Brahms’ A German Requiem
November 22 & 23
Welcome, Kwamé Ryan!
The Charlotte Symphony has truly entered a transformative new era as we officially welcome Kwamé Ryan as our Music Director this month! In his inaugural performances, Maestro Ryan leads the Orchestra in Pēteris Vasks’s Musica Dolorosa and Brahms’s A German Requiem, with the Charlotte Master Chorale, ushering in a fresh, bold vision for our future.
This season has already been emblematic of that new vision. We’ve brought incredible, diverse talent to our stages, including the renowned Sphinx Virtuosi at our Annual Gala, and we’re reaching new audiences across Charlotte with our mobile stage, the CSO Roadshow, and our immersive programming. We’re forging new partnerships, such as our performance in the Festival of India which opened the season, broadening our reach and bringing live music to communities across the city.
And here in November alone, you’ll find the Symphony performing across genres, complementing our core repertoire — from Beethoven X Beyoncé to a lively evening at Triple C Brewing Co, to a whimsical murder mystery family concert, and a program showcasing the incredible young musicians of our youth orchestras. It’s a dynamic time for the Charlotte Symphony, and we’re thrilled to have you with us to experience it all.
Thank you for joining us. Enjoy the concert!
David Fisk President & CEO
Meet Kwamé Ryan
Get to Know Music Director Kwamé Ryan
We’re excited to share a glimpse into Kwamé Ryan’s remarkable background and the passion he brings to the CSO. Get to know the man behind the baton and what makes his vision for the Symphony so unique!
Early Inspiration
Kwamé Ryan’s fascination with orchestral music began at the age of six, when he first heard John Williams’s score for Star Wars at a drive-in theater in his home of Trinidad. “I was just completely absorbed by the sound of the orchestra,” he says. “It was almost like I couldn’t come back from that musical land far, far away.”
From Cello to Double Bass
While Ryan originally hoped to play the cello, he instead took up the double bass. He went on to perform with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, where he also honed his conducting skills by assisting with rehearsals.
Legendary film composer John Williams
Meet Kwamé Ryan (continued)
Champion of New Music
Hungarian composer and conductor Peter Eötvös played a pivotal role in shaping Ryan’s approach to music, introducing him to contemporary works and instilling in him the importance of championing new voices in composition.
Engaging Young Audiences
Ryan is dedicated to introducing younger audiences to classical music. He recently penned an article for The Guardian, highlighting the value of connecting children with orchestral music through accessible genres like movies and video games.
Commitment to Music Education
Throughout his career, Ryan has been a staunch advocate for music education around the world. He has returned to the BBC Proms on multiple occasions to lead children’s programs and served as director of the French Youth Orchestra and at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, where he advanced youth arts initiatives.
Kwamé Ryan conducting programs for young audiences at the BBC Proms
Award-Winning Premiere
In 2021, Ryan conducted The Time of Our Singing by Kris Defoort which won the World Premiere Award at the International Opera Awards 2022. Roots in Germany
When he’s not traveling, Ryan’s home base is in Freiburg, Germany, nestled at the edge of the Black Forest, where he enjoys spending time on walks or bike riding.
Join us in welcoming Kwamé Ryan as he steps onto the CSO podium for his inaugural concerts featuring Pēteris Vasks’s Musica Dolorosa and Brahms’s A German Requiem, November 22 and 23.
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.
Concert Program
THE NINETY-THIRD SEASON
Kwamé Ryan, conductor
Janai Brugger, soprano
Alexander Birch Elliott, baritone
Charlotte Master Chorale
Friday, November 22, 2024, at 7:30 pm Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 7:30 pm
Belk Theater at Blumenthal Arts
PĒTERIS VASKS (b. 1946)
Musica Dolorosa
JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833 – 1897)
[~68ʹ] [~13ʹ]
A German Requiem (Ein deutsches Requiem), Op. 45
CHORUS: “Selig sind, die da Leid tragen”
CHORUS: “Denn alles Fleisch, es ist wie Gras”
SOLO & CHORUS: “Herr, lehre doch mich”
CHORUS: “Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen”
SOLO & CHORUS: “Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit”
SOLO & CHORUS: “Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt”
CHORUS: “Selig sind die Toten”
CONCERT DURATION: Approximately 90 minutes, with no intermission.
Saturday evening’s concert will be broadcast live on
This concert is made possible in part by the generous support of Arlene & Milton Berkman
Kwamé Ryan conductor
Kwamé Ryan was born in Canada and grew up on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, where he received his early musical education. He completed his studies in the U.K. and Hungary, reading Musicology at Cambridge University.
The 2024–25 season marks the start of Ryan’s tenure as Music Director of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Previously, he held the position of General Music Director of Freiburg Opera from 1999 to 2003 and served as Musical and Artistic Director of the National Orchestra of Bordeaux Aquitaine from 2007 to 2013. As a guest conductor in Germany, he has led the Radio Orchestras of Stuttgart and Bavaria, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Staatsoper Saarbrücken, and Staatsoper Stuttgart. In France, he has worked at Opéra de la Bastille, Opéra de Lyon, and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. His work in the U.S. and the U.K. has taken him to the Symphony Orchestras of Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Houston, Boston Lyric Opera, English National Opera, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Scottish Symphony, and the London Philharmonia. He has been a regular guest of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and, in 2021, returned to La Monnaie in Brussels 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.
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.
Guest engagements this season include returns to Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie and Dutch National Opera, along with debuts at Washington National Opera and the Residentie Orkest in The Hague.
Janai Brugger soprano
A 2012 winner of Operalia and of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Janai Brugger’s recent season engagements include her Houston Grand Opera debut as she inaugurated the role of Mary Jane Bower in the world premiere of Jake Heggie’s Intelligence , winning accolades from audiences and critics alike. Last summer, she appeared in the title role of Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, followed by her performances as Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute at Ravinia Festival, a role she also sang at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, London, and at the Metropolitan Opera. The soprano sang the role of Glauce in Cherubini’s Medea at the Metropolitan Opera to 0pen Season 2023-24, Susanna in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro at Los Angeles Opera, and Liù in Puccini’s Turandot at Opera Colorado.
Her recent concert engagements include Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and with Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia Festival under the baton of Marin Alsop, Poulenc’s Gloria with Orchestre Metropolitain under the baton of its Music Director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and with Boseman Symphony Orchestra; and Mahler’s Second Symphony with Detroit Symphony Orchestra with Jader Bignamini conducting.
Future appearances include concert engagements with Colorado Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, and with Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra; her debut at Canadian Opera Company as Glauce in a revival of the Met’s Medea , her debut this summer at Glyndebourne Festival as Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen , and her return to the Metropolitan Opera next season as Pip the Cabin Boy in Jake Heggie’s Moby-Dick .
Alexander Birch Elliott baritone
Baritone Alexander Birch Elliott continues to garner praise for his “heated intensity and beguiling timbre of mahogany.” ( New York Times )
This season, Mr. Elliott makes his debut with Florida Grand Opera, returning to the role of Escamillo in Carmen . The baritone also returns to the roster of the Metropolitan Opera, covering Figaro in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia . Mr. Elliott’s concert calendar this season includes performances of Brahms’s A German Requiem with the Charlotte Symphony, Handel’s Messiah with the Nashville Symphony, and an appearance with the Pacific Vocal Series in Newport Beach, CA. Future seasons include his return to the Metropolitan Opera.
The 2023-2024 season featured a role debut with Houston Grand Opera as Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music , and returns to The Metropolitan Opera, singing Papageno in Mozart’s The Magic Flute and covering Schaunard in Puccini’s La bohème . Elliott also reprised Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with both Arizona Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera, and Enrico in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor with New Orleans Opera. With the Grand Teton Music Festival, he performed Papageno under the baton of Sir Donald Runnicles, and joined the Cincinnati May Festival for Haydn’s The Creation.
A frequent performer on concert stages around the United States, Alexander made two significant festival debuts in the summer of 2018, both in celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s centennial. He appeared with the Ravinia Festival in June under the baton of Marin Alsop as a Street Singer in Bernstein’s Mass, followed by performances of Maximilian, the Sea Captain, and the Grand Inquisitor in Candide at the Tanglewood Festival. Alexander made his debut with the Cleveland Youth Orchestra for Vaughan Williams’s Five Mystical Songs, appeared with The Knights for Master Peter’s Puppet Show at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and has returned to Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in performances as Brander in Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for Bruckner’s Te Deum.
December 13 – 15 Knight Theater
Julian Perkins, conductor
Anna Dennis, soprano Diana Moore, mezzo-soprano
Richard Pittsinger, tenor Hadleigh Adams, bass
Charlotte Master Chorale
The sacred holiday tradition of Handel’s stunning masterpiece returns. Join your CSO, Charlotte Master Chorale, and four soloists for this enduring oratorio filled with passion and exquisite beauty. “Hallelujah!”
SOPRANO
ALTO TENOR BASS
Christopher James Lees
Resident Conductor
Christopher Warren-Green Conductor Laureate
2024 · 2025 MUSICIAN ROSTER
FIRST VIOLINS
Calin Ovidiu Lupanu, Concertmaster
The Catherine & Wilton Connor Chair
Joseph Meyer,* Associate Concertmaster
Kari Giles, Acting Associate Concertmaster
Dustin Wilkes-Kim,
Acting Assistant Concertmaster
Susan Blumberg°°
Jane Hart Brendle
Cynthia Burton
Ayako Gamo
David Horak†
Lenora Leggatt
Jenny Topilow
Angela Watson†
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 Merrillt Principal Viola Chair
Kirsten Swanson†
Acting Assistant Principal
Matthew Darsey†
Ellen Ferdon
Wenlong Huang
Viara Stefanova
Ning Zhao
CELLOS
Jonathan Lewis, Principal
The Kate Whitner McKay Principal Cello Chair
Allison Drenkow, Assistant Principal
Alan Black, Principal Emeritus
Marlene Ballena
Jeremy Lamb
Amy Sunyoung Lee
Sarah Markle
DOUBLE BASSES
Jason McNeel, Acting Principal
Judson Baines, Assistant Principal
Justin Cheesman†
Jeffrey Ferdon
° 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
This roster lists the full-time members of the Charlotte Symphony. The number and seating of musicians on stage varies depending on the piece being performed.
HARP
Andrea Mumm Trammell, Principal
The Dr. Billy Graham Chair
FLUTES
Victor Wang, Principal
The Blumenthal Foundation Chair
Amy Orsinger Whitehead
Erinn Frechette
PICCOLO
Erinn Frechette
OBOES
Timothy Swanson, Principal
The Leo B. Driehuys Chair‡
Erica Cice
Jamison Hillian†
Terry Maskin*
ENGLISH HORN
Erica Cice
CLARINETS
Taylor Marino, Principal
The Gary H. & Carolyn M. Bechtel Chair
Samuel Sparrow
Allan Rosenfeld
E ♭ CLARINET
Samuel Sparrow
BASS CLARINET
Allan Rosenfeld
BASSOONS
AJ Neubert, Principal
Joshua Hood
Nicholas Ritter
CONTRABASSOON
Nicholas Ritter
HORNS
Byron Johns, Principal
The Mr. & Mrs. William H. Van Every Chair
Andrew Fierova
Bradley Burford
The Robert E. Rydel, Jr. Third Horn Chair
Richard Goldfaden
Paige Quillen
TRUMPETS
Alex Wilborn, Principal
The Betty J. Livingstone Chair
Jonathan Kaplan*
Peter Stammer†
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
TIMPANI
Jacob Lipham, Principal
The Robert Haywood Morrison Chair
PERCUSSION
Brice Burton, Principal
The CSO is a proud member of the League of American Orchestras.
Musician Spotlight
Timothy Swanson
Principal Oboe
Member of the CSO since September 2024
HOMETOWN: Clear Lake, Iowa
Fun Facts
• If I weren’t a musician, I would pursue a career in science.
• If I could meet any composer, it would be Béla Bartók because I’m interested in how he handles the intersection between classical and popular music.
• Outside of work, I enjoy biking and cooking.
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is one of the premier music organizations in the Southeastern United States and the oldest continuously operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas. As Charlotte’s most active performing arts group, the CSO presents around 150 concerts each season, reaching more than 130,000 music lovers.
The 2024-25 season marks a transformative era under the dynamic leadership of newly appointed Music Director Kwamé Ryan. With 65 full-time musicians, the Symphony performs throughout the community in a variety of venues, from the Belk and Knight theaters to parks, breweries, community centers, schools, senior care centers, and places of worship. With its new mobile stage, CSO Roadshow, the Symphony extends its reach directly into neighborhoods, bringing live music to communities across the region.
Engaging with around 15,000 students each year, the Charlotte Symphony nurtures the next generation of musicians and music lovers through its four diverse youth orchestras, in-school education programs, instrument coaching, and Project Harmony — which offers free after-school lessons in music and life skills to over 200 students in under-resourced areas.
Founded in 1932, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra continues to play a vital cultural role in the region and remains committed to the belief that music, accessible to all, enriches and unites our community.
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
Program Notes
Pēteris Vasks
BORN: April 16, 1946 in Aizpute, Latvia
Musica Dolorosa (1983)
PREMIERE: May 5, 1984 at the Latvian Academy of Music in Riga, Latvia
Approximate performance time is 13 minutes.
Pēteris Vasks, one of Latvia’s most celebrated composers, began his career as an instrumentalist. After studies in his native Aizpute, Vasks attended the Emīls Dārziņš Music School in Riga, where he studied double bass. In the early 1960s, Vasks began playing in various Latvian and Lithuanian orchestras and chamber ensembles. From 1973–78, he studied composition with Valentins Utkins at the Latvian Music Academy in Riga and taught composition at Emīls Dārziņš Music School from 1989-2019.
The music of Pēteris Vasks is notable for its emotional voice and highly communicative power. Vasks explains: “I think it is very important that a musician speaks in his own native language through sound. For me, what is important is to speak as a representative of a very small, unhappy but courageous country which has suffered much. In my music, I speak Latvian.”
Vasks also notes:
My music contains a great deal of idealism. I want to tell people about beautiful ideals, high goals, show them that there is not only the drab everyday, that there is more than just pessimism. Perhaps my music contains sadness, but it also contains a great deal of optimism and idealism. Beauty and harmony are rare in life, but in music they are possible…I go through pessimism finally to confirm at the end that I say “Yes” until my last breath to the beauty of the world.
In contrast, Musica Dolorosa is, according to Vasks, “my most tragic opus, the only one where there is no hope, only pain.” The inspiration for Vasks’s expression of pain is twofold. The work is dedicated to the memory of his sister Marta, who died of cancer while in her early 40s. And when he composed Musica Dolorosa , Vasks’s Latvia was immersed in “a dark and tragic time when it seemed that even the greatest idealists and optimists were beginning to lose hope for our survival: will we be able to endure all this?”
Johannes Brahms
BORN: May 7, 1833 in Hamburg, Germany
DIED: April 3, 1897 in Vienna, Austria
Ein deutsches Requiem
A German Requiem , Opus 45 (1868)
PREMIERE: April 10, 1868 at the Bremen Cathedral in Bremen, Germany
Approximate performance time is 68 minutes.
On September 30, 1853, a shy, twenty-year-old Johannes Brahms appeared at the Düsseldorf home of Robert and Clara Schumann. Brahms, who greatly admired Robert Schumann, hoped that the senior and influential composer could assist his own budding musical career. Brahms played some of his piano compositions for Robert and Clara, both of whom were immediately impressed by the young man’s extraordinary talent.
During the following month, Brahms visited the Schumanns on an almost daily basis. Then, on October 28, the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik published an article by Robert Schumann, entitled “Neue Bahnen” (“New Paths”), in which the author wrote:
I thought....someone would and must appear, fated to give us the ideal expression of the times, one who would not gain his mastery by gradual stages, but rather would spring fully armed like Minerva from the head of Kronion. And he has come, a young blood at whose cradle graces and heroes mounted guard. His name is Johannes Brahms, from Hamburg, where he has been creating in obscure silence...
When he waves his magic wand and the power of great orchestral and choral forces will aid him, then we shall be shown still more the wonderful glimpses into the secrets of the spirit-world.
Four months later — on February 27, 1854 — Schumann, plagued by hallucinations, plunged himself into the Rhine. After this unsuccessful attempt at suicide, Schumann was admitted to an asylum in Endenich, where he remained until his death at the age of 46 on July 29, 1856.
Robert and Clara Schumann, both friends and mentors to Johannes Brahms
Shortly after Schumann’s suicide attempt, Brahms sought to fulfill his mentor’s grand expectations. In March of 1854, Brahms began to compose a large-scale Sonata for two pianos. Later, Brahms orchestrated the Sonata’s opening movement for a projected symphony. However, Brahms was dissatisfied with the results and abandoned the project.
Nevertheless, the young composer’s efforts were not entirely in vain. Brahms reworked music from the first movement of his proposed symphony into the opening Maestoso of his Piano Concerto No. 1, Opus 15 (1861). The third movement of the Piano Sonata reappeared as the basis of the second-movement funeral march of Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem .
In later years, Brahms acknowledged that Schumann’s death was a major inspiration for the composition of A German Requiem . In early February of 1865, Brahms suffered another devastating blow when his mother, Christiane, died at the age of 76. The Austrian cellist, Josef Gansbacher, recalled that when he visited Brahms shortly after Christiane’s passing, he found the composer seated at the keyboard, playing Johann Sebastian Bach’s music. Upon his friend’s arrival, Brahms continued to play, speaking to Gansbacher of his grief. All the while, tears streamed down Brahms’s face.
A few months later, Brahms wrote to Clara Schumann, enclosing two movements for chorus and orchestra he described as: “probably the weakest part of A German Requiem .” In time, the German Requiem expanded into a work in six movements. On December 1, 1867, Johann von Herbeck conducted the first three movements as part of a Vienna Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde concert. However, the music was poorly executed. The generally lukewarm reception from the audience even included some hissing.
However, matters greatly improved when A German Requiem received its official premiere at the Bremen Cathedral on Good Friday in 1868. Brahms entrusted advance musical preparation to Karl Martin Reinthaler, the Bremen Cathedral’s music director. Reinthaler expressed concern that the German Requiem ’s text — chosen by Brahms from the Old and New Testaments, as well as Apocrypha — contained no specific mention of Christ’s name:
The central point about which everything turns in the consciousness of the Christian is absent. ‘If Christ is not risen then is our faith vain,’ says St. Paul. All the same you say (in the final movement) ‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth ,’ which can only mean since the accomplishment of Christ’s work of redemption… Brahms responded:
As regards the title I will confess I should gladly have left out ‘German’ and substituted ‘Human’. Also, that I knowingly and intentionally dispensed with such passages such as St. John’s Gospel Ch. 3 verse 16 (“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”) On the other hand, I have no doubt included much because I am a musician, because I required it, because I can neither argue away nor strike out a ‘henceforth’ from my venerable extracts.
Brahms conducted the Bremen premiere, attended by more than 2,000 people, including such music luminaries as Clara Schumann, Joseph Joachim, and Max Bruch. The performance was a stunning triumph. According to German composer Albert Dietrich: “The effect…was simply overwhelming, and it at once became clear to the audience that the deutsches Requiem ranked among the loftiest music ever given to the world.” Later, Brahms added what is now the German Requiem ’s fifth movement, scored for soprano solo, chorus, and orchestra. Perhaps the death of Christiane Brahms inspired the quotation in this movement of Isaiah 66:13 (“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you”).
The now familiar seven-movement version of Brahms’s A German Requiem premiered at the Leipzig Gewandhaus on February 18, 1869. The work soon received performances throughout Europe. A German Requiem quickly and firmly established Johannes Brahms as a leading composer of his generation. Almost sixteen years after the “New Paths” article, Brahms had fulfilled Robert Schumann’s prophecy.
Experience jaw-dropping feats as aerialists soar high above the orchestra, alongside awe-inspiring acrobatics set to your favorite holiday music. With thrilling new acts and beloved favorites, this annual event is sure to fill your family with the wonder and joy of the holiday season.
Chia-Hsuan Lin, conductor Cirque de la Symphonie
BENEFACTOR CIRCLE
$100,000+
Jacqueline B. Mars
$50,000 – $99,999
Jane & Hugh McColl* Douglas Young
$25,000 – $49,999
Anonymous
Joan & Mick Ankrom
Ruth & Richard Ault
Dr. Milton & Arlene Berkman
Philanthropic Fund
Judith & Mark Brodsky
Roberta H. Cochran
Catherine & Wilton Connor*
Jean & Dick Cornwell
Susan Cybulski
J. Porter & Victoria Durham Linda & Bill Farthing
Karen Fox
Maria & John Huson
Richard Krumdieck & Sally Gregory
Patricia & Thrus Morton
Patrick J. O’Leary
Richard J. Osborne
Debbie & Pat Phillips
Kathy & Paul Reichs
Pat Rodgers
Carolyn Shaw
Andrea & Sean Smith
Melinda & David Snyder
$15,000 – $24,999
Anonymous (2)
Nicola & Emanuel Clark
Denise & Peter DeMaio
Ralph S. Grier
Betty P. & Jeffrey J. Lee Sandra Levine
Tanya & Steve Makris
We gratefully acknowledge these generous donors to the Charlotte Symphony Annual Fund. This list reflects gifts received between July 1, 2023 through November 1, 2024. * The CSO recognizes donors of exceptional generosity whose cumulative giving exceeds $1 million with the designation of Music Director Society.
DeDe & Alex McKinnon Ulrike & Alex Miles
Keith Oberkfell & Mica Post Oberkfell
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Anonymous (2)
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Drs. Jennifer Sullivan & Matthew Sullivan
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Andromeda & John Williams
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VIRTUOSO CIRCLE
$5,000 – $9,999
Wedge & Debbie Abels
Howard P. Adams & Carol B. McPhee
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Mr. James Biddlecome
In Loving Memory of Bernadette Zirkuli Biddlecome
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Dr. Robert A. Gaines & Toni Burke
Caren & Charles Gale
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The Jenny Lillian Semans Koortbojian Trust in honor of Sally Trent Harris
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Mr. & Mrs. Harley F. Shuford, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Pope A. Shuford
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Mr. Herbert Verbesey In Memory of Tess Verbesey
Michael Waterford
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$3,500 – $4,999
Anonymous
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Si and Michael Blake
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$2,500 – $3,499
Anonymous
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Dr. William H. Carson
Brent Clevenger
Ann Thomas Colley
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Elizabeth & Christopher Daly in Memory of Betty Haggerty
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$2,500 – $3,499 (continued)
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Glenn Sherrill, Jr.
In Honor of Robin Branstrom
Nancy E. Simpson
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Aleca & Joseph Stamey
Dottie Stowe in Loving Memory of Dickson Stowe
Dr. Mark R. Swanson
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PATRON CIRCLE
$1,500 – $2,499
Anonymous
Marcia Adams
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$1,000 – $1,499
Anonymous (5)
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Khary Brown
In Memory of Kyden Justice Brown
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Kathleen Goldammer-Copeland & Mark Copeland
Dr. & Mrs. Mark Couture
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Cheryl DeMaio
Judy & Bob Erb
Annual Fund Supporters (continued)
Heather
Melisa
Gwen
Wilma
Dr.
Wilhelm
Noni Williams
John Drew Witherington
Anonymous(4)
& Michael Abbott
Lynda & Doug Abel Larry Anderson
JWD Atchison
A. Bechtler Cathy & Bob Becker Emerson Bell Dr. John L. Bennett & Mr. Eric T. Johnson
Nancy & Sam Bernstein
Nicholas Bonevac
James Broadstone
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Angie & Howard Bush
Barbara F. Caine
Judith Wood $500 – $999
Mary Lou & Greg Cagle
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Dr. W. Gerald Cochran & Mr. Timothy D. Gudger
Thomas E. Collins, Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. Charles E. Cook
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Dr. & Mrs. William W. MacDonald
Allison Malter
Leigh & Bruce Marsh
Paula & Francis Martin
Wendy & Ed Matthews
Tammy and Steve Matula
Jill Maxwell
The Encore Society
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
Dr. Milton & Arlene Berkman
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.
Betty & Stanley Livingstone†
Lucille & Edwin Jones
Paula & Paul 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. Deborra Wood & Mr. Russell Propst
† Deceased
We
Corporate Partners
Government & Foundations
We are grateful for the following outstanding foundation and government funders:
The Trexler Foundation
Dowd Foundation, Inc.
The Dickson Foundation Cole Foundation
The Jack H. and Ruth C. Campbell Foundation
The Mary Norris Preyer Fund
The George W. & Ruth R. Baxter Foundation
Barnhardt/Thomas Trust
Blumenthal Foundation
Subscribe today for the best seats, the best prices, and great benefits!
Brahms' A German Requiem
November 22 & 23, 2024 Belk Theater
Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2
March 7 & 8, 2025 Belk Theater
Debussy’s La Mer
April 25 & 26, 2025 Belk Theater ...AND MORE!
Cody Fry Christmas
December 5-7, 2024 Knight Theater
Disco Fever
January 17 & 18, 2025 Knight Theater
Havana Nights
February 21 & 22, 2025 Knight Theater ...AND MORE!
LEMONY SNICKET’S The Composer is Dead
November 16, 2024 Knight Theater
Holiday Pops! FAMILY MATINEE
December 7, 2024 Knight Theater
CLASSICAL KIDS LIVE: Gershwin's Magic Key
January 18, 2025 Knight Theater ...AND MORE!
The Muppet Christmas Carol IN CONCERT
November 29 & 30, 2024 Ovens Auditorium
How to Train Your Dragon IN CONCERT
March 14 & 15, 2025 Belk Theater
Pirates of the Caribbean IN CONCERT
June 6 & 7, 2025 Belk Theater ...AND MORE!
Comprehensive Campaign
We gratefully acknowledge these generous donors to the Charlotte Symphony Comprehensive Campaign. This list reflects gifts received through November 1, 2024.
$10,000,000+
$5,000,000
$2,000,000 - $4,999,999
$1,000,000 - $1,999,999
$500,000 - $999,99 9
Jeannette
$250,000 - $499,999
$100,000 - $249,000
Sally Gregory · Elizabeth & Jay Monge Steelfab, Inc. Andromeda & John Williams
$50,000 - $99,999
Cresce nt Communities Karen Fox Ulrike & Alex Miles Chris & Jim Teat · Lisa & Richard Worf
$10,000 - $49,999
Anonym ous · Wedge & Debbie Abels · Mary Lou & Jim Babb · Tiffany & Jason Bernd Frank Bragg Shirley & Mike Butterworth Joye Blount & Jesse Knight, Jr. The Cato Corporation Margarita & Nick Clements Mary Delk
Caroline & Ben Dellinger III · David Fisk & Anne O’Byrne · Michael Marsicano Dede & Alex McKinnon Posey & Mark Mealy Larry & Dale Polsky
Steve & Wanda Phifer Judy & Derek Raghavan Eric & Shannon Reichard
Sara & Daniel Roselli · Melinda & David Snyder
Dr. John A. Thompson, Jr. & Dr. Lee Rocamora Jill & Kevin Walker
$5,000 - $9,999
Brian S. Cromwell Toni Burke & Bob Gaines Sarah & Frank Gentry
Carol & Joseph Gigler · Lucinda Nisbet Lucas · Melissa & Dennis McCrory
Cyndee Patterson William & Betty Seifert Peggy & Pope Shuford
Nancy E. Simpson Drs. Jennifer & Matthew Sullivan
2024-2025 OFFICERS
Richard Krumdieck, Chair
Ulrike Miles, Vice Chair
Melinda Snyder, Vice Chair
Linda McFarland Farthing, Immediate Past Chair
Kevin Walker, Treasurer
David Fisk, President & CEO
Kwamé Ryan, Music Director
2024-2025 DIRECTORS
Mick Ankrom
Joye D. Blount
Mike Butterworth
Nick Clements
Mary Delk*
Denise DeMaio
Sidney Fletcher
Kevin Gottehrer
Lucia Zapata Griffith
Byron Johns*
Valerie Kinloch
Stephen Makris
Alex McKinnon
Sara Garces Roselli
Ylida Scott
Jennifer Sullivan
Brienne Tinder*
Andrea Mumm Trammell*
Ken Walker
*ex-officio
2024-2025 TRUSTEES
Richard Osborne, Chair
Paul Anderson
Ruth & Richard Ault
Arlene & Milton Berkman
Jason & Tiffany Bernd
Andrea & Alexander Bierce
Mary & Charles Bowman
Frank Bragg
Robin & Bill Branstrom
Dr. William Charles & Dr. Cynthia Nortey
Derick & Sallie Close
Robin Cochran
Catherine & Wilton Connor
Jeanie & T. Thomas Cottingham III
Brian Cromwell
Susan Cybulski
Alessandra & Pasquale De Martino
Alvaro & Donna de Molina
Peggy & Richard Dreher
Lisa Hudson Evans
Karen Fox
Eileen Friars & Scott Pyle
Todd Gorelick
Ralph S. Grier
Laurie Guy
Janet Haack
Reginald B. Henderson, Esq.
Mark & Whitney Jerrell
Jeff Lee
Gov. James G. Martin
Jane & Hugh McColl
Susan & Loy McKeithen
Elizabeth & Jay Monge
Mica Oberkfell
Patrick J. O’Leary
Debbie & G. Patrick Phillips
Paul Reichs
Nancy & Charles Robson
Patricia A. Rodgers
M.A. Rogers
Lindsay & Frank Schall
Laura & Mike Schulte
Carolyn Shaw
Emily & Zach Smith
Bob & Marsha Stickler
Kelly & Neal Taub
Adam Taylor Braxton Winston
Richard Worf
Joan Zimmerman
Albert Zue
EXECUTIVE
David J. L. Fisk, President & CEO
Samantha Hackett, Executive Administrator
ARTISTIC OPERATIONS
Scott Freck, Vice President for Artistic Operations & General Manager
Carrie Graham, Senior Director of Artistic Planning
Tim Pappas, Director of Operations
Bart Dunn, Principal Music Librarian
Nixon Bustos, Senior Music Librarian
Emily Schaub, Assistant Music Librarian
Erin Eady, Senior Manager of Orchestra Personnel
Claire Beiter, Artistic Operations Manager
John Jarrell, Stage Manager
DEVELOPMENT
Shayne Doty, Vice President of Development
Mandy Vollrath, Director of Corporate & Institutional Relations
Libby Currier, Director of Individual Giving
Tammy Matula, Senior Manager of Development Operations
Jennifer Gherardi, Development Manager - Campaign & Special Events
Megan Woolbright, Annual Fund Manager
Noel Kiss, Advancement Associate
Josh Bottoms, Institutional Giving Coordinator
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Christian Drake, Vice President of Finance & Administration
Chazin & Company, Financial Services
Amy Hine, HR Coordinator & Office Administrator
Channing Williams, Accounting Associate
HUMAN RESOURCES
Maribeth Baker, Human Resources Counselor
LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Aram Kim Bryan, Vice President of Learning & Community Engagement
Dylan Lloyd, Senior Manager of Youth Orchestras
Mark Rockwood, Education & Community Programs Manager
Michaela Sciacca, Project Harmony Manager
Gavin Fulker, Education & Community Programs Assistant
Lily Moore, Youth Orchestras Assistant
Bria Alexander, Learning & Community Engagement Assistant
MARKETING & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Frank Impelluso, Vice President of Marketing & Audience Development
Deirdre Roddin, Director of Institutional Marketing & Communications
Nicole Glaza, Senior Manager of Digital Marketing
Laura Thomas, Senior Manager of Marketing & Audience Development
Chad Calvert, Visual Communications Manager
Meghan Starr, Patron Experience Manager
Garrett Whiffen, Ticketing Manager
Join your CSO and GRAMMY�-nominated singer-songwriter Cody Fry for a very special Holiday Pops! With special appearances from Frosty, Rudolph, and maybe even Santa himself, the whole family will experience the magic of the holidays together, making memories to last a lifetime. December 5 – 7
Christopher James Lees, conductor Charlotte Master Chorale
