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HSL eCounterpoint
April 2023
"Supporting the Houston Symphony Since 1937"
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
I cannot believe it is already April. Time does fly when you are having fun and giving back, especially to our wonderful Houston Symphony.
At the Spring Membership Breakfast in March, we kicked off the Annual Fund. The goal is to have 100% participation. Our Houston Symphony continues to perform at the highest level while providing wonderful music, and education and community engagement opportunities. The Houston Symphony needs our support and appreciates our time spent as volunteers. Anyone who contributed to the Annual Fund at the March Spring Membership Breakfast or makes a contribution on-line (CLICK HERE to donate on-line) or makes a contribution at the May 18th President's Luncheon will be entered into the drawing for the lovely Moreau Paris cobalt blue purse valued at $3200, donated by Tootsies. The drawing will be held at the President's Luncheon on May 18!! If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Annual Fund Chair, Sonia Soto at 713-494-4101 or soniasototx@gmail.com
Thank you to those who already made their Annual Fund contribution at the breakfast...sincerely appreciated.
Please renew your membership and submit your volunteers hours. Details are in the newsletter. Every member is important to the League and all your volunteer hours contribute to our successful efforts. Please read through the newsletter so you are aware of all our exciting opportunities.
Thank you for being a member of the Houston Symphony League and supporting our Houston Symphony.
In appreciation,
Cheryl Byington
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Important Message
League members must register under the Member's Only section on the HSL website to have access to volunteer opportunities, the digital directory, archived eCounterpoints and our calendar for the year.
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CALENDAR
Sand Trap Socialites
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
East River 9A - 65 Hirsch Road
12:30 pm
Mah Jongg Mavens
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Lakeside Country Club
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Arts and Culture
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Home of Diane Gendel
1814 State Street Houston 77007
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
B# Brunch - Social/Education
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Ouisie's Table
11:00 am
Tour of Glenwood Cemetery - Social
Monday, April 24, 2023
2400 Kane Street
10:00 am
President's Celebration Luncheon - Social
Thursday, May 18, 2023
Lakeside Country Club
11:30 am
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ARDYCE TOSTENGARD CRYSTAL CELLO AWARD
2023
Deb Happ
As Co-Vice Presidents of Education for the Houston Symphony League, we are delighted to present the Ardyce Tostengard Crystal Cello Award to this year’s winner, Deb Happ.
The Ardyce Tostengard Crystal Cello Award is presented annually by the
Houston Symphony League to an outstanding education volunteer for serving
and inspiring others and for bringing the joy and splendor of music to children and their families in the Houston community. Following are some quotes from Allison Conlan and Pam Blaine in Symphony Education:
"Deb has supported the Symphony's education and community engagement
programs in more ways than we can count. During the pandemic, she was
instrumental in restructuring the Student Concert volunteer duties so that we
could continue inviting students in the hall safely and with fewer staff members than had been involved before the pandemic. She helped us with writing job descriptions, implementing safety protocols, recruiting leaders for each of the key roles, developing a training structure, recruiting/tracking volunteers for each of the dates, identifying new sources for volunteer engagement and communicating to all involved, etc."
"While the list of duties Deb has taken on to execute our Student and Family
concerts is lengthy, one of the most profound effects of Deb's involvement is
that she has built leadership from within and has made the volunteer experience more enjoyable and impactful for everyone involved. Her energy and passion for the mission is contagious. We are so grateful for and appreciative of her incredible efforts to support our ambitious goals."
Rita Aron and Darlene Clark, Co-VP, Education
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Crystal Cello award winner, Deb Happ, with Education Co-VPs, Rita Aron and Darlene Clark | |
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Houston Symphony League’s
CHAMPAGNE CAMPAIGN
Bubbles & Boas!
The Houston Symphony League will once again be represented at the Wine Dinner & Collector’s Auction to be held April 21, 2023 at Jones Hall! The League is donating bottles and accessories of Veuve Clicquot auction lots that its members have generously contributed! All proceeds will benefit the Houston Symphony’s educational and community outreach programs.
Last year, we raised $2,500 from our members with two separate auction lots; our goal this year is $3,000! Please consider donating a bottle, magnum or Veuve Clicquot accessory to support our beloved Symphony – and get your “Bubbles & Boa” glamour shot in the League’s social media!
A heartfelt thanks to those who have donated, thus far: Angela Apollo Jennifer Barron, Susan Binney, Terry Brown, Cheryl Byington, Darlene Clark, Joan Duff, Clare Fontenot, Mary Fusillo, Lisa Graham-Garza (pictured below), Deb Happ, Karinne McCullough, Heidi Rockecharlie (pictured below), Tina Raham Stewart, Terri Romano, Ann Tornyos and Jerre Williams. We so appreciate your support and generosity!
WAYS TO DONATE:
1. Bring your bottle of Veuve Clicquot or donation to any League event.
2. To make a monetary donation, go to the League’s website at: houstonsymphonyleague.com and click the PAY BUTTON on the home page and/or
3. Phone Leslie Siller/713.857.6565 to arrange for pick up.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact either Leslie Siller 713.857.6565 or Stacey Swift at 713.337.8523.
SPEC’S PRICES
750 ml: $54.71 credit card $51.97 cash or debit
1.5 liter: $140.94 credit card $133.89 cash or debit
Other Veuve Clicquot styles (i.e., Rose’, etc.) are also available and welcomed!
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B# BRUNCH
Thursday, April 20, 2023
11:00 am
Join us for the last of our wonderful B# Brunches! John Mangum, Executive Director/CEO for our own Houston Symphony is our speaker! He will join us on April 20, at 11a.m. at Ouisie's Table for brunch. Our space is limited so get your tickets early by April 7th. See you there!
Click here to purchase tickets.
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Symphony League Membership Appreciation Concert
Friday, May 5, 2023
"Broadway Goes to Hollywood"
Jones Hall
The code for discount is HSL20, valid for May 5, Price levels 1–5.
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Social Connections Groups
SAND TRAP SOCIALITES - The Sand Trap Socialites will meet on Wednesday, April 12 instead of Tuesday. Too many conflicts on Tuesday. Sharpstown has scheduled a tournament since I last checked. Instead of Sharpstown, we will meet at East River 9, A par 3 course (9 holes) at 12:30 pm located at 65 Hirsch Road east of downtown off of I-10. Please text Liz Kierum at 281 705 5658 if you would like to play. She will send out a notice to those who have signed up for golf.
MAH JONGG MAVENS - Our next get together will be Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Lakeside Country Club from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. If you would like to join the group please contact Lucy Lewis at lucyhlewis@yahoo.com and she will add you to the list. Please bring $25 cash to cover lunch.
SYMPHONY SOLES - We will meet at 8:30 am beginning again on Monday, April 2 and then following up on Wednesday April 5, Monday April 10 and Wednesday April 12. April 12 will be our last walk for this season.
We will still be meeting at 8:30 in the Eastern Glades at Memorial Park, and the distance and walking speed are determined by participants. Join us for exercise, socializing and comparing notes on concerts and volunteer activities. If you think you might like to join us on any of our last walks this spring, please email Sandra Stettler at ssstettler@gmail.com to add your name to the email list . A reminder prior to each walk will be sent out to all who have expressed interest.
We would love to have any participants, oldies as well as newbies !!!
ARTS AND CULTURE - AN AFTERNOON OF ARTS AND CULTURE WITH THE HSL!
Houston is known to be an art and culture inspired city and you are invited to discover the art in the fabulous private collection of Diane and Harry Gendel!
We’ll explore the dynamic works of art by artists such as Robert Natkin, Tom McGrath, Richard Stout, Earl Staley, Frank Freed, Michael Collins and Don Foster among others. The absolute highlight of the afternoon will be learning about the incredibly inspirational work of Jackie Gendel.
Specifics of the HSL Arts and Culture event:
When: Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Where: 1814 State Street Houston 77007
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
RSVP Limited availability - susanosterberg@gmail.com; 713-467-4750 / 713-254-4750
Cost $15. Mail check to Susan Osterberg, 11222
Wilding Lane, Houston 77024
We certainly look forward to sharing this art-filled afternoon with you!
ADVENTURE HOUSTON - The Social Connections Adventure Houston is planning a guided walking tour of Glenwood Cemetery on April 24, 2023 at 10:00 am. Cost is $15. per person and deadline for reservations in April 10th. Click here for reservation and payment or go to our website and sign up at Events. A Dutch Treat luncheon will follow the tour at a location to be determined.
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Hello League Friends,
Thank you to those who have renewed! We are already at 21% renewal which is wonderful! Your renewal shows your support for the League but ultimately shows your support for our beloved Houston Symphony.
There are a variety of payment levels to take advantage of:
Member $100
2023-2024 Board member $150
Benefactor $250
Sponsor $500
Sustainer $1,000
Couple $150
Couple Benefactor $250
Couple Sponsor $500
Couple Sustainer $1,000
The higher levels of Benefactor, Sponsor, and Sustainer will be posted with your name in the printed directory.
The online payment page is easy and convenient to use. On the Home page, select the button that says, "Pay for Membership" and complete the form. https://www.houstonsymphonyleague.com/
Please check the April InTune magazine for the first-time ever full page advertisement for the Houston Symphony League. It is very exciting that we have been approved for a full page for this issue. We try to have this ad twice a year which has been a quarter of a page for the past few years. Also check this link to find the Symphony’s Symphony Soiree newsletter for another advertisement for the League: Symphony Soiree We also try to have an ad twice a year in a major Symphony newsletter. Thank you, Nancy Giles with the Symphony staff, for making these happen!
If you have any questions about renewals, have friends who want to join, or would like a membership form sent to you, please contact Leslie Nossaman at peoranun07@gmail.com.
Leslie Nossaman
VP Membership
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CONCIERGE PROGRAM
The Symphony has developed a recognition and appreciation program for their first time subscribers and first time ticket holders. They have asked the League to provide the volunteers to staff the in-hall lobby table prior to a Symphony concert and hand out to the new ticket holders a subscriber's gift and a Houston Symphony booklet. New League Members are being given this volunteer opportunity with the new Concierge Program. The League was also approved to hand out recruiting materials. For information on helping with this program, contact Roz Cooley, coolroz10@comcast.net or 713-419-3916. In the photo to the left are two volunteers who are hard at work at the table (from left to right): Joanna Booth and Raquel Lewis.
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Fairy Tales for Kids - Family Concert
May 6, 2023
10:00 am and 11:30 am
This is your last chance to volunteer for this season’s Family Concerts and Fairy Tales for Kids on Saturday, May 6 promises to be a fun experience for all.
“From a dazzling Firebird and Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty to musical selections from Disney movies, let your child’s imagination run wild with this enchanting concert inspired by classic fairy tales, folk stories, and modern stories. Young princesses and princes are encouraged to wear their favorite fairy-tale-inspired attire!”
Volunteers will greet families as they enter Jones Hall, provide crafts with a fairy tale theme, and staff the extremely popular Instrument Petting Zoo.
To volunteer, Sign up at the Members’ Only section of our League website or contact Deb Happ at dahapp37@gmail.com.
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Family Concert - Blast Off to Space
Houston Symphony League volunteers helped transport children and their families to outer space at the Family Concerts on Saturday, February 25. Volunteers helped children hear how sounds are heard on Mars, make space-related crafts, and try out instruments at the Instrument Petting Zoo. The concerts also featured the DeLUXE K!DS and our volunteers helped these special violinists navigate their busy day.
You have one more opportunity to join the fun at the Family Concerts when the Houston Symphony presents Fairy Tales for Kids on Saturday, May 6. Please contact Deb Happ at dahapp37@gmail.com to volunteer. You can also sign up to volunteer on the Members Only section of the Houston Symphony League website.
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Leslie Siller and Rita Aron | |
Donna Mello, Darlene Clark, Carla Mondt andLeslie Nossaman | |
Kristin Turnak,Robert Chanon, Ann Tornyos and Andrea Turner | |
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Heights Kids' Day of Music
The Houston Symphony participated in the annual Heights Kids’ Day of Music on Saturday, March 25. The purpose of the festival is to inspire kids to have a lifelong engagement in music and the arts by highlighting the arts organizations in Houston.
Robert Chanon,Leslie Nossaman, Donna Mello, and Deb Happ volunteered to staff the Instrument Petting Zoo. We had the opportunity to introduce many children to the wonders of the violin and percussion instruments. We also talked with parents about our amazing Family Concerts as a way of furthering their children’s appreciation of classical music.
West University Elementary Art Night
On March 28, at the request of the Houston Symphony, the League volunteered for the Art Night event at the West University Elementary School. Around 1000 kids were invited. The Symphony had two tables filled with percussion instruments and coloring materials. The coloring materials consisted of images of composers such as Hayden and Mussorgsky. It was gratifying to see so many children enthusiastic about the instruments and coloring! We also advertised the Symphony and especially the Family Concerts. From the League was Leslie Nossaman, Deb Happ, and Ann Tornyos (left to right in the photo) and from the Symphony was Meghan Miller (at the far right).
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TASO Conference - Austin, TX | |
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TASO PRESIDENT COMES TO HOUSTON
The 56th Annual TASO Conference will be held on April 14-15 in Austin at the Renaissance Austin. Registration is now open. On Friday afternoon there will be several sessions, and in the evening, we will have our Reception, Dinner, and Awards of Excellence Presentation. Saturday’s schedule includes several
sessions, the Luncheon Honoring TASO Past Presidents and Past Conference Chairs, the Recognized Projects PowerPoint Presentations, including the two projects submitted by the Houston Symphony League - Can’t Say No to Clicquot and the President’s Luncheon/Style Show, ending with dinner, an Austin Symphony Orchestra Concert and Post-Concert Reception.
If you have any questions about the conference, please feel free to contact me.
Darlene Clark, VP-Communications, TASO
edwincf@swbell.net
713-854-7341
To register to attend the conference, CLICK HERE
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LAO CONFERENCE 2023
June 14-16th - Pittsburgh, PA
The League of American Orchestras 2023 conference will be held in Pittsburgh on June 14-16 at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown. This year’s theme is “Bridges to the Future”. The Volunteer Council will hold an Awards Reception for award-winning projects, including our President’s Luncheon/Style Show, the evening of Tuesday, June 13 in a beautiful office overlooking downtown Pittsburgh, followed by a Networking Dinner for all interested volunteer attendees at the historic private Duquesne Club. Wednesday, June 14 will begin with a welcome by Simon Woods, President of LAO, and Melia Tourangeau, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Symphony, presentations by our Classic Award-winner, 4 Gold Award-winners, and ending with a performance by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the always exciting Tune-Up Party. Thursday, June 15 will feature a panel discussion about “Leveraging Volunteer Power”, more award-winning presentations, and ends with the Donor Dinner or dinner with your new friends. Friday, June 16 will offer a chance to network with your fellow volunteers, hear two speakers and attend the Networking Luncheon.
The 2024 LAO Conference will be held here in Houston, and I will be chairing the Volunteer constituency portion of the conference. I look forward to engaging our HSL members at the conference.
If you have any questions about this conference, please feel free to reach out to me.
Darlene Clark, Gold Awards Chair, LAO Volunteer Council
edwincf@swbell.net
713-854-7341
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APRIL CONCERTS
Apr. 13, 2023 - Jazz @ Jones: The One O'Clock Lab Band
Apr. 14, 15 & 16, 2023 - Chris Botti
Apr. 20, 22 & 23, 2023 - Mahler 1
Apr. 27, 29 & 30, 2023 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in Concert
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Board Administration
Please submit all your volunteer hours to Rita Aron at raron22@comcast.net or 713-416-5436. Congratulations to all our members who give of their time to support the Symphony. Continue saving your volunteer hours for Cheryl's year which ends in May of 2023. We have a total of 4382 volunteer hours so far this year.
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Our Facebook page is alive and well. Check out the page and "Like" us.
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Orchestra/Staff Appreciation Luncheon
If you like to laugh and play and go back to childhood, then the Staff and Musician Appreciation Lunch on March 2nd with over 110 attendees was where you wanted to be. The laughter could be heard outside of the room. With a theme of "PLAY", one could see the musicians and staff smiling, hear laughing while they tried to figure out how to use the water guns, play Uno, and a few other childhood games. Considering all the applause and cheers a person who is celebrating their bicentennial birthday would have, Brittany Williams had even more appreciation when she expressed in her speech to the group thanking them for all that they do and especially being back in the rehearsal room for the first time having lunch since Covid. Our appreciation of the Symphony League's partnership was truly present in the rehearsal room. Even in the decor which included a gratitude poster signed by League members and made possible by Leslie Nossaman. Our volunteers were overwhelmed with thank yous! This event is truly something every member should experience at least once.
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Thank you card to musicians | | |
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Chair, Brittany Williams welcoming the musicians | | |
BEST BIRTHDAY WISHES TO OUR APRIL BIRTHDAY MEMBERS | |
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Silvia Fritzhand 4/1
Jessica Starley 4/1
Sharon Burke 4/2
Mary Goodman 4/2
Sandra Porter 4/4
Flora Choy 4/4
Nancy Willerson 4/4
Kelsi Wiechkoske 4/5
Rey Winsky 4/5
Marla Hurley 4/6
Milka Waterland 4/7
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Lilly Kucera Andress 4/7
Judy Margolis 4/8
Karen Briscoe 4/10
Jo Howard 4/11
Diane Nelson 4/12
Leslie Siller 4/14
Caity Hoover 4/15
Cheryl Haseeb 4/17
April Lykos 4/17
Jacqueline Smooke 4/19
Irena Witt 4/20
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Vesna Jurick 4/22
Sarah Black 4/24
Annika Bergman 4/24
Mary Sage 4/24
Barbara McCelvey 4/24
Nicole Haagenson 4/26
Maggie Austin 4/27
Julia Baltimore 4/27
Carole Strachman 4/27
Lesha Elsenbrook 4/27
Pamela Sengelmann 4/28
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HSL - Spring Membership Meeting | |
Mary Fusillo, incoming President and Heidi Rockecharlie, President-elect | |
Beth Wolff and Saula Valente, Spring Membership Event Chairs with our hostess, Malaika Mukoro | |
New League member Blanca Jolly and Yoon Smith | |
Sketch artist drawing League member Beverly Hicks | |
Fabulous Le Petit deJeuner | |
Entertainers for the Spring Brunch | |
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Mission of the Houston Symphony League
The mission of the Houston Symphony League is to collaboratively support the Houston Symphony's audience development, education and fundraising activities with engaged volunteers.
Our Vision
The Vision of the Houston Symphony League is to partner actively with the Houston Symphony, to foster promising new musicians and to support artistic excellence, community outreach, education and fundraising.
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