symphony is a proud member of the League of American Orchestras.
MUSICIAN ROSTER (continued) page 13
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE UP TO 5O% ON SINGLE TICKET PRICES! MUSIC DIRECTOR DESIGNATE Kwamé Ryan Get a FREE Spring 2O24 Concert when you subscribe by April 22! ANNOUNCING OUR
CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Join the CSO for an exciting new season with a compelling lineup of concerts!
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
TCHAIKOVSKY'S PIANO CONCERTO No. 1
October 25 & 26, 2024
BRAHMS' A GERMAN REQUIEM
November 22 & 23, 2024
DEBUSSY’S LA MER
April 25 & 26, 2025
...and more!
THE MUSIC OF QUEEN
November 1 & 2, 2024
DISCO FEVER
January 17 & 18, 2025
HAVANA NIGHTS
February 21 & 22, 2025 ...and more!
LEMONY SNICKET'S THE COMPOSER IS DEAD
November 16, 2024
HOLIDAY POPS!
December 7, 2024
GERSHWIN'S MAGIC KEY
January 18, 2025 ...and more!
THE WIZARD OF OZ IN CONCERT
September 27 & 28, 2024
THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL IN CONCERT
November 29 & 30, 2024
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN IN CONCERT
June 6 & 7, 2025
...and more!
Subscribe today for the best seats, the best prices, and great benefits! Single tickets on sale later this summer.
view the full season at charlotte symphony.org
One of the premier music organizations in the Southeastern United States and the oldest operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) connects with more than 100,000 music lovers each year through its lively season of concerts, broadcasts, community events, and robust educational programs. The CSO is committed to its mission of uplifting, entertaining, and educating the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences.
The Charlotte Symphony upholds the highest artistic integrity and takes bold steps to engage with its community through music. Its 65 professional, full-time musicians perform throughout the region — from community parks and breweries, to places of worship and senior care centers — and offer significant educational support, aimed at serving the underresourced areas of our community.
The Charlotte Symphony is deeply committed to the notion that music, accessible to all and experienced in its many forms, enriches and unifies our community. The CSO believes in equity and inclusion and strives to be an industry leader in imaginative, relevant programming by intentionally seeking out women conductors, underrepresented in our industry, and conductors, composers, and guest artists of color.
Founded in 1932, the Charlotte Symphony plays a leading cultural role in the Charlotte area and serves the community as a civic leader, reflecting and uniting our region through the transformative power of live music.
OUR MISSION
The Charlotte Symphony uplifts, entertains, and educates the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences.
OUR VISION
Reaching out through the transformative power of live music, the Charlotte Symphony will be a civic leader, reflecting and uniting our region.
For more information, visit us online at charlottesymphony.org
ABOUT THE CSO page 17
PROGRAM NOTES
by Ken Meltzer
WANG JIE
born: 1980 in Shanghai, China
premiere: October 22, 2016 in Colorado Springs Symphonic Overture “America, the Beautiful” (2016)
approx. duration: 6 minutes
American composer Wang Jie was born and raised in Shanghai. There, she studied piano and composition with Yang Liqing. In the United States, Wang Jie attended the Curtis Institute of Music (Artist Diploma), Manhattan School of Music (Master and Bachelor of Music), and New York University (Ph.D. in music theory and composition). Her compositions are performed throughout the world, and she is the recipient of numerous awards and honors.
Those near and dear have a nickname for me: “part-time monkey.” A hiker, rock climber, mischievous spirit and lover of adventure on mountains and cliffs, I have been waiting for this piece my whole life. When the Colorado Springs Philharmonic asked me to compose a concert opener inspired by Pikes Peak and the patriotic song “America, the Beautiful,” I said yes without hesitation. My desire was answered in the most cosmic, karma-istic way. I was mystified. Several ideas knocked at my door, demanded full attention. It was an all-or-nothing deal. Aside from my monkey business, I am an American. Hearing “O beautiful…” and “purple mountain majesties” stirs me. In today’s fractured political climate, this song brings the nation together in our shared love for this shining land and all it represents; this song is a well of hope. Fractured but full of hope, I re-harmonized “America, the Beautiful” and placed the song at the core of this overture.
page 18
(continued next page)
Once my inner patriot provided structure, the part-time monkey animated sections with her usual quirks. Tracing the unique silhouette of Pikes Peak to the letter, I began part II of this overture with a fugue subject that musicalizes the signature contour of the entire mountain region. And once the fugue starts, it can’t be stopped.
The rest of Symphonic Overture is a generous collection of motivic sparks from the song “America, the Beautiful”. Some obvious. Others reserved for happy discoveries of multiple listening. You don’t think I’m going to hand it all to you in one performance, do you?
—Wang Jie
wangjiemusic.com
PROGRAM NOTES (continued) page 19 (Program Notes continued next page)
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
born: May 7, 1840 in Kamsko-Votkinsk, Russia
died: November 6, 1893 in St. Petersburg, Russia
Variations on a Rococo Theme
Opus 33 (1876)
premiere: November 30, 1877 in Moscow
approx. duration: 18 minutes
Tchaikovsky composed his Variations on a Rococo Theme for his colleague at the Moscow Conservatory, German cellist Wilhelm Fitzenhagen. Tchaikovsky dedicated the score to Fitzenhagen, who appeared as soloist in the November 30, 1877 Moscow premiere, conducted by Nikolay Rubinstein.
Fitzenhagen made numerous revisions to the solo part as conceived by Tchaikovsky. He also modified Tchaikovsky’s order of the variations, and even cut the eighth (and final) variation. Needless to say, Tchaikovsky was far from pleased. Still, Fitzenhagen’s version of the Rococo Variations remains the one most frequently performed.
Tchaikovsky was unreserved in his praise for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whom he called, “the greatest of all composers.” Tchaikovsky fervently believed that Mozart achieved “the highest, most perfect culmination ever attained by beauty in the realm of music.” In the Rococo Variations, Tchaikovsky employs a theme (of his own composition) that harks back to Mozart’s era. The instrumentation, too, recalls an ensemble of Mozart’s time. Still, the work is far from a rehash of an 18th-century composition. Rather, it offers a charming fusion of eras and styles, with Tchaikovsky’s sublime lyrical gifts and mastery of orchestration gracing every bar.
page 20 PROGRAM NOTES (continued)
(continued next page)
The Variations on a Rococo Theme open with an orchestral prelude (Moderato quasi Andante). The soloist then presents the central “Rococo” theme (Thema. Moderato semplice). A series of seven variations on that theme ensues:
Var. I. Tempo del Thema
Var. II. Tempo del Thema
Var. III. Andante sostenuto
Var. IV. Andante grazioso
Var. V. Allegro moderato
Var. VI. Andante
Var. VII. e Coda. Allegro vivo
(Program Notes continued next page)
PROGRAM NOTES (continued) page 21
German cellist Wilhelm Fitzenhagen
JOHANNES BRAHMS
born: May 7, 1833 in Hamburg, Germany died: April 3, 1897 in Vienna, Austria
As early as 1853, prominent musicians, including Robert Schumann, urged the young Johannes Brahms to try his hand at symphonic composition. Brahms resisted. As late as 1870, Brahms wrote to conductor Hermann Levi: “I shall never write a symphony. You have no idea the likes of us feel when we hear the tramp of a giant like him beside us.” Here, Brahms referred to the great shadow cast by Ludwig van Beethoven and his epochal Nine Symphonies.
It was not until 1876 that Brahms completed his First Symphony. Some biographers believe that Brahms may have begun as early as 1855 to work on the score. We do know that in 1862, Brahms shared a draft of the proposed opening movement both with pianist Clara Schumann and conductor Albert Hermann Dietrich. On September 12, 1868, Brahms sent Clara a letter, containing an alphorn melody to which he set the following words: “Thus blew the shepherd’s horn to-day. High on the mountain, deep in the valley, I send you a thousand greetings.” That melody appears as the great horn call in the introduction to the finale of the C-minor Symphony.
It should also be noted that during the lengthy period Brahms wrestled with the creation of his First Symphony, he did successfully compose for orchestra. Perhaps the two orchestral Serenades (1858 and 1859) and the sublime Haydn Variations (1873) helped to steel Brahms’s courage and resolve. Three years after the Haydn Variations, Brahms completed his First Symphony. Brahms was 43 years old. The premiere took place in Karlsruhe, under the direction of Otto Dessoff on November 4, 1876. Beethoven had been dead nearly half a century. Nonetheless, comparisons with the man Brahms called a “giant” were inevitable. The premiere: November 4, 1876 in Karlsruhe, Germany approx. duration: 45 minutes Symphony No. 1 in C minor Opus 68 (1876)
page 22 PROGRAM NOTES (continued)
(continued next page)
Brahms First charts a dramatic journey from C minor to C major, as does Beethoven’s Fifth. A four-note motif, also reminiscent of the famous opening theme of the Beethoven Fifth, plays a prominent role the first movement. A friend of Brahms noted the similarity of the finale’s principal melody to the "Ode to Joy” in Beethoven’s Ninth (to this observation, Brahms responded: “any ass can see that!”).
The eminent conductor Hans von Bülow dubbed the work “Beethoven’s Tenth.” Although Bülow certainly meant that as a compliment, it provided Brahms no great satisfaction. For Brahms’s part, it seems that the completion of his First Symphony liberated him from the paralyzing specter of Beethoven’s imposing legacy. Three more Symphonies followed over the ensuing decade — each, like the first, a monument of the late 19th-century orchestral repertoire. In time, it became abundantly clear that in his Four Symphonies, Brahms, a musical descendent of Beethoven, spoke very much in his own voice — a voice of Romantic lyricism, passion, and grandeur.
The Symphony’s opening movement begins with a dramatic, slow-tempo introduction (Un poco sostenuto), featuring the timpani’s relentless hammer-blows and hints of the ensuing Allegro’s thematic material. Another brusque chord launches the Allegro proper and the strings’ forte presentation of the ascending and descending theme that is the nucleus for the movement’s thematic material. Two relatively brief movements follow. The radiant second movement (Andante sostenuto) concludes with a shimmering violin solo. The third (Un poco Allegretto e grazioso) is a graceful intermezzo. As with the opening movement, the finale begins with an extended slow-tempo introduction (Adagio). The principal section of the finale (Allegro non troppo, ma con brio) opens with the broad, majestic theme that bears a kinship to Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy.” Storm and stress finally resolve to the triumphant closing measures.
PROGRAM NOTES (continued) page 23
We gratefully acknowledge these generous donors to the Charlotte Symphony Annual Fund. This list reflects gifts received between July 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024.
BENEFACTOR CIRCLE
$100,000+
Catherine & Wilton Connor *
$50,000 – $99,999
J. Porter & Victoria Durham
$25,000 – $49,999
Anonymous
Joan & Mick Ankrom
Ruth & Richard Ault
Dr. Milton & Arlene Berkman Philanthropic Fund
Judith & Mark Brodsky
Roberta H. Cochran
Jean & Dick Cornwell
Linda & Bill Farthing
Karen Fox
Maria & John Huson
$15,000 – $24,999
Anonymous (2)
Melissa & Daren Anderson
Nicola & Emanuel Clark
Ralph S. Grier
Mary & Michael Lamach
Betty P. & Jeffrey J. Lee
DeDe & Alex McKinnon
$10,000 – $14,999
Anonymous (3)
Tiffany & Jason Bernd
Joye D. Blount & Jessie J. Knight Jr.
Katharine & Frank Bragg
Mr. & Mrs. R. Alfred Brand III
Lynne & Colby Cathey
Margarita & Nick Clements
Lisa & Carlos Evans
Robin & Christoph Feddersen
Caren & Charles Gale
Janet M. Haack
Leigh & Watts Humphrey
Susan & Chris Kearney
Ginger Kelly
Douglas Young
Jane & Hugh McColl*
Richard Krumdieck
Jacqueline B. Mars
Patricia & Thrus Morton
Patrick J. O'Leary
Richard J. Osborne
Debbie & Pat Phillips
Kathy & Paul Reichs
Pat Rodgers
Carolyn Shaw
Andromeda & John Williams
Ulrike & Alex Miles
Robert Norville
Keith Oberkfell & Mica Post Oberkfell
Judy & Derek Raghavan
Sherry & Thomas Skains
Sienne & Adam Taylor
Ken & Tara Walker
Ms. Nina Lesavoy
Tanya & Steve Makris
Laura & Perry Poole
Ann & Fritz Rehkopf
Kelli & Michael Richardson
Mrs. Rosalind S. Richardson
Amanda & Corey Rogers
Marjorie Moses Schwab
Melinda & David Snyder
Drs. Jennifer Sullivan & Matthew Sullivan
Mary Claire & Dan Wall
Jill & Kevin Walker
Lisa & Richard Worf
* The Charlotte Symphony recognizes donors of exceptional generosity whose cumulative giving to the CSO exceeds $1 million with the designation of Music Director Society.
SUPPORTERS page 24
VIRTUOSO CIRCLE
$5,000 – $9,999
Wedge & Debbie Abels
Howard P. Adams & Carol B. McPhee
Jeannette & Francisco Alvarado
Philipp J. Bischoff & Dawn Beatty
Katrice & Steve Boland
Mary & Charles Bowman
Barbara & Twig Branch
Nancy Brand & Bill Freeman
Robin & William Branstrom
Katherine & Thomas Bunn
Shirley & Michael Butterworth
The Jack H. and Ruth C. Campbell Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Kieth Cockrell
Tammy & Malcomb Coley
Jeanie & Tom Cottingham
Morgan & Brian Cromwell
Denise & Peter DeMaio
Donna & Alvaro de Molina
Mary Anne Dickson
Peggy & Richard Dreher
Mary & Robert Engel
Heather & Thomas Finke
David J.L. Fisk & Anne O'Byrne
Joan & Parker Foley
Carol & Ron Follmer
Eileen Friars & Scott Pyle
Patty & Alex Funderburg
Dr. Robert A. Gaines & Toni Burke
Sarah & Frank Gentry
Kevin & Heather Gottehrer
Laurie & Barry Guy
James & Rebecca Hovis
Shirley & Bob Ivey
Chris Jensen
Page & Ed Kizer
Vivian & Robert Lamb
Mrs. Sandra Levine
Anna & Lazlo Littmann
Leslie & Michael Marsicano
Susanne & Bill McGuire
Mr. & Mrs. Paul McIntos
Susan & Loy McKeithen
Chuck Miller & Marcy Thailer
Elizabeth & Jay Monge
Mr. & Mrs. Brian T. Moynihan
Holly & Jason Norvell
Keith Oberkfell & Mica Post Oberkfell
Kim & Torsten Pilz
Emily & Nima Pirzadeh
Nancy & Charlie Robson
Sara Garcés Roselli & Dan Roselli
Bette Roth
Laura & Michael Schulte
Ylida & Bert Scott
Susan & Donald Sherrill
Glenn Sherrill, Jr.
In Honor of Robin Branstom
Mr. & Mrs. Harley F. Shuford, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Pope A. Shuford
Lori & Eric Sklut
Kevin Taylor Chris & Jim Teat
Brienne Tinder & Thomas Lervik
Judith & Gary Toman
Mr. & Mrs. C.L. Trenkelbach
Suzie & Nick Trivisonno
In Memory of Tess Verbesey
Kevin & Jill Walker
Floyd Wisner & Glenda Colman
Sidney & Bobby Youngs
Joan Zimmerman
Abby & Albert Zue
$3,500 – $4,999
Anonymous
Paul & Kristen Anderson
Mr. James Biddlecome, in Loving Memory of Bernadette Zirkuli Biddlecome
Si & Michael Blake
Ms. Judith Carpenter
Sally & Derick Close
Mary & Phil Delk
Cheryl DeMaio
H. Clay Furches
David S. Jacobsen
Richard I. McHenry & Cynthia L. Caldwell
Arrington Mixon
Courtney Reichs Mixon
Joan Morgan
Linda & Tony Pace
Marsha & Robert L. Stickler
Daniel Troy
Karen & Ed Whitener
$2,500 – $3,499
Merilyn & Craig Baldwin
Mrs. Harriet B. Barnhardt
Bill & Georgia Belk
Cathy Bessant & John Clay
Mr. & Mrs. Alan Blumenthal
Amy & Philip Blumenthal
Dr. & Mrs. O. Robert Boehm
Jan & Bob Busch
Ann Thomas Colley
Dorothy & Mike Connor
Melissa Cornwell
Deborah J. Cox & Bob Szymkiewicz
Chris & Elizabeth Daly
In Memory of Betty Haggarty
SUPPORTERS (continued) page 25
(continued
next page)
$2,500 – $3,499 (continued)
Alfred & Amy Dawson
Peter De Arcangelis
Peggy & Charles Dickerson
Timothy & Kara Gallagher
Harvey & Cindy Gannt
Mr. Billy L. Gerhart
In Memory of Judith Gerhart
Mariam Abdul Hamid
Ivan Hinrichs
Christy & Ben Hume
Fran & Greg Hyde
Jim & Peggy Hynes
James & Nina Jackson
Bruce & Martha Karsh
Mr. & Mrs. Luke Kissam
Dr. & Mrs. Christ A. Koconis
Meghan & Luis Lluberas
James Lynch
Dottie & Jim Martin
Rob Roy McGregor
Dee Dee McKay
Dick Metzler
Debbie Miller & Tim Black
Diane & Aderito Morais
Celene & Marc Oken
Dr. Reta R. Phifer
Mr. Vincent Phillips & Mr. Paul Pope
Marshelette & Milton Prime
Kathleen D. Prokay
Drew & Beth Quartapella
Mr. & Mrs. Robert R. Rollins, Jr.
Dr. Mahesh Sardesai
Paulette Sherrill
Nancy E. Simpson
George & Tricia Sistrunk
Emily & Zach Smith
Morris & Patricia Spearman
Elizabeth Connor Stewart
Dottie Stowe
In Loving Memory of Dickson Stowe
Dr. Mark R. Swanson
Drs. Chris & Lillian Teigland
Eric & Annette Telljohann
In Memory of Dr. Chandler Thompson
Dr. John A. Thompson, Jr. & Dr. Lee Rocamora
Mindy & Don Upton
Paul & Susan Vadnais
Bill & Rita Vandiver
Dr. Shante Williams
Steph & Gemo Yesil
For more information on how to make a gift to the CSO Annual Fund, please contact Libby Currier, Director of Individual Giving, at 704.714.5137 or lcurrier@charlottesymphony.org.
PATRON CIRCLE
$1,500 – $2,499
Anonymous Marcia Adams
Clay & Denise Armbrister
Dan & Barbara Austell
Dianne & Brian Bailey
Sharon Baker & Peter Moore
Mr. & Mrs. Taylor Batten
Erskine & Crandall Bowles
Sarah & Marco Carbone
Mr. Brent Clevenger
Ms. Susan Cybulski
Elizabeth Betty Eaton
William & Patricia Gorelick Family Foundation
Judith Greene
Angela & Michael Helms
Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin F. Hill, Jr.
Mr. James Howell & Mrs. Deanna Kelly
Gene & Helen Katz
Ginger Kemp
Mr. Alan Kronovet & Ms. Cary J. Bernstein
Staci & Adam Marino
Anna Marriott
Ms. Rosemarie Marshall & Mr. Lee Wilkins
Mr. Glenn Mincey & Mrs. Macie Mincey
Caroline Olzinski
Pamela Pearson & Charles Peach
John & Susan Rae
Suzy & Robert Schulman
Jane Perry Shoemaker
Ken Spielfogel & Richard Withem
Joseph & Aleca Stamey
Robert & Maxine Stein
Mr. Hans Teich
Tillie S. Tice
Jenny & Ken Tolson
Molly & Chris Tull
James H. Trexler & Kelly Zellars
Vera Watson
Grant Webb
Linda & Craig Weisbruch
Cricket Weston & David Molinaro
Bryan Wilhelm
Deems Wilson
Ms. Deborra Wood & Mr. Russell Propst
$1,000 – $1,499
Anonymous (5)
Ross & Michele Annable
Kathleen & Richard Anderson
Mary Lou & Jim Babb
Mr. & Mrs. Lincoln A. Baxter
Morgan & Katie Beggs
Shirley W. Benfield
Donald H. & Barbara K. Bernstein
Family Foundation
Sam & Nancy Bernstein
SUPPORTERS (continued) page 26
(continued next page)
Andrea & Alexander Bierce
Cristina & James Bolling
Marilyn & Herb Bonkovsky
Carole Bourret
Kelly & Jackie Brown
Khary Brown
In Memory of Kyden Justus Brown
Herbert Browne
Mr. Charles Budd
Jane & Larry Cain
Maggie Callen
Hobart B. Cheyne
David M. Cody
John Colton
Dr. Kilian Cooley
Mr. Mark Copeland & Mrs. Kathleen Goldammer-Copeland
Ann F. Copeland
Dr. & Mrs. Mark Couture
Sarah & Larry Dagenhart
Gwin Dalton
Sarah & Joshua Daulton
Dan & Jeannette Davis
Dr. Kandi & Gary Deitemeyer
Caroline & Laurent De Mey
Matt & Julie Drinkhahn
Thomas and Kris Duffy
Jay & Lisa Duggins
Christine & David Dunn
Shobhan & Pritika Dutta
Virginia Dulaney
Bob & Judy Erb
Julie & Tom Eiselt
Dr. Ray Feaster
Sidney and Amy Fletcher
Trae & Kate Fletcher
Ms. Toni Freeman
Stephen C. & Jean S. Geller
Jenn & Taylor Gherardi
Carol & Joseph Gigler
Kathy Gray
Katherine G. Hall
Joyce & Ed Hamilton
Anne J. Henderson
Brian & Juliet Hirsch
Charley & Lynn Hodges
Mical Hutson
Paul & Linda Ibsen
Joan Irwin
Lea & Stuart Johnson
Martha D. Jones
Joan Kirschner
Marilyn Kroll
Jonathan Lamb
Ms. Barbara Laughlin
Christopher James Lees
Mr. & Mrs. Howard Levine
Lucinda Nisbet Lucas
Dr. & Mrs. Randolph Mahnesmith
Mrs. Allison Malter
Holly & Christopher Maurer
Ms. Nydia McCrohan
Sam & Carolyn McMahon
Shawn & Kelly McGrath
Susan D. Montgomery
Janet Preyer Nelson
Peter & Janet Nixon
Mr. & Mrs. E. O. Oakley
Michael & Debbie O’Hara
Karen L. Oldham
Arvind & Helen Patil
Gwen Peterson & Tom Hodge
Catherine Philpott
Dale & Larry Polsky
Dr. William G. Porter
Lucy Quintilliano & Leonard Fumi
Morry Alter & Joan Rasmussen
Brendan Reen
Dave & Anne Regnery
Rita & Thomas Robinson
Sally & Russell Robinson
Ms. Margaret Rogers & Mr. John R. Willis
William R. Rollins
Dr. & Mrs. Paulvalery Roulette
Ruth & Trevor Runberg
Terrence Russell & Marjorie Serralles-Russell
Mrs. Gail Salmon
Dr. Stephen P. Schultz & Donna Dutton
Thomas & Natasha Scrivener
Mr. & Mrs. William Seifert
Katy & Raleigh Shoemaker
Molly & Conrad Sloan
Scott Smith
Rebecca & Eric Smith
Murray & Hazel Somerville
Mr. & Mrs. Larry Stern
Kathryn Stewart Marsha & Robert L. Stickler
Pamela & Harding Stowe
Al & Alice Sudduth
Ann & Wellford Tabor
Richard R. Taylor
Rosalind & Joe Taylor
Mr. & Mrs. Hans Teich
Catherine Thompson
Vint & Libby Tilson
Sarah S. Tull
B. Maureen Turner
Drs. Iris Cheng & Daniel Uri
Dr. & Mrs. Bill Chu & Jin Wang
Ward Wellman & Laura Meyer Wellman
Pam & Steve West
Peter White
Mr. Gary Wilhite
Noni Williams
John Drew Witherington
Ms. Judith Wood
Eugene Woods
Gracy & Scott Wooster
Ms. Barbara Yarbrough
(continued next page)
SUPPORTERS (continued) page 27
$500 – $999
Anonymous (4)
Michael & Lee Abbott
Doug & Linda Abel
Mr. Lester Ackerman & Mr. Layton Campbell
Larry Anderson
Leigh & Rhonda Armistead
JWD Atchison
Bob & Cathy Becker
Emerson Bell
Ms. Melody Birmingham
James Broadstone
Aram & Scott Bryan
Angie & Howard Bush
Greg & Mary Lou Cagle
Barbara F. Caine
Ms. Lisa Callen
Amanda & Kevin Chheda
Dr. W. Gerald Cochran & Mr. Timothy D. Gudger
Mr. Thomas E. Collins, Jr.
Mrs. Jane M. Conlan
Jack Cook
Martin & Leslie Cooper
Mr. & Mrs. Alpo F. Crane
Ellen M. Crowley
Mr. Todd Croy
Mrs. Judy Crozier
Angela & Jesse Cureton
Craig Selimotic Danforth
Dr. Roy E. DeMeo, Jr. & Ms. Linda A. Evanko
Doug & Diane Doak
Cheryl Drake-Bowers
Rebecca Elliott
Martin Ericson
Gloria Evans
Melisa & Frank Galasso
Dr. John & Eileen Gardella
Pete & Stacy Gherardi
Donna Gibson
Sarah Goad
Mr. Walter H. Goodwin, Esq.
Dan & Linda Gordon
Ms. Cynthia Greenlee
Mrs. Gloria Gunst
Tara & Richard Harris
Mr. & Mrs. Lowrance Harry
Mr. Charles Haughey
Patrick & Johanne Hawk
Mr. & Mrs. Michael D. Heafner
Mr. Stefan Heinzelmann
Robert Henderson
Logan & Jennifer Henderson
Barbara Holt
Dr. & Mrs. Alexander Horowitz
Pete & Phyllis Johnson
Vickie & Eugene Johnson
Michael & Priscilla Johnson
Joseph & Patty Kahle
Emily Kalfayan
Steven & Mary Kesselman
James King
Nancy H. Kiser
Dr. & Mrs. Jack Kramer
Theodore & Dorothy Kramer
Fran & Bart Landess
Harry & Gloria Lerner
Jerome & Barbara Levin
Mr. Michael Lewandowski
Shira Lissek
John J. Locke
Kathryn Long
Mark & Katherine Love
Vi Lyles
Dr. & Mrs. William W. MacDonald
Bruce & Leigh Marsh
Francis & Paula Martin
Ed & Wendy Matthews
Mr. & Mrs. Kiran H. Mehta
Roy H. Michaux
Eric Miller
Anne & Brad Mitchell
Amanda & Matthew Molbert
Christopher Montgomery
Tom & Sally Moore
Gary & Fran Morrison
Robert & Carla Murray
Nancy Olah & Bill Pace
Cookie & Jerry Parnell
Janet & Rick Pfeiffer
Dr. & Mrs. R. Pinkney Rankin, Jr.
John & Wilma Pinter
Mr. & Mrs. Rodney C. Pitts
Barbara M. Pooley
Jeanine & Naeem Qasim
Haywood & Sabine Rankin
Ana & Manuel Rey
Shaiza Rizavi
Jose & Megan Rosado
Shonn Ross
Nancy Rutledge & Jim Rutledge
Christine Rydel
Alyssa Sharpe
Michael Silverman
Carol Smith
Dr. & Mrs. Henry L. Smith II
John-Palmer Smith
Rebecca & Eric Smith
Julia J. Souther
Bill & Mary Stanton
William & Catherine Stone
Wesley & Claudia Sturges
George & Brenda Sweet
Gretchen & Jean-Claude Thill
Tim Timson
James & Melanie Twyne
Rebecca Valenstein
Greg & Sandy Vlahos
Minyan & Guan Wang
Mr. & Mrs. Tom Weidman
Zelda White
Mr. & Mrs. John A. Yakob
Dan & Susan Yardley
SUPPORTERS (continued) page 28
The Encore Society includes individuals who have made provisions for the CSO in their estate plans. We are honored to recognize their support:
Anonymous (3)
Geraldine I. Anderson†
Richard & Ruth Ault
Baldwin Family Trust
Barnhardt Thomas Trust
Lincoln A. Baxter & Helen M. Fowler
Larry & Joyce† Bennett
Donald H. & Barbara K. Bernstein
Mark & Louise Bernstein†
Rosemary Blanchard†
Twig & Barbara Branch
Saul Brenner
Mike & Joan Brown†
Mrs. Joan Bruns †
Jan & Bob Busch
Dr. Helen G. Cappleman, Ph.D.†
Jim Cochran†
Robin Cochran
Catherine & Wilton Connor
Tom Covington
Charles & Peggy Dickerson
Mr. Martin Ericson, Jr.
David J.L. Fisk & Anne P. O’Byrne
Peter & Ann† Guild
William G. & Marguerite K. Huey Fund†
Dr. Nish Jamgotch, Jr.
† Deceased
Betty & Stanley Livingstone†
Lucille & Edwin Jones
Paul and Paula McIntosh
Nellie McCrory †
M. Marie Mitchell†
Cricket Weston & David Molinaro
Joan & Richard Morgan
Don C. Niehus
Eva Nove
Richard J. Osborne
Gwen Peterson & Tom Hodge
James Y. Preston†
Mrs. Clayton (Dusty) Pritchett
Ann & Fritz Rehkopf
Elizabeth Waring Reinhard
Nancy W. Rutledge
Mike Rutledge
Harriet Seabrook
Mr. & Mrs. William Seifert
Morris & Patricia Spearman
Bob & Maxine Stein
Dr. Ben C. Taylor III
Mr. & Mrs. Hans Teich
Cordelia G. Thompson
Tim Timson
Jenny & Ken Tolson
Ms. Debora Wood & Mr. Russell Propst
Leave a lasting legacy of great music through your planned gift. For more information, please contact Shayne Doty at 704.714.5104.
SUPPORTERS (continued) page 29
charlotte symphony.org/give-today
gift makes a difference.
today:
your CSO.
Every
Make your contribution
Support
With your gift, the Charlotte Symphony uplifts, entertains, and educates the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences.
