On Thursday, February 23rd and Friday, February 24th the Guild hosted the annual Young People’s Concerts in the VBC Mark C. Smith Concert Hall. Fourth graders from area schools experienced a concert featuring our Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. Valley Conservatory provided pre-concert music. Dozens of Guild volunteers coordinated this fun and educational event.
On Saturday, February 25th, 2023 Young Artists’ Audition winner Claire Zhang performed the second movement of the Haydn Piano Concerto in D major during the Free Family Concert. Claire is an 8th grade student at Discovery School and a student of Susan Hoop. Prior to the concert, attendees enjoyed various interactive stations including the famous Instrument Petting Zoo and face painting.
On January 8th, the Guild and HSO hosted the annual Young Artists’ Auditions at UAH Roberts Recital Hall. The YAA committee was chaired by Ashley Wells and co-chair Ginger Loder. The winners were:
1st Place – Claire Zhang, piano, student of Susan Hoop
2nd Place – Jeffrey Duan, piano, student of Susan Hoop
3rd Place – Constantine Haff, violin, student of Jeff Dortch
The Community Ballet Association held its 55th Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at The Ledges. The event honored nominees for the Virginia Hammill Simms Award and the Katherine & Richard Lester Award. The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild nominated Nancy Colin who was this year’s recipient of the Virginia Hammill Simms Award. Congratulations to Nancy, a dedicated and deserving volunteer!
This year’s HSOG Scarecrow will be installed at the Huntsville Botanical Garden’s Scarecrow Trail from September 3 – October, 31, 2022. Based on the HSO’s Spring 2023 Free Family Concert: The Composer is Dead – A Whodunnit Mystery for Orchestra, our scarecrow composer is decorated with clues for visitors to attempt to solve the crime. We hope you will join our composer at the Garden to try to solve the mystery, too!
Active Member Susan Anderson attended the annual LAO conference this summer in Los Angeles, CA. The Guild was honored to receive a Gold Book Award for our 2020 Fine Arts Signing Day. Please read Susan’s full account of her experience. Thank you Susan for representing the Guild!
The 2022-2023 Board officially kicked off the Guild year with a meeting and luncheon at Redstone Federal Credit Union Atrium on July 08. Plans are well underway for an exciting and successful year.
The Young Artists Auditions (YAA), a co-sponsored event of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra (HSO) and the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild (HSOG) was held Sunday, January 23,2022 in Roberts Recital Hall on the UAH Campus. This exciting event featured five very talented and dedicated young artists, a committee of ready and excited HSOG volunteers and the event was able to be held live and in-person…three big pluses for the day!
Artists who competed in the event were:
Elizabeth Ames, cello, from Tallassee, AL
James Clark, cello, Madison, AL
Nathaniel Han, cello, Huntsville, AL
Elias Loo, bassoon, Huntsville, AL
Christina Showalter, cello, Madison, AL
All of the artists who competed received a complimentary YAA t-shirt and a certificate.
Event winners were:
James Clark—1st place and received a check for $400—The winner will perform as a soloist on stage at the opening of the FREE Family concert
Elias Loo—2nd place and received a check for $300
Elizabeth Ames—3rd place and received a check for $200
From L to R: Elias Loo, James Clark, and Elizabeth Ames
Special thanks goes out to Sharon Hicks, HSO Education Director, for her leadership and guidance in planning and making the YAA a special event and day for the artists. Thank you so much to Janet Neeley, HSOG Education Chair, for her constant support and willingness to help as the YAA returned to a live event following the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions of last year. A very special thank you to the YAA Committee members who stepped up to assist in any role needed to make the auditions a memorable occasion for the artists. Committee Members were: Bess Csar, Betsy Cunha, Susie Fortner, Jacque Hudson, Barbara Loflin, Michele Slaton and co-chairs Linda Thomas and Pat Cross. And a final thank you to Naomi Dubois, HSOG President, and Dan Halcombe, HSO President and CEO, as the always constant behind the scenes support needed as the YAA event planning occurred.
One of the highlights of every holiday season is the Guild’s annual Silver Tea, held this year at the home of Ashley and Bill Mitchel at the Ledges, Thursday, December 2, 2021. The Guild has held the Silver Tea now 55 years as a benefit for the Huntsville Youth Orchestra. Funding from the Tea helps keep musical training alive for young musicians.
Greeting the guests with Ashley were Rosemary Latham, Silver Tea chair; Joe Lee, Director of the Huntsville Youth Orchestra; Jennifer Case, HYO Board President; Deborah Brown, Huntsville Youth Orchestra Executive Director, and Naomi DuBois, President of the Guild.
The home located # 6 Ledge View Drive SE, constructed in the English Tudor style, was built in 2017. Designed by Matheny Goldman Architects +Design features heavy beams and Gothic styled woodwork. Janna Collins assisted Ashley in the interior design. A balance of warm dark wood and light airy spaces create a welcoming atmosphere. All of the wood throughout the home is reclaimed oak.
The dining room was filled with delicious tea treats prepared by Ina Rosa of Chef on Call. A special feature of the dining room is the elevated hearth flanked by a burl wood teacart. The assortment of mini desserts were popular and complimented by the faux champagne served by Past Guild presidents. The focus of the decorations in the dining room were red and terra cotta roses, magnolia, berries, and winged elm along with hand-dyed velvet ribbon as well as other seasonal decorations as additional focus of the holiday decorations throughout the home.
Special thanks to the Tea committee: Silver Bowl, Joyce Griffin; Past Presidents/Punch Bowl, Shelia Irby; Invitations, Nancy Van Valkenburg, chair with Nancy Richardson and Sarah Lauren Kattos; Reservations and Finance, Courtney Allen; Room Hostess, Karen Higgins; Correspondence, Mary Withington; Cloak Room, Bobsy Ingram; Database, Page Hanks; Transportation/Security, Tabby Ragland and Michele Hunter; HYO liaison, Ashley Wells; Photographer, Louise Graffeo; Volunteers, Ann Rivard; Advisor, Stacey Gardner; Publicity, Margaret J. Vann; and Caterer Liaison, AmeliaSummerville.
The Silver Bowl was attended by past Guild Presidents while the talented HYO youth musicians entertained the guests with live chamber music. Students of the Huntsville Youth Orchestra were excited to share their music at the Silver Tea. Students, in small ensembles, played a selection of holiday favorites and classical music. The guests could enjoy visiting in the front sitting room as well as visiting the areas downstairs and the children’s rooms and guest suite upstairs. the view from the outdoor areas offered beautiful views of the golf course.
The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild got in Get holiday spirit with this year’s entry in Huntsville Annual Tinsel Trail. The holiday showcase in Big Spring International Park made of hundreds of locally decorated live Christmas trees. Every evening the trees light up the park from dusk until midnight. It’s a magical sight. So grab a cup of hot chocolate, stroll through the Tinsel Trail, go skating in the park and soak up the holiday season.
