FWSO program guide
November/December 2024
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert
Nov. 2
Dec. 13 & 14 Home for the
Spano Conducts Beethoven and Jake Heggie
Dec. 6-8
Nov. 29 & 30
Frozen in Concert
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Dutch Art IN A GLOBAL AGE
Masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
NOVEMBER 10– FEBRUARY 9
Dutch Art in a Global Age: Masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is supported in part by Frost, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Fort Worth Tourism Public Improvement District.
Organized by Promotional support provided by
Jacob van Ruisdael, Rough Sea (detail), c. 1670, oil on canvas. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. William Francis Warden Fund, 57.4. Photograph ©️ Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Program 1: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christma s in Concert
Program 2: Home for the Holidays
Program 3: Spano Conducts Beethoven and Jake Heggie
FWSO STAFF
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Keith Cerny, Ph.D. President and CEO
Carrie Ellen Adamian Chief Operating Officer
Jacque Carpenter Vice President of Finance & HR
OPERATIONS
Victoria J. Moore Vice President of Operations
Matthew Glover Director of Operations
Branson White Production Manager
Lacy McCoy Project Manager
Wilson Armstrong Stage Manager
Gillian Boley Artistic Services Coordinator
Christopher Hawn Orchestra Librarian
David Sterrett Assistant Orchestra Librarian
DEVELOPMENT
Gae Whitener Interim Vice President of Development
Malia Lewis Development Manager, Board and Donor Relations
Courtney Hughey Institutional Giving Manager
Carolyn Hudec Events Manager
Veronika Perez Development Specialist, Operations
Alexia Wixom Development Associate
BOX OFFICE
Tess Todora Director of Ticketing Services
Preston Gilpatrick Box Office Associate
Veronica Morris Box Office Associate
Shelby Stringer Box Office Associate
Patrick Sumner Box Office Associate
Paul Taylor Box Office Associate
Xochitl Vasquez Box Office Associate
FINANCE
Kenneth Rinehart Director of Accounting
Lucas Baldwin Senior Staff Accountant
ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL & HUMAN RESOURCES
Megan Brook Orchestra Personnel Manager
Araminta Stephens HR Administrator
MARKETING
Monica Sheehan Director of Marketing
Emily Gavaghan Senior Marketing Manager
Melanie Boma Senior Tessitura Database Manager
Josselin Garibo Pendleton Senior Manager, Education and Community Programs
Joanna Calhoun Marketing Communications Specialist
Mercedes T. Bass Chairman of the Board of Directors
Dear Friends,
We have had an incredible start to this new season with the FWSO, and there is so much more to come. In addition to unique Pops and holiday programming these next few months, December will also bring us the world-premiere of Earth 2.0, a newly commissioned piece from composer Jake Heggie. In early January my dear friend and one of today’s most versatile and respected conductors, James Conlon will take to the podium for Dvořák’s “New World” and Mozart’s 40th. These are two concerts you will not want to miss.
Along with this robust and exemplary programming, the FWSO is pleased to continue offering the “Angel’s Program”. Throughout the season, guests who make a night-of donation of $100 or more in support of our music education initiatives will enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne during the concert intermission. Each gift of $100 allows up to 20 students to participate in one of the FWSO’s music education experiences.
We look forward to toasting to your generosity and hope you will share this new program with your friends and guests.
With much appreciation and gratitude,
Mercedes T. Bass Chairman of the Board of Directors
Keith Cerny, Ph.D. President and CEO
Dear Patron,
The FWSO is off to a spectacular start this season, earning well-deserved accolades for the musical quality and precision of our Symphonic Series performances led by Music Director Robert Spano and Principal Guest Conductor Kevin John Edusei. I encourage you not to miss a single concert!
In December, the FWSO presents Earth 2.0, a world premiere by the acclaimed American opera composer Jake Heggie. Featuring the astonishing countertenor Key’mon Murrah, this unique “Theater of a Concert” project will include two dancers, Courtney Cook and Bennalldra Williams, and will be directed and choreographed by MacArthur Foundation “genius award” winner Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. We are grateful for the support of the Eugene McDermott Foundation for this premiere.
The Pops and Special Series feature some noteworthy projects this month, too. We will be presenting Tim Burton’s iconic film with live orchestra The Nightmare Before Christmas, and two performances of Frozen in Concert conducted by Deanna Tham. At the end of November, please join Associate Conductor Michelle Di Russo, soprano Jasmine Habersham, and the Texas Boys Choir for the FWSO’s everpopular Home for the Holidays.
At the FWSO, we are proud of the extraordinary range of types of music and concerts we produce, and grateful for your support as generous members and patrons. We look forward to seeing you in person!
Yours sincerely,
Keith Cerny, Ph.D President & CEO
Robert Spano
Music Director
Robert Spano, conductor, pianist, composer, and teacher, is known worldwide for the intensity of his artistry and distinctive communicative abilities, creating a sense of inclusion and warmth among musicians and audiences that is unique among American orchestras. Spano has been Music Director of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra since August 2022 and will continue there through the 2027-2028 season; this follows his tenure as Principal Guest Conductor with FWSO, which began in 2019. He is the tenth Music Director in the orchestra’s history, which was founded in 1912. In February 2024, Spano was appointed Music Director of the Washington National Opera, beginning in the 2025–2026 season, for a three-year term; he is currently the WNO’s Music Director Designate. An avid mentor to rising artists, he is responsible for nurturing the careers of numerous celebrated composers, conductors, and performers. As Music Director of the Aspen Music Festival and School since 2011, he oversees the programming of more than 300 events and educational programs for 630 students and young performers; he also directs the Aspen Conducting Academy, which offers participants unparalleled training and valuable podium experience. After twenty seasons as Music Director with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, he now serves as
4 | 2024/2025 SEASON
Music Director Laureate. He was appointed Principal Conductor of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School in 2024, and will transition to Principal Guest Conductor in 2025-2026 following the appointment of their new Music Director.
During the 2024–2025 season — Spano’s third as Music Director of the Fort Worth Symphony — he leads six weeks of symphonic programming, conducting works including Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman in concert, and a world premiere by Jake Heggie, in addition to shaping the artistic direction of the orchestra and driving its continued growth. In the Fall of 2024, Spano leads his first performances as WNO’s Music Director Designate, including a new production of Beethoven’s Fidelio. Additional highlights of the 2024–2025 season include a twoweek residency with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and his first appearances as Principal Conductor with the Rhode Island Philharmonic.
Spano made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2019, leading the US premiere of Marnie by American composer Nico Muhly. Recent concert highlights have included several world-premiere performances, including The Sacrifice of Isaac by Jonathan Leshnoff with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Steven Mackey’s Aluminum Flowers and James Ra’s Te Deum with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra; Of Earth and Sky: Tales From the Motherland by Brian Raphael Nabors with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and Rhode Island Philharmonic; and Voy a Dormir by Bryce Dessner at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor.
With a discography of critically acclaimed recordings, Robert Spano has garnered four Grammy™ Awards and eight nominations with the Atlanta Symphony. Maestro Spano is a recipient of the Georgia Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities and is one of two classical musicians inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
Kevin John Edusei
Principal Guest Conductor
German conductor Kevin John Edusei is sought-after the world over. He is praised repeatedly for the drama and tension in his musicmaking and the sense of architecture, warmth and insight that he brings to his performances. He is deeply committed to the creative elements of performance, presenting classical music in new formats, cultivating audiences and conducting an eclectic range of repertoire.
Highlights of Edusei’s 2024/25 season include debuts with the New York Philharmonic, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Taiwan Philharmonic Orchestra and at the Musikverein with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. His return engagements include the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra at the Concertgebouw and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra in his final season as Principal Guest Conductor. A strong advocate of contemporary music, Edusei’s carefully curated programmes
across the 2024/25 season include premieres of works by Hannah Kendall, Thomas Larcher, Samy Moussa, Brian Nabors, Derrick Skye and Gabriella Smith.
In Autumn 2022, Edusei made his debut at the Royal Opera House conducting Puccini’s La bohème, which was streamed across cinemas worldwide, and in 2023/24 he returned for a production of Madama Butterfly. Previously he has enjoyed great success with productions at the Semperoper Dresden, English National Opera, Hamburg State Opera, Volksoper Wien and Komische Oper Berlin. During his tenure at the Bern Opera House, he led highly acclaimed new productions including Peter Grimes, Ariadne auf Naxos, Salome, Bluebeard’s Castle, Tannhäuser, Tristan und Isolde, Kátya Kábanová and a cycle of the Mozart-DaPonte operas.
Born in Bielefeld, Germany, Edusei studied sound engineering, classical percussion and orchestral conducting at the University of the Arts Berlin and the Royal Conservatory The Hague with Jac van Steen and Ed Spanjaard. In 2004 he was awarded a conducting fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival by David Zinman, in 2007 he was a prize-winner at the Lucerne Festival conducting competition under the artistic direction of Pierre Boulez and in 2008 he won the first prize of the Dimitri Mitropoulos Competition in Athens. Edusei is an alumnus of the Deutsche Bank Akademie Musiktheater heute and the Dirigentenforum of the German Music Council. He resides with his family in Munich.
Michelle Di Russo Associate Conductor
A graceful yet powerful force on the podium, Argentinian-Italian conductor Michelle Di Russo is known for her compelling interpretations, passionate musicality, and championing of contemporary music. Recently appointed Associate Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony, she will begin her tenure in thew 24/25 season, working closely with Robert Spano. Di Russo is a recipient of the 2024 The Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award and a conducting fellow at the Verbier Festival. She is a former Dudamel Fellow with LA Philharmonic, a mentee of the Taki Alsop Fellowship, and a conducting fellow of Chicago Sinfonietta’s Project Inclusion program and The Dallas Opera Hart Institute.
This season’s highlights include guest conducting debuts with Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Calgary Philharmonic, Toledo Ballet, and Fort 6 | 2024/2025 SEASON
Worth Symphony. She will also be returning to conduct the Delaware Symphony and cover conduct for the New York Philharmonic. Di Russo has been selected to lead a premiere of one of the Roche Young Commissions at Lucerne Festival Academy as part of a two-year project.
Di Russo has guest conducted LA Phil, San Diego Symphony, Vermont Symphony, Portland Symphony, Knoxville Symphony, and worked as cover conductor for the National Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, LA Phil, and NY Phil.
During the pandemic, Di Russo co-created Girls Who Conduct, an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between women and men in the conducting field and encouraging younger generations of women and non-binary conductors to overcome any obstacles presented due to their gender.
Di Russo holds a Doctoral Degree in Orchestral Conducting from Arizona State University and a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Kentucky. She completed her degree in Orchestral Conducting and Music Production of Audiovisual Media from the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, where she was awarded an Ad-Hoc Diploma for the highest grade in Orchestral Conducting.
FORT WORTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Robert Spano, Music Director, Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Chair
Kevin John Edusei, Principal Guest Conductor
Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Music Director Laureate
Michelle Di Russo, Associate Conductor, Rae and Ed Schollmaier Foundation Chair
John Giordano, Conductor Emeritus
VIOLIN I
Michael Shih, Concertmaster
Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass Chair
Mr. Sid R. Bass Chair
Swang Lin, Associate Concertmaster
Ann Koonsman Chair
Eugene Cherkasov, Assistant Concertmaster
Mollie & Garland Lasater Chair
Jennifer Y. Betz
Ordabek Duissen
Qiong Hulsey
Ivo Ivanov
Nikayla Kim
Izumi Lund
Ke Mai
Kimberly Torgul
Albert Yamamoto
VIOLIN II
Adriana Voirin DeCosta, Principal
Steven Li, Associate Principal
Janine Geisel, Assistant Principal
Symphony League of Fort Worth Chair
Molly Baer
Matt Milewski
Gabriela Peña-Kim
Kathryn Perry
Tatyana Smith
Rosalyn Story
Andrea Tullis
Camilla Wojciechowska
VIOLA
DJ Cheek, Principal
Anna Kolotylina, Associate Principal
HeeSun Yang, Assistant Principal
Joni Baczewski
Sorin Guttman
Aleksandra Holowka
Dmitry Kustanovich
Daniel Sigale
CELLO
Allan Steele, Principal
Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass Chair
Mr. Sid R. Bass Chair
Vacant Position, Associate Principal
Keira Fullerton, Assistant Principal
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Foundation Chair
John Belk
Deborah Brooks
Shelley Jessup
Jenny Kwak
BASS
William Clay, Principal
Mr. & Mrs. Edward P. Bass Chair
Paul Unger, Assistant Principal
Jeffery Hall
Sean P. O’Hara
Julie Vinsant
The seating positions of all string section musicians listed alphabetically change on a regular basis.
FLUTE
Jake Fridkis, Principal
Shirley F. Garvey Chair
Gabriel Fridkis, Assistant Principal
Vaynu Kadiyali
PICCOLO
Vaynu Kadiyali
OBOE
Jennifer Corning Lucio, Principal
Nancy L. & William P. Hallman, Jr., Chair
Tamer Edlebi, Assistant Principal
Tim Daniels
ENGLISH HORN
Tim Daniels
CLARINET
Stanislav Chernyshev, Principal
Rosalyn G. Rosenthal Chair*
Ivan Petruzziello, Assistant Principal
Phillip Solomon°
E-FLAT CLARINET
Ivan Petruzziello
BASS CLARINET
Phillip Solomon°
BASSOON
Joshua Elmore, Principal
Mr. & Mrs. Lee M. Bass Chair
Nik Hooks°, Assistant Principal
Nicole Haywood°
Cara Owens, on leave
CONTRABASSOON
Nicole Haywood°
HORN
Gerald Wood, Principal
Elizabeth H. Ledyard Chair
Alton F. Adkins, Associate Principal
Drs. Jeff and Rosemary Detweiler Chair
Kelly Cornell, Associate Principal
Aaron Pino
TRUMPET
Kyle Sherman, Principal
Cody McClarty, Assistant Principal
Dorothy Rhea Chair
Oscar Garcia
TROMBONE
Joseph Dubas, Principal
Mr. & Mrs. John Kleinheinz Chair
John Michael Hayes, Assistant Principal
Dennis Bubert
BASS TROMBONE
Dennis Bubert
Mr. & Mrs. Lee M. Bass Chair
TUBA
Edward Jones, Principal
TIMPANI
Seth McConnell, Principal
Madilyn Bass Chair
Nicholas Sakakeeny, Assistant Principal
PERCUSSION
Keith Williams, Principal
Shirley F. Garvey Chair
Nicholas Sakakeeny, Assistant Principal
Adele Hart Chair
Deborah Mashburn
Brad Wagner
HARP
Vacant Position
Bayard H. Friedman Chair
KEYBOARD
Shields-Collins “Buddy” Bray, Principal
Rildia Bee O'Bryan Cliburn & Van Cliburn Chair
STAGE MANAGER
Wilson Armstrong
ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL MANAGER
Megan Brook
ORCHESTRA LIBRARIANS
Christopher Hawn
David Sterrett
*In Memory of Manny Rosenthal °2024/2025 Season Only
The Concertmaster performs on the 1710 Davis Stradivarius violin.
The Associate Concertmaster performs on the 1685 Eugenie Stradivarius violin.
IN CONCERT LIVE TO FILM
Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Will Rogers Auditorium
Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Christopher James Lees, conductor
DISNEY
Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” In Concert Live to Film
Featuring the Voice Talents of:
Chris Sarandon Catherine O’Hara
Ken Page
William Hickey
Glenn Shadix
Paul Reubens
A BURTON/DI NOVI Production
Music, Lyrics & Score by DANNY ELFMAN
Based on a Story and Characters by TIM BURTON
Adaptation by MICHAEL MCDOWELL
Screenplay by CAROLINE THOMPSON
Produced by TIM BURTON and DENISE DI NOVI
Directed by HENRY SELICK
Video or audio recording of this performance is strictly prohibited. Patrons arriving late will be seated during the first convenient pause. Program and artists are subject to change.
Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts. © All rights reserved.
8 | 2024/2025 SEASON
ARTIST PROFILE
Christopher James Lees, conductor
Emerging American conductor Christopher James Lees brings passionate and nuanced orchestral performances to the stage, a fierce commitment to contemporary music, and a natural charisma to audiences all around the world.
In 2018, Mr. Lees began an appointment as Resident Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and Principal Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra. In addition to the more than 50 annual concert appearances with the CSO, he has annually stepped in to conduct Subscription Classical performances on five occasions, including two gala concerts with legendary artists and Grammy Award winners Branford Marsalis and Rhiannon Giddens, respectively.
An active guest conductor, Mr. Lees has returned for performances with the Los Angeles and Rochester Philharmonics, the Houston, Detroit, Milwaukee, North Carolina, Portland, and Flint Symphonies, and conducted debuts with the New York Philharmonic, and New World, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Toledo, and Vermont Symphonies.
With the New York Philharmonic, St. Louis & Atlanta Symphonies, among others, Mr. Lees has served as an assistant conductor for the world’s leading conductors, including: Gustavo Dudamel, Paavo Järvi, Herbert Blomstedt, Leonard Slatkin, David Robertson, Robert Spano, Marin Alsop, Pablo HerasCasado, Stéphane Denève, Susanna Mälkki, and Nicholas McGegan.
A dedicated advocate for music of our time, Mr. Lees has premiered more than one hundred fifty new works by a diverse range of composers, and collaborated closely with Pulitzer Prize winners John Adams, William Bolcom, John Corigliano, Jennifer Higdon, Joseph Schwantner, Steven Stucky, Caroline Shaw, Roger Reynolds, and Julia Wolfe.
A native of Washington, D.C., Mr. Lees holds bachelors and master's degrees from the University of Michigan, and has studied conducting with Larry Rachleff and Robert Spano, as well as having participated in masterclasses with Lorin Maazel, Michael Tilson Thomas, Gustav Meier, and Jorma Panula.
Home for the Holidays
This concert is generously supported by Omni Hotel Fort Worth
Friday, November 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 7:30 PM Bass Performance Hall Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Michelle Di Russo, conductor
Jasmine Habersham, soprano Texas Boys Choir
JEFF TYZIK
HERBERT arr. Langey
POLA arr. Cerulli
PROKOFIEV
MARKS arr. Hayman
MERVYN WARREN arr. Fry
A Christmas Overture (Variations on Deck the Halls)
March of the Toys from Babes in Toyland
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Troika from Lieutenant Kijé, Op. 60
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Who Would Imagine a King? from The Preacher's Wife
Jasmine Habersham, soprano
TRADITIONAL arr. DiLorenzo Fum, Fum, Fun
VARIOUS arr. Chase
LEONTOVYCH
JOHN WILLIAMS
Around the World at Christmas Time
Carol of the Bells
Texas Boys Choir
Somewhere in My Memory from Home Alone
Texas Boys Choir
INTERMISSION
SEBESKY A Christmas Scherzo
BERNARD arr. Custer
Winter Wonderland
10 | 2024/2025 SEASON
TORMÉ arr. Waldin
VARIOUS arr. Krogstad
TRADITIONAL arr. Tyzik
TCHAIKOVSKY
GRUBER
arr. Tyzik
VARIOUS arr. Finnegan
COOTS
arr. Holcombe
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Jasmine Habersham, soprano
Christmas at the Movies
Auld Lang Syne Texas Boys Choir
Selections from The Nutcracker, Op. 71 Spanish Dance (Chocolate) Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy Pas de Deux Coda
Silent Night
Jasmine Habersham, soprano Texas Boys Choir
Christmas Sing-Along Jingle Bells
Joy to the World It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Hark the Herald Angels Sing Silent Night Away in a Manger Deck the Halls O Come, All Ye Faithful
Texas Boys Choir
Santa Claus is Coming to Town Jasmine Habersham, soprano
Video or audio recording of this performance is strictly prohibited. Patrons arriving late will be seated during the first convenient pause. Program and artists are subject to change.
ARTISTS PROFILES
Jasmine Habersham, soprano
American soprano Jasmine Habersham is a versatile and dynamic performing artist whose voice has been hailed as “exquisite” by Broadway World and possessing a “wellcontrolled, silvery tone had an alluring presence” by Opera Today.
Jasmine’s 2024-2025 season features numerous house and role debuts. She will be debuting the role of Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance at Central City Opera, Adina in The Elixir of Love at Florida Grand Opera Ashley in The Listeners at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and will be creating the role of Claudette Colvin in She Who Dared (World Premiere) at Chicago Opera Theatre. In addition to these roles, she will reprise the role of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at Minnesota Opera. She will also be making her debut with Fort Worth Symphony, Savannah Philharmonic, and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
A finalist in the Lotte Lenya Competition, she is well-versed as a crossover artist in opera and musical theatre. She has performed the roles Edith in The Pirates of Penzance with The Atlanta Opera, Susannah in The Musical: Tintypes with Janiec Opera Company, and Pearl in Morning Star with Cincinnati Opera Fusion. She has won numerous awards including 2nd Place in the 2018 Southeast Regional Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, The Strauss Award in the National Orpheus Competition, the John Alexander Memorial Award from University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music, and the Young Artist Guild Award from Central City Opera.
Ms. Habersham has participated in several esteemed young artists programs including with The Glimmerglass Festival, Central City Opera, Kentucky Opera, and the Brevard Music Center. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance at Shorter College and her Master of Music and Artist Diploma from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
12 | 2024/2025 SEASON
ARTISTS PROFILES
Texas Boys Choir
Since its founding in 1946, the Texas Boys Choir has earned a reputation as one of the premier boy choirs in the world. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, the choir provides a unique educational and performance experience, instilling a love of artistic expression and a desire for personal excellence in its young members. Open to boys in grades 3-12 from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds, the choir offers a structured environment to learn the fundamentals of world-class vocal performance.
Texas Boys Choir members are students at the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts (FWAFA), a public charter school offering professional artistic training alongside nationally recognized academic programs. The choir has achieved numerous accolades, including two GRAMMY Awards, championships at the World Choir Games, and performances at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall. They have also been featured at national and international conventions and have toured extensively, with recent trips to Argentina, China, Germany, and Austria.
Managed by the Texas Center for Arts + Academics, the Texas Boys Choir continues to inspire artistically talented students to achieve academic and artistic excellence, making a significant impact in the North Texas arts community and beyond.
Friday, December 06, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, December 07, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, December 08, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Bass Performance Hall Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Robert Spano, conductor
Key'mon Murrah, countertenor
Courtney Cook, dancer
Bennalldra Williams, dancer
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, director/choreographer
Krista Billings, lighting designer
Megan Liles, costume designer
JAKE HEGGIE
Libretto by ANITA AMIRREZVANI
BEETHOVEN
Earth 2.0 a monodrama in one act
1. The Message
2. The Artist
3. The Admirer
4. The Wish
5. The Upgrade
6. The Pas de Deux
7. The Children
8. The Cleanse
Earth – Key’mon Murrah
World Premiere Performance Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Commission
INTERMISSION
Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55, “Eroica”
I. Allegro con brio
II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace
IV. Finale: Allegro molto
Video or audio recording of this performance is strictly prohibited. Patrons arriving late will be seated during the first convenient pause. Program and artists are subject to change. 14 | 2024/2025 SEASON
ARTISTS PROFILES
Jake Heggie, composer
American composer Jake Heggie is best known for Dead Man Walking (2000), the most widely performed new opera of the last 20 years, with a libretto by Terrence McNally, and his critically acclaimed operas Moby-Dick (2010), Three Decembers (2008), and It’s a Wonderful Life (2016), all with libretti by Gene Scheer. In addition to 10 full-length operas and numerous one-acts, Heggie has composed more than 300 art songs, as well as concerti, chamber music, choral, and orchestral works. His compositions have been performed on five continents, and he regularly collaborates with some of the world’s most beloved artists as both composer and pianist.
Heggie actively seeks out projects that invite a wide range of perspectives and possibilities. A new Ivo van Hove production of Dead Man Walking, based on the iconic memoir by Sister Helen Prejean, opens the Metropolitan Opera’s 23/24 season in New York City, starring Joyce DiDonato, Ryan McKinny, and Susan Graham, with Yannick Nézet-Séguin on the podium. Heggie’s opera Intelligence explores the true story of two women who infiltrated the Confederate White House during the American Civil War. Created with Jawole Zollar and Gene Scheer, this work receives its world premiere on opening night of Houston Grand Opera’s season, conducted by Kwamé Ryan and starring Jamie Barton, Janai Brugger, J’Nai Bridges, and Urban Bush Women. Elsewhere, Before It All Goes Dark, a one-act opera commissioned by Music of Remembrance and based on a story originally reported by Howard Reich in the Chicago Tribune, will premiere in Seattle and tour to Chicago and San Francisco, while The Elements: Fire, Heggie’s new commission for violinist Joshua Bell, premieres at Germany’s Elbphilharmonie and tours to major stages in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, and Hong Kong.
Anita Amirrezvani, librettist
Anita Amirrezvani is a novelist, editor, and writing teacher who was born in Tehran, Iran, and raised in San Francisco. Her first novel, The Blood of Flowers, has appeared in 34 languages and was long listed for the 2008 Orange Prize for Fiction (now the Women’s Prize). Her second novel, Equal of the Sun, has appeared in nine languages. Anita co-edited Tremors: New Fiction by Iranian American Writers, the first anthology of its kind. She teaches in the MFA and undergraduate writing programs at the California College of the Arts.
ARTISTS PROFILES
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, director/ choreographer
Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar earned her B.A. in dance from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and her M.F.A. in dance from Florida State University. In 1980 Jawole moved to New York City to study with Dianne McIntyre at Sounds in Motion. In 1984 Jawole founded Urban Bush Women (UBW) as a performance ensemble dedicated to exploring the use of cultural expression as a catalyst for social change.
In addition to creating over 34 works for Urban Bush Women, Zollar has created works for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Philadanco, and many universities across the United States. Her collaborations include Compagnie Jant-Bi from Senegal and Nora Chipaumire. She has recently worked as choreographer for Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of American Popular Music and Daniel Fish’s Most Happy in Concert. In 2023, Zollar was commissioned by Houston Grand Opera to direct and choreograph a new Jake Heggie opera, Intelligence.
Urban Bush Women has toured five continents and was selected as one of three U.S. dance companies to inaugurate a cultural diplomacy program for the U.S. Department of State in 2010. Zollar serves as director of the UBW Summer Leadership Institute, founding and visioning partner of Urban Bush Women, and as the Nancy Smith Fichter Professor of Dance and Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor at Florida State University. Zollar has been a United States Artists Wynn fellow and a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial fellow. She holds honorary degrees from Columbia College Chicago, Tufts University, Rutgers University, and Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA.
Zollar has received the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, the Dance Magazine Award, the Dance/USA Honor Award, the “Bessie” Lifetime Achievement in Dance Award for her work in the field, the Dance Teacher Award of Distinction, and the Martha Hill Dance Fund Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2020, The Ford Foundation declared Urban Bush Women one of America’s Cultural Treasures. Zollar has recently been awarded a 2021 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation fellow, the 2022 APAP Honors Award of Merit for Achievement in the Performing Arts and the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize. Recently Jawole has been named the recipient of the American Dance Festival 2024 Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award.
16 | 2024/2025 SEASON
ARTISTS PROFILES
Key’mon Murrah, countertenor
Key’mon Murrah, heralded by Opera News for the “voluptuous tone throughout his enormous range and phrasing with the feel of fine silk,” continues to garner international acclaim for his “vocal acrobatics” and “mature artistry.” The 2023-24 season will see Mr. Murrah make debuts at the Metropolitan Opera in El Niño, at Los Angeles Opera in El último sueño de Frida y Diego in the role of Leonardo, the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in Giulio Cesare in the role of Tolomeo, and the New Jersey Symphony in Handel’s Messiah These performances follow a summer of appearances in Europe, where Mr. Murrah appeared with the Bayerische Staatsoper in Dido and Aeneas as the Sorceress, in concert at Oper Köln, and with Komische Oper Berlin as Hamor in Jeptha, for which the Morgen Post praised his “wonderfully supple voice.”
In the 2022-23 season, Mr. Murrah’s performances included his Messiah with St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the National Chorale, his debut with San Diego Opera in the world premiere of El último sueño de Frida y Diego, the title role in Xerxes for Detroit Opera, and the Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse in the Bach Christmas Oratorio.
In 2018, he won the Encouragement Award for the Metropolitan Opera Council Central District Auditions and won the 2nd place award for the Emerging Soloists Competition. In 2020 he won first place in the Camille Coloratura Competition and was a semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions after winning the Nashville District Auditions. In 2021, Mr. Murrah was heard on the stage of The Houston Grand Opera as the 1st Place Winner of the 33rd Annual Concert of Arias, as the Grand Prize winner of the Premiere Opera Foundation + NYIOP International Vocal Competition, and Finalist and Encouragement award winner of Operalia.
ARTISTS PROFILES
Courtney J. Cook, dancer
Courtney J. Cook is a Virginia Native now residing in Brooklyn, NY. She is a graduate of the Virginia Governor’s School of the Arts and holds a B.F.A in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is now Associate Artistic Director, BOLD facilitator, and performing company member with Urban Bush Women. She is honored to be a recipient of the 2018 “Bessie” Award for Outstanding Performance for her work with UBW, Maria Bauman (MBDance), and Marguerite Hemmings (we free). In 2022, Cook was involved as performer/choreographic collaborator and vocalist in Cannabis! A Viper Vaudville, created by Baba Israel and Grace Galu Kalambay (Soul Inscribed). In fall of 2023, she made her debut performance with Houston Grand Opera as a dancer, commissioned with Urban Bush Women, in the World Premiere of their latest Opera, Intelligence. She also recently made her debut at The Met Opera in John Adam’s El Niño, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz and choreographed by Marjani Forte-Saunders.
Bennalldra Williams, dancer
Bennalldra Williams is a performer, facilitator, and passionate advocate for movement. Her belief in the body’s wisdom and its storytelling power has led her to perform with renowned companies such as the Alabama Ballet, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, and the New Yorkbased Urban Bush Women.
Drawing on her experiences as a touring company member, Bennalldra has combined her BFA in Dance and Exercise Science with certifications in Gyrotonic, Pilates, the Franklin Method, and basic neurology to help others connect with their bodies in meaningful ways. She encourages individuals to explore their physical selves, guiding them to become more Balanced, Optimized, Vibrant, and Expressive.
This vision inspired the creation of Bové, her integrative movement practice. Bové allows Bennalldra to explore the intersection of movement science, education, art as healing, and activism. She currently serves as the Movement Coach for Urban Bush Women and other performance artists.
18 | 2024/2025 SEASON
PROGRAM NOTES : JAKE HEGGIE
by Jeremy Reynolds
EARTH 2.0
I. The Earth
II. The Artist
III. The Admirer
IV. The Wish
V. The Upgrade
VI. The Pas de Deux
VII. The Children
VIII. The Cleanse
DURATION: About 40 minutes
WORLD PREMIERE
INSTRUMENTATION: Two flutes and piccolo, two oboes and English horn, two clarinets and bass clarinet, two bassoons, three French horns, two trumpets, two trombones, timpani, percussion, piano, and strings
“I’ve worked with and written for countertenors quite a bit, but I’ve never heard a voice like Key’mon Murrah’s. He just glows.
— Jake Heggie (Born 1961, United States)
COUNTERTENOR: The rarest of all voice types, a countertenor is a male singer who can sing in the range of a soprano or mezzo-soprano.
FURTHER LISTENING:
Heggie: Intonations: Songs from the Violins of Hope
EARTHRISE: Dec 24, 1968
In more primitive and painful medieval times, male singers sometimes underwent castration before puberty to prevent their voices from dropping to a lower register. (Women were forbidden from singing in church, and choirs still needed higher-pitched voices.) As many as 4,000 boys a year underwent this churchsanctioned procedure in the early 18th century, so in demand was this particular voice type. This barbaric practice was discontinued in the 19th century.
But this isn’t to say that there aren’t still naturally high male voices. Such singers are called countertenors.
Countertenors are exceedingly rare, and their voices tend to have an unforgettable sort of color, a little huskier than a female soprano but similarly light and nimble. Louisville-born singer Key’mon Murrah, who Opera News praises as having a “resplendent, voluptuous tone throughout his enormous range and phrasing with the feel of silk,” has one such voice.
Upon first hearing Murrah sing, FWSO Music Director Robert Spano decided to commission a large-scale orchestral work to showcase his talent. Spano selected composer Jake Heggie, one of America’s top opera composers, to write a roughly 40-minute work for voice and orchestra.
The result is an eight-part concert opera with minimal staging. Earth 2.0 examines humanity’s relationship with the natural world through music and lyrics: “We all know what it’s like to be in a bad relationship or a toxic relationship, but what if you’re Earth and you know, you’re trying to figure out, well, how much leeway do I give?,” Heggie said, explaining that the piece developed out of an interest in the biblical story of David and Goliath. “Where’s the line in the sand? When do you call it quits? When is enough enough? Who is really David, and who is Goliath in this relationship?”
The music ranges from densely chromatic to melodic and soaring to bring life to a poetic text by writer Anita Amirrezvani. Heggie continues in the Wagnerian
tradition of motif writing, or repeating snatches of melody, harmony, or rhythm to help listeners identify characters, themes, and emotions. “There’s a consistent bird call motif throughout, with the bird crying out that the relationship is impossible and unsustainable,” he explained.
Joining Murrah and the orchestra onstage will be dancers Courtney Cook and Bennalldra Williams.
By bringing the arts into the lives of our residents, we connect on all levels using music as a key to successful and personalized dementia care.
As a not-for-profit organization, James L West has been providing expert care for those living with dementia and support for their caregivers for over 30 years. Until there is a cure, we are here to care.
WHERE YOUR FINANCIAL SUCCESS TAKES CENTER
PROGRAM NOTES : LUDWIG BEETHOVEN
by Jeremy Reynolds
SYMPHONY
No. 3 in E-FLAT MAJOR, (“EROICA”) Op. 55
I. Allegro con brio
II. Marcia Funebre. Adagio assai
III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace — trio
IV. Finale. Allegro molto — Poco andante – Presto
DURATION: About 48 minutes
PREMIERED: Vienna, 1805
INSTRUMENTATION: Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, three horns, two trumpets, timpani, and strings
“So he is no more than a common mortal! Now he, too, will tread underfoot all the rights of man [and] indulge only his ambition; now he will think himself superior to all men, become a tyrant!”
— Ludwig van Beethoven (Born 1770, Germany; died 1827)
SYMPHONY: An elaborate orchestral composition typically broken into contrasting movements, at least one of which is in sonata form. The “Pastoral” is a rare example of Beethoven’s programmatic music.
SONATA FORM: A type of composition generally in three sections (exposition, development, and recapitulation) in which at least two themes or subjects are explored according to set key relationships.
FURTHER LISTENING:
Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 in F
Major
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major
Anton Eberl: Symphony in E-flat
Major
20 | 2024/2025 SEASON
At the premiere of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, now regarded as one of the greatest and most popular symphonies ever written, critical reception was mixed. At that time, music critics favored familiar styles over innovation, and they panned the “Eroica.”
(Meanwhile, they raved over a more traditional symphony by composer Anton Eberl, who nobody remembers today.)
The “Eroica” was indeed a radical departure from traditional compositional forms. For one thing, it was significantly longer than most symphonies of the day. The sonata form of the first movement is expanded with a third theme instead of the traditional two. To begin, a pair of explosive chords launch the listener into the first theme, a simple broken chord in the cellos in the home key of E-flat major that leans into the chromatic note C-sharp by the fifth bar. The tune then passes to the winds and begins to accelerate, building to a rousing statement by the full orchestra. The exposition continues to introduce and blend a larger variety of new melodic material than listeners would have been used to at the time.
The second movement, the funeral march, is more somber and stately. Here, the music is in ternary form (ABA), meaning that it introduces a lengthy opening statement, the opening section, juxtaposes more lighthearted, skipping music for the middle section, and then returning to a full restatement of the opening music. A traditional scherzo and trio follow, noteworthy for the glorious use of horns in the middle section, allegedly the first time they’d been used as such in a symphony.
This is all largely nitpicky and academic, though — what really makes this particular symphony so special? What keeps it popular? Beethoven’s genius lies not only in his ability to innovate with musical forms but also in his capacity for capturing something universal about the human condition that speaks to different cultures and historical periods. At the time he wrote this symphony, Beethoven idolized the conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte, who the composer believed would usher mankind into a new era of democratic idealism. When Bonaparte declared himself an emperor, however, the composer violently scratched out the dedication to Napoleon, tearing a hole in the page, writing at the time: “So he is no more than a common mortal! Now, too, he will tread underfoot all the rights of Man,
Continued On Page 21
indulge only his ambition; now he will think himself superior to all men, become a tyrant!”
(This is perhaps apocryphal. It’s also rumored that the rededication was more about earning a fee from the new dedicatee, but the story of rage is better — a symphony’s mythos can certainly contribute to its popularity.)
To close, the work’s final movement is a set of 10 variations on a theme, with the theme stated plainly at the outset. There’s evidence suggesting he modeled the other movements on this theme, suggesting that this might be one of the first truly cyclic symphonic works, a technique that would become ubiquitous in the decades following. The symphony finishes with references to each movement in turn and a final, blasting orchestral fanfare that indeed sounds as though it could have ushered in a new era. That era never came, but we still have the “Eroica.”
Friday, December 13, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Will Rogers Auditorium
Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Deanna Tham, conductor
DISNEY PRESENTS “FROZEN” in Concert
Songs by KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ and ROBERT LOPEZ
Original Score by CHRISTOPHE BECK
Story by CHRIS BUCK, JENNIFER LEE, SHANE MORRIS
Screenplay by JENNIFER LEE
Executive Producer JOHN LASSETER Produced by PETER DEL VECHO, p.g.a. Directed by CHRIS BUCK JENNIFER LEE
Voice Cast
KRISTEN BELL “Anna”
IDINA MENZEL “Elsa”
JONATHAN GROFF “Kristoff”
JOSH GAD “Olaf”
SANTINO FONTANA “Hans”
ALAN TUDYK “Duke”
CIARAN HINDS “Pappie”/”Grandpa”
Distributed by WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES
©2013 DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Video or audio recording of this performance is strictly prohibited. Patrons arriving late will be seated during the first convenient pause. Program and artists are subject to change.
Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts. © All rights reserved.
22 | 2024/2025 SEASON
ARTISTS PROFILES
Deanna Tham, conductor
Powerfully compelling, Deanna Tham is known for her captivating and tenacious spirit on and off the podium. She is currently the Associate Conductor of the Oregon Symphony and Music Director of the Union Symphony Orchestra.
Previously, Tham was the Assistant Conductor of the Omaha Symphony, following her tenure as Assistant Conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony and Principal Conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras. In 2024 she appeared in the prestigious La Maestra Conducting Competition in Paris, France. She has performed at the Proms in Royal Albert Hall, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, and Seiji Ozawa Hall at the Tanglewood Music Center working with Maestros James Ross, Joseph Young, and Sir Antonio Pappano, as well as renowned artists Isobel Leonard and Joyce DiDonato. Recent highlights include leading the all-women Broadway Sinfonietta in the world-premiere of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse live with symphonic score, Jacksonville Symphony’s first educational Martin Luther King Jr. tribute concert and the Union Symphony’s first city-community Pops on the Plaza collaboration of Latin American pop and classical music. Additional recent engagements include Assistant Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra (NYO-USA and NYO2) and Assistant Conductor of the Chicago Sinfonietta with Maestro Mei-Ann Chen.
Tham is passionate about cross-genre collaborations. These projects include full-feature blockbuster movie scores, collaborations with Cirque Musica, broadway artists, pop cover groups like Jeans ’n Classics, Southern Range Brewery, the Louisville Ballet Academy, and the International Culinary Arts and Sciences Institute.
Tham holds a Professional Studies Certificate from the Cleveland Institute of Music in Orchestral Conducting studying with Maestro Carl Topilow. She received her Master of Music in conducting from Northwestern University studying with Dr. Mallory Thompson. Tham received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in horn performance from Carnegie Mellon University.
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Make a gift to the FWSO in honor of a friend or loved one. A special letter acknowledging your donation is sent to the honoree or their family, informing them of your thoughtful and generous tribute.
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Invest in the future of the FWSO through a charitable bequest and become part of the Brooks Morris Society. In addition to the impact of your legacy support, the FWSO honors these gifts with recognition and exclusive invitations throughout the year.
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Established in 1984, the FWSO’s endowment fund provides an additional source of financial security for the institution. Gifts to the endowment fund ensure the FWSO remains an integral part of the cultural community.
to Donate
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Become an FWSO Angel Today
During your visit today, make a donation of $100 or more using the QR code above and enjoy a glass of wine on us! Just show your online gift confirmation to the Box Office at intermission and they will provide you a drink ticket to redeem at any venue bar.
Officers
Board of Directors
Mercedes T. Bass
Chairman of the Board
Marianne Auld
Chairman of the Executive Committee
Lee Hallman
Secretary
Don C. Plattsmier
Interim Treasurer
Keith Cerny, Ph.D.
President and CEO
Board of Directors
Marianne Auld+
Amy Roach Bailey
Mercedes T. Bass+
Connie Beck+
Ashli Blumenfeld
Anne Marie Bratton+
J. Brooks+
John Broude
Karen Burchfield+
Anne Carvalho
Ervin Cash
Dr. Joseph Cecere
Brenda Cline
Dr. Mary Costas
Barbara Cox
Dr. Benge Daniel
Mitzi Davis
Dr. Asad Dean+
Dr. Tom Deas
Dr. Jeffrey G. Detweiler
Willa Dunleavy
Brandon Elms
Dr. Jennifer Freeman+
Charlotte French
Aubrey Gideon
Pamela Gilchrist
Gail Aronoff Granek
Lee Hallman+
Aaron Howard+
Shauna Jenkins
Kim Johnson
Robert Karl
Dee J. Kelly, Jr.+
Kelly Lancarte
Mollie Lasater+
Nico Leone
Mary Hart Lipscomb
Misty Locke
Quynh Lu
Kate Lummis
Louella Martin+
Priscilla Martin
Dr. Stuart D. McDonald
Ellen Messman
Justin Newton
Frasher Pergande
Don C. Plattsmier+
Dana Porter+
Don Reid
Jean Roach+
Henry Robinson+
Leonard Ryan
Alann B. Sampson+
Jeff Schmeltekopf
Dr. Russ Schultz
Whit Smith
Clare Stonesifer+
Rebecca Stupfel
Jonathan T. Suder+
Carla Thompson+
Dr. Amy Tully
John Wells+
Kristine Williams
Dr. James Williams
J.W. Wilson
+ Executive Committee Member * Denotes Deceased
Emeritus Council
Dr. Rebecca Beasley
Marvin E. Blum
Dr. Victor J. Boschini, Jr.
Gail Cooke
Juana-Rosa Daniell
Joseph DeWoody
Vance A. Duffy
Katie Farmer
Joan Friedman
Tera Garvey
John B. Giordano
Barry L. Green
Genie Guynn
Kathleen Hicks
Robert L. Jameson
Teresa King
Michelle Marlow
Colin McConnell
Dr. Till Meyn
Erin Moseley*
Frasher H. Pergande
Jude Ryan*
Kal Silverberg
Thomas “Tommy” L. Smith
Dwayne Smith
Kathleen B. Stevens
Ronda Jones Stucker
Lon Werner
Chairman Emeriti
William P. Hallman, Jr.*
Adele Hart*
Ed Schollmaier*
Frank H. Sherwood*
President Emerita
Ann Koonsman*
Life Trustee
Rosalyn G. Rosenthal*
Rae and Ed Schollmaier*
Supporters of the FWSO
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra expresses its deepest gratitude to the generous individual, institutional, endowment, and legacy supporters of the FWSO, a world-class orchestra and cultural pillar of Fort Worth.
Chairman’s Circle
Generous donors who have made extraordinary, multi-year commitments in support of the FWSO’s sustainability and continued artistic excellence.
$5,000,000
Mercedes T. Bass
$1,000,000+
Mr. & Mrs. John B. Kleinheinz
John Wells & Shay McCulloch-Wells
Individual Giving
Principal Guest Conductor’s Level
$150,000- $249,999
Mark and Katsura Cerny
In memory of Marie A. Moore
Associate Conductor’s Level
$100,000- $149,999
Ms. Marianne M. Auld and Mr. Jimmy Coury
Mr. and Mrs. Clive D. Bode
Anonymous
Mollie & Garland Lasater at the NTCF Fund
Concertmaster’s Level
$50,000-99,999
Mr. & Mrs. William S. Davis; Davoil, Inc.
Aaron Howard & Corrie Hood-Howard
Mrs. Louella Martin
Nancy & Don Plattsmier
Rosalyn Rosenthal*
Principal’s Level
$25,000- $49,999
Ramona & Lee Bass
Connie Beck & Frank Tilley
Annette & Jerry* Blaschke
For the full donor listing, please visit fwsymphony.org/support/donor-listing
As of October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024.
* Denotes deceased
Dr. Joseph and Neva Cecere
Kim & Glenn Darden
H. Paul Dorman
Don & Melissa Reid
The Roach Foundation
Alann Bedford Sampson
Jonathan and Medea Suder; MJR Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Kelly R. Thompson
Dr. James C. Williams
Artist’s Level
$10,000- $24,999
Carol Margaret Allen
Mr. & Mrs. Tull Bailey
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas K. Bratton
Steve Brauer
James Brooks
John Broude & Judy Rosenblum
Mr. and Mrs. Orlando Carvahlo
Ervin Cash
Mr. John & Dr. Mary Costas, in honor of their grandchildren
Barbara A. & Ralph F. Cox
Dr. and Mrs. Benge R. Daniel, Jr.
Drs. Jeff & Rosemary Detweiler
Mr. Brandon Elms
Dr. Jennifer Freeman
Tera & Richard Garvey
Aubrey Gideon
Gail Aronoff Granek
Gary & Judy Havener
Matthew & Kimberly Johnson
Mr. Robert Karl
Dee Kelly Foundation
Priscilla & Joe* Martin
Deborah Mashburn & David Boddie
Dr. & Mrs. Stuart D. McDonald
Berlene T. & Jarrell R. Milburn
Nesha & George Morey
Mr. and Mrs. David Porter
Mrs. Susan S. Pratt
Leonard Ryan
Ms. Patricia A. Steffen
Tim and Clare Stonesifer
Mr. Gerald E. Thiel
Charles White
Benefactor
$5,000- $9,999
Elaine & Neils Agather
Drs. Becky Beasley & Roger Gates
Ashli & Todd Blumenfeld
Greg & Pam Braak
Debbie Brooks; DFW Musicians Services LLC
Mary Cauble
Sue & John Allen Chalk, Sr.
Dr. & Mrs. Lincoln Chin
Brenda & Chad Cline
Mrs. Jeanne Cochran
Dean & Emily Crocker
Dr. & Mrs. Atlee Cunningham, Jr.
Dr. Ron & Juana-Rosa Daniell
Asad Dean M.D.; Texas Oncology
Althea L. Duersten
Ms. Willa Dunleavy
Susan & Tommy Green
Ms. Lee Hallman
James & Mary Ann Harris
Ms. Nina C. Hutton
Mr. Maynard K. Johnson
Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Koonsman
Katherine Lummis
McCallum Family Foundation
Ellen F. Messman
Mr. & Mrs. Richard W. Moncrief
Stephen & Brenda Neuse
Mr. Justin E. Newton
Estate of Virginia & James O’Donnell
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas B. Reynolds
Jeff & Judy Schmeltekopf
C. Edwards* & R. Schroeder
Dr. & Mrs. Russ A. Schultz
Kal & Karen Silverberg
Ronda & Walter Stucker
Dr. Richard Turner
Mr. and Mrs. Philip C. Williamson
Mr. & Mrs. Mitchell Wynne
Contributor
$3,000- $4,999
William & Kathryn Adams
Ellen & Larry Bell
Mr. Bill Bond
For the full donor listing, please visit fwsymphony.org/support/donor-listing
As of October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024.
* Denotes deceased
Judge Tim & Celia Boswell
Daniel & Soraya Caulkins
Gary Cole
Susan Jackson Davis
Dawn Ellison
Doug & Carol English
Mr. & Mrs. Kirk French
Gary Glaser and Christine Miller
Steve* & Jean Hadley
Dotty & Gary Hall
Dr. Christy L. Hanson
Michelle & Reagan Horton
Richard Hubbard, M.D.
Carolyn & Randall Hudson
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob M. Huffman III
Gordon & Aileen Kanan
Ms. Trina Krausse
Mr. Nico Leone
L. Lumley
Anonymous
Mr. & Mrs. Omas Peterson
Ms. Jane Rector
Dr. Deborah Rhea & Ms. Carol Bollinger
Rosemary Riney
Jude & Terry Ryan
Jim & Judy Summersgill
Mary & Reuben Taniguchi
Hon. & Mrs. Chris Taylor
Rhonda McNallen Venne
Dave & Julie Wende
Sustainer
$2,000- $2,999
Edwin Augustat, MD
Mary Frances & George Barlow Charitable Fund at the NTCF
Megan & Victor Boschini
Linda Brookshire
Frances Jean Browning
Lowell & Kathryn Bryan
Henry & Diana Burks
Honorable H.D. Clark III and Mrs. Peggy
Sue Branch-Clark
Dr. & Mrs. Martin F. Conroy
Angela L. Evans
Ms. Clara Gamache
Dr. & Mrs. William H. Gibson
Anonymous
John W. Goodwin
Patrick & Kathryn Kinne
Art & Cheryl Litke
In memory of Laura Elizabeth Bruton
Dr. & Mrs. James D. Maberry
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Malloy
McCraw Family Charitable Fund
Shannon McGovern
Cecile Montgomery Charitable Account
John & Anita O’Carroll
Jeanne O’Connor
Paul & Mary Kay Park
Harris Franklin Pearson Private Foundation
Mary Pencis
Lynne B. Prater
Bill Proenza
Barbara Roels
Punch Shaw & Julie Hedden
Tzu-Ying & Michael Shih in tribute of Mr. & Mrs. William S. Davis
Marilyn Wiley & Terry Skantz
Susan & James Smith
Mary C. Smith; Clark Educational Services
Dr. Mary Alice Stanford & Mr. Don Jones*
Dr. Rebecca and Emily Stephenson
Mr. Daniel Stevens
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Stevenson
Sallie & Joseph Tarride
Mr. William Taylor
Dr. Stuart N. Thomas and Bonnie Janzen
John* & Camille Thomason
David Turpin
Gene Walker and Marianna Smith
Laurie & Lon Werner
Mr. John Molyneaux & Ms. Kay West
Suzy Williams & John Williams
Arthur & Carolyn Wright
Stuart Yarus & Judith Williams
Anonymous
For the full donor listing, please visit fwsymphony.org/support/donor-listing
As of October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024.
* Denotes deceased
Institutional Giving
$500,000 and above
Amon G. Carter Foundation
Sid W. Richardson Foundation
$150,000- $499,999
Mr. & Mrs. John B. Kleinheinz
Mary Potishman Lard Trust
$50,000- $149,999
American Airlines Anonymous Arts Fort Worth
BNSF Railway
Crystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust
Adeline & George McQueen Foundation
Piranesi
Leo Potishman Foundation
Qurumbli Foundation
Ann L. & Carol Green Rhodes Charitable Trust
William E. Scott Foundation
Fort Worth Tourism Public Improvement District
$25,000- $49,999
The Eugene McDermott Foundation Frill Foundation
Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP
$10,000- $24,999 City Club of Fort Worth
North Texas Giving Day Fund of the Communities Foundation of Texas
Frost
FWSO Players Assembly
Garvey Texas Foundation
George & Jeanne Jaggers Charitable Trust
Gilchrist Automotive
Helene Bare & W. Glenn Embry Charitable Trust
McCallum Family Foundation
Neiman Marcus Fort Worth
The Roach Foundation
The Thomas M., Helen McKee & John P. Ryan Foundation
Texas Commission on the Arts
$5,000- $9,999
Alcon
Atmos Energy
Ben E. Keith Beverages
Hillwood
Marguerite Bridges Charitable Trust
Frances C. & William P. Smallwood Foundation
Steinway Fort Worth
Symphony League of Fort Worth
Texas Christian University
The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel
$2,000- $4,999
Bratton Family Foundation | Mr. and Mrs. Douglas K. Bratton
Dubose Family Foundation
Jackson Family Foundation
Kimbell Art Foundation
Once Upon A Time...
Robert D. & Catherine R. Alexander Foundation
As of October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024. For the full donor listing, please visit fwsymphony.org/support/donor-listing
Endowment Giving
$5,000,000 and above
Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass
Mr.* and Mrs.* Perry R. Bass
Mr. Sid R. Bass
$1,000,000- $4,999,999
Lee and Ramona Bass Foundation
Sasha and Edward P. Bass
The Burnett Foundation
Garvey Texas Foundation
Kimbell Art Foundation
Elizabeth H. Ledyard
Rosalyn Rosenthal*
Rae* & Ed* Schollmaier; Schollmaier Foundation
$500,000- $999,999
Mr. & Mrs. John B. Kleinheinz
Mollie & Garland Lasater at the NTCF Fund
The Thomas M., Helen McKee & John P. Ryan Foundation
T.J. Brown & C.A. Lupton Foundation
$250,000- $499,999
BNSF Railway
Estate of Dorothy Rhea
Qurumbli Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Mark L. Hart III
Drs. Jeff & Rosemary Detweiler
$100,000- $249,999
Alcon
American Airlines
Amon G. Carter Foundation
Althea L. Duersten
Estate of Peggy L. Rayzor
Mr. & Mrs. Ben J. Fortson, Jr.
* Denotes deceased
| 2024/2025 SEASON
Mr.* & Mrs. Dee J. Kelly, Sr.
Mr. & Mrs. J. Luther King, Jr. / Luther King
Capital Management
John Marion
J.P. Morgan Charitable Giving Fund
The Roach Foundation
Anna Belle P. Thomas
$50,000- $99,999
Michael and Nancy Barrington
Van Cliburn*
Mrs. Gunhild Corbett
Mrs. Edward R. Hudson, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs.* Ronald Koonsman
Scurlock Foundation
Symphony League of Fort Worth
$25,000- $49,999
Mr. & Mrs. Jack S. Blanton Jr.
Estate of Linda Reimers Mixson
Michael Boyd Milligan*
Garvey Texas Foundation
Colleen* and Preston Geren
Mrs. Adele Hart
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Kelly
Dee Kelly Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Krebs
Mr. Eddie M. Lesok
Mr. & Mrs. Duer Wagner Jr.
Laurie and Lon Werner
$10,000- $24,999
Mr.* and Mrs.* William L. Adams
Mr. & Mrs. Malcolm K. Brachman
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas K. Bratton
Mr. Carroll W. Collins*
Mary Ann and Robert Cotham
Mr. and Mrs. Norwood P. Dixon*
Elizabeth L. and Russell F. Hallberg Foundation
Estate of Ernest Allen, Jr.
Fifth Avenue Foundation
Mrs. Dora Lee Langdon
Carol V. Lukert
Mr. & Mrs. Richard W. Moncrief
Stephen & Brenda Neuse
Peggy L. Rayzor
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas B. Reynolds
William E. Scott Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Taylor
Donna* & Bryan Whitworth
William S. Davis Family Foundation
$5,000- $9,999
Mrs. Charles Anton*
Ms. Lou Ann Blaylock
Sue & John Allen Chalk, Sr.
Anonymous
Nelson & Enid Cleary
* Denotes deceased
Barbara A. & Ralph F. Cox
Estate of Witfield J. Collins
Francis M. Allen Trust
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Jeffrey Gerrish
Felice and Marvin Girouard
Mr. & Mrs. Ralph J. Green Jr.
Maritza Cáceres & Miguel Harth-Bedoya
Richard Hubbard, M.D.
JPMorgan Chase*
Mr.* and Mrs.* Robert E. Klabzuba
Priscilla & Joe Martin
Miss Louise McFarland*
Karen Rainwater Charitable Fund at the NTCF
Alann Bedford Sampson
Betty J. Sanders
Save Our Symphony Fort Worth
Jerry & James Taylor
The Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Mr. Gerald E. Thiel
John* & Frances Wasilchak Charitable Fund at the NTCF
Endowed Chairs and Programs
The Board of Directors extends sincere gratitude to the following donors who have demonstrated exceptional generosity and commitment to the FWSO by endowing the following chairs and programs.
Music Director Guest Conductors
Associate Conductor
Concertmaster
Associate Concertmaster
Assistant Concertmaster
Assistant Principal 2nd Violin
Section 2nd Violin
Principal Cello
Assistant Principal Cello
Principal Bass
Principal Oboe
Principal Flute
Principal Clarinet
Assistant Principal Trumpet
Principal Bassoon
Principal Horn
Associate Principal Horn
Principal Trombone
Bass Trombone
Principal Percussion
Assistant Principal Percussion
Timpani Harp
Keyboard
Great Performance Fund
Pops Performance Fund
Adventures in Music
* Denotes deceased
Symphonic Insight
Nancy Lee & Perry R. Bass* Chair
Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass Chair
Mr. Sid R. Bass Chair
Rae & Ed Schollmaier*/Schollmaier
Foundation Chair
Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass Chair
Mr. Sid R. Bass Chair
Ann Koonsman* Chair
Mollie & Garland Lasater Chair
Symphony League of Fort Worth Chair
Marie A. Moore* Chair
Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass Chair
Mr. Sid R. Bass Chair
BNSF Foundation Chair
Mr. & Mrs. Edward P. Bass Chair
Nancy L. & William P. Hallman, Jr. Chair
Shirley F. Garvey* Chair
Rosalyn G. Rosenthal* Chair
In Memory of Manny Rosenthal
Dorothy Rhea* Chair
Mr. & Mrs. Lee M. Bass Chair
Elizabeth H. Ledyard* Chair
Drs. Jeff and Rosemary Detweiler Chair
Mr. & Mrs. John Kleinheinz Chair
Mr. & Mrs. Lee M. Bass Chair
Shirley F. Garvey* Chair
Adele Hart* Chair
Madilyn Bass Chair
Bayard H. Friedman * Chair
Rildia Bee O’Bryan Cliburn & Van Cliburn* Chair
Rosalyn G. Rosenthal* Chair
In Memory of Manny Rosenthal
The Burnett Foundation
The Ryan Foundation
Teresa & Luther King
Brooks Morris Society
Annette & Jerry* Blaschke
Dr. Lloyd W. Brooks
Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Cardona*
Barbara Clarkin
Mr. Carroll W. Collins*
Mr. and Mrs. Laurence Cooke
Juana-Rosa & Dr. Ron Daniell*
Estate of Anna Belle P. Thomas
Miss Dorothy Rhea*
Electra M. Carlin*
Estate of Ernest Allen, Jr.
F. Warren O’Reilly*
Hugh L. Watson*
Estate of Kathy B. Higgins
Estate of Linda Reimers Mixson
Lois Hoynck Jaggers*
Michael Boyd Milligan*
Mildred G. Walters*
Estate of Peggy L. Rayzor
Sylvia E. Wolens*
Whitfield J. Collins*
Tom Gay
Gwen M. Genius
George & Jeanne Jaggers Charitable Trust
Mrs. Charlotte M. Gore
Gail Aronoff Granek
Helene Bare & W. Glenn Embry Charitable Trust
Qurumbli Foundation
Hank and Shawn Henning
Mr. Eric F. Hyden*
* Denotes deceased
Kathleen E. Connors Trust
Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Koonsman
Lewis F. Kornfeld, Jr. Memorial Fund at the NTXCF
Mollie & Garland M. Lasater, Jr.
Elizabeth H. Ledyard
Carol V. Lukert
Marguerite Bridges Charitable Trust
Patty Cartwright Mays
Shannon McGovern
Dr. and Mrs. A. F. Murph
Linda Todd Murphy
Estate of Virginia & James O’Donnell
Harris Franklin Pearson Private Foundation
Peggy Meade-Cohen Crut Charitable Trust
Mr.* and Mrs. John V. Roach II
The Roach Foundation
Jude & Terry Ryan
Jeff & Judy Schmeltekopf
Mr. & Mrs. Grady Shropshire
Kathleen & Richard Stevens
Mr. Gerald E. Thiel
The Walsh Foundation
Peter G. Warren
John* & Frances Wasilchak Charitable Fund at the NTCF
John Wells & Shay McCulloch-Wells
Lynn Wilson
A City Club Social Membership provides access to dining in our restaurants and member event privileges including Wine Tastings, Holiday Brunches and many other Club events. You will have the ability to reserve private rooms for business and social functions.
Social Memberships for $102 per month
FWSO Season Ticket Holders receive a discounted enrollment fee
For more information, contact Matt Burrell, City Club Membership Director at 817.878.4000 or mburrell@cityclubfw.com.
The elegance continues at Omni Fort Worth Hotel. Take in the sweeping downtown views from our inviting, western-inspired accommodations, and enjoy clever cocktails, prime aged steaks, and live music at our on-site restaurants.
Inspiring people one note at a time.
Mission/Purpose
Timeless Concerts is unlike anything else in North Texas! Professional musicians perform in a relaxed atmosphere with warmth and humor; classical to contemporary to international music, piano, strings and sometimes vocalists. The hour-long concerts are followed by a party accompanied by our pianist/vocalist, who takes your requests. Dance if you wish to pop standards from the big band era to today’s musicals or jazz. We always provide complimentary wine, soft drinks and a few snack items. BYOB is allowed at the Hickman Center location.
Our mission is to present chamber music of all styles and eras, in a casual and engaging environment, in order to provide education about, plus promote appreciation and support for live classical music performances.
We provide exciting educational programs in elementary schools to encourage students to learn more about music and to encourage those already in the orchestra to continue throughout their K-12 education
Next dates: “Italy to Ireland!” From Neapolitan songs to Vivaldi to Celtic Fiddling! 8 pm Saturdays Nov. 9 (Arlington) and Nov. 16 (Ft W).
Feb. 15 is our Valentines Special (Ft W) with a repeat Feb. 22 (Arlington)
More dates to come on website. Contact us to be included on our emailing list. Follow us on Facebook!
(817) 480-2039
OUR NEXT FRONTIER
We’re heading west, where the horizon’s wide and the opportunities even wider. The University of Texas at Arlington is proud to introduce UTA West, our new Fort Worth campus near the edge of Parker County in Walsh Ranch. Here, future Mavericks will find a path to possibilities as endless as the open sky.
You have the lead role in tomorrow’s biggest hit: YOUR FUTURE. Make it your best role yet with a move to The Stayton at Museum Way by Buckner, Fort Worth’s only senior living community that offers Life Care. Scan the QR code and complete the online form for more information.
North Texas Gives Here
Elia and Al Saenz
