HSL eCounterpoint

December 2022

"Supporting the Houston Symphony Since 1937"

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

S e a s o n’ s G r e e t i n g s to all as everyone is busy celebrating the holidays with family and friends.

And to continue with the celebration, as a team, we have accomplished or exceeded many of our goals in 2022, including membership, volunteering, and fundraising to name a few. As your President, I want to personally THANK YOU for your leadership and efforts in supporting the League in all our endeavors.

Please be sure to read this newsletter or go on-line to keep informed of all the great opportunities to continue to participate in.

As we:

….. count down from 2022…may your holidays be merry and bright

……look forward to 2023…I wish you good health and happiness

……and always…practice Random Acts of Kindness

Moving into 2023, I am honored to serve as your President working with each of you to reach greater heights for our organization.

In Appreciation

Cheryl Byington 

HOUSTON SYMPHONY LEAGUE MEMBERS MUST REGISTER UNDER MEMBERS ONLY ON THE WEBSITE TO HAVE ACCESS TO VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, DIGITAL DIRECTORY AND CALENDAR FOR THE YEAR

CALENDAR

Family Concert - Ho Ho Holiday - Volunteer opportunity

"Polar Express"

Saturday, December 17, 2022

10:00 am and 11:30 am

Jones Hall

Sand Trap Socialites - Social

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

East River 9

12:30 pm

Mah Jongg Mavens - Social

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Lakeside Country Club

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Book Club - Social

Wednesday, February 2, 2023

Home of Diane Gendel

10:00 am



MEMBERSHIP FOR 2022-23

Hello, League friends! 

The League currently has 341 members with 101 as new members. We signed up four members at the Holiday Party and are continuing to sign up more. Our dues have earned $40,900 to date. We now have more members than in the past 11 years! We continue to reach and surpass milestones thanks to everyone's efforts.  

Also, if you see someone you don't know at an event, I encourage you to introduce yourself and get to know them better especially if they are a new member. Ask them if they are volunteering for student or family concerts or going to the next event. Or what concert performances they are planning next. You just might find a new friend!

Leslie Nossaman

VP Membership

THANK YOU, THANK YOU

A big thanks to the 45 unique League members who volunteered their time and talents for this season’s Student Concerts. There were 14 concerts from November 1 through December 1 that served over 30,000 upper elementary and middle school children. Our volunteers helped these students experience the wonders of hearing our Houston Symphony live in Jones Hall and, in return, got to enjoy the concerts themselves and be rewarded by seeing the joy on the children’s faces.

If you missed the opportunity to volunteer, you have two more opportunities in January. There are Student Concerts on Thursday, January 26 and Friday, January 27 at Houston Christian University. To volunteer, please contact Deb Happ at dahapp37@gmail.com.

Social Connections Groups

MAH JONGG MAVENS - Our next get together will be Thursday, January 12, 2023 at Lakeside Country Club from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. No get together in December. 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.

SAND TRAP SOCIALITES - Exciting news…The brand new par 3 course in East Downtown has opened !!! The East River 9 is a new and exciting venue. We will schedule a tee time for Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 12:30 pm. Before we make reservations, we need to know who is interested in playing so please text Liz Kierum at 281 705 5658 if you are interested. Maybe after we play we’ll have a margarita at The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation!!!

Fee is 34.00 plus 10.00 for a pushcart if you want to rent one! Please mark your calendars for future Sand-trap outings at various courses on the second Tuesday of every month thru April. 

GAMES DAY - Our new date is January 26 for our next fun day. Information is on the website or watch for details in the next newsletter but put it on your calendar !

Contact Liz at lizzielizk12@gmail.com or Penny at jphg@yahoo.com

SYMPHONY SOLES -  2023 walks will start after the holidays on Monday, January 9, 2023.  We meet at 8:30 am on Mondays and Wednesdays 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 would like to join the group, send an email and I will add your name to the email list for information and reminders. 



If you think you might like to join us, 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.

DESTINATION TRIP -  The Houston Symphony League destination trip is April 26-28, 2023 to Round Top.  Our hotel is Hotel Lulu which is a lovely property near interesting restaurants and specialty shops.  There are ONLY 10 rooms left for reservations. If you would like to make a hotel reservation, CLICK HERE.

Co-chairs, Evelyn Leightman & Cynthia Wolff       

CRAFT COMMITTEE

Magical Musical Morning was a great success. The four crafts the Craft Committee and Stacey Swift decided upon were big hits with the children and parents. Here we have Janet Aigner and Gayle Eury helping with Christmas Tree craft. The River Oaks Country Club was beautiful and the crowd was ready to have a great time in their festive attire. 

The Craft Committee is waiting direction from the Education Committee of the Symphony regarding plans for crafts for the upcoming Children’s concerts in 2023. 

Ann Tornyos

FAMILY CONCERT - Ho-Ho-Holiday

Houston Symphony League volunteers and volunteers from NCL Cypress helped the Symphony kick off the 2022-2023 Family Concert series on Saturday, October 8. Volunteers staffed the composer connection stations, a craft activity where children composed a few bars of music that a student from HSPVA then played for them, and the always popular Instrument Petting Zoo. You too can join in the fun at the next Family Concert "Ho-Ho-Holiday" on December 17th, the February 25 Blast Off to Space! and May 6 Fairy Tales Family Concerts.  Sign up at the Members’ Only section of our League website or contact Deb Happ at dahapp37@gmail.com.

DeLUXE K!ds afterschool violin program Houston Symphony Education

The Symphony’s afterschool violin program in the Fifth Ward launched on September 26 and has achieved great success over the past 2½ months. The full program title is DeLUXE K!ds In Harmony with Houston Symphony, in partnership with AFA. The students just completed their 4th and 5th concerts to rave audience reviews at the DeLUXE Theater!

Following are some of the outcomes we’ve achieved to date:

• 23 rehearsals/classes

• 35 hours of instruction

• 5 performances

• Roster of 25 students; 15 attend on a consistent basis

A significant number of students have expressed interest in joining in January – we expect to meet our goal of 25 students consistently attending in the second semester.

• Met musical goals: Students have mastered six pieces and acquired the technical skills required to do so. Students have developed some basic music reading skills. Students enjoy playing and practicing on their own outside of designated rehearsals.

• Met social goals: Students have exhibited improved teamwork skills, as well as an increased sense of responsibility, pride and community. 

We have received strong parent engagement and support for their students’ participation, as evidenced by rehearsal and concert attendance and comments to staff. Students and families attended the Houston Symphony Family series concert at Jones Hall in October. They enjoyed the opportunity to hear Rainel Joubert soloing with the Orchestra. The three partner organizations (Houston Symphony, Fifth Ward Arts District/DeLUXE Theater, and AFA) are meeting their respective organizational goals for the project.

Darlene Clark,

Co-VP Education, Houston Symphony League

BEST BIRTHDAY WISHES TO OUR DECEMBER BIRTHDAY MEMBERS

Dodi Willingham 12/1

Jane Clark 12/9

Holly Bell 12/9

Donna Mello 12/9

Sandra Chunn 12/10

Diane McMaster 12/11

Andy Delery 12/11

Maria Reynolds 12/12

Terry Romano 12/12

Paula Letbetter 12/12

Cindy Cook 12/13

Kristin Turnak 12/15

Janet Aigner 12/15

Ruth Buryakovsky 12/15

Deborah Meek 12/16

Andrea Smith 12/18

Jamie Everett 12/18

Jennifer Barron 12/18

Heidi Rockecharlie 12/19

Deborah Elias 12/21

Cynthis Wolff 12/22

Franelle Rogers 12/27

Laurie Coton 12/27

Lauren Abbott 12/28

Kori Caddell 12/28

Marilynne Gorman 12/28

Lisa Giering 12/29

Jane Brownlee 12/30

Shawna Bloom 12/31

Jamie Emerson 12/31

Neiman-Marcus Fashion Show

         Thanks to a sold-out crowd of 80 Symphony loving fashionista’s, the annual Neiman-Marcus Fashion show benefitting the Houston Symphony was a rousing success. From the delightful charcuterie nibbles gracing the tables to the haute couture evening gowns from designer The Danes, New York, that grew delighted gasps from the crowd to the lovely baubles from inspired New York jewelry designer, Steven Dweck, the impressive lunch event raised $12,000 for the Houston Symphony. Generously underwritten by Neiman-Marcus, the event chaired by League members, Clare Fontenot-Gray and Mary M. Fusillo was a crowd pleaser and a wonderful show of support by Neiman’s.

Mary Fusillo and Frances Williams

Ann Cavanaugh and Jerre Williams

Tammie Johnson, Mary Ann McClendon and Malaika Mukuro

Jaquie Baly Craig and Terri Wang

Magical Musical Morning - Dec 4, 2022

Gina Saour with future musician

Magical Musical Morning Christmas Tree

Leslie Nossaman with Petting Zoo participant

Instrument Petting Zoo

Jessica Brown, Gayle Eury and Janet Aigner

Chairs Valerie and Tracy Dieterich and family

Santa helping with Crafts

Entertainment at MMM

Children from Salvation Army Residence Home

HOLIDAY PARTY, DECEMBER 7, 2022

Congratulations to Kim Padgett and Raquel Lewis for co-chairing the successful HSL annual Holiday Party on December 7, 2022. The venue was the lovely and holiday decorated home of Jana and Scotty Arnoldy. The music was playing, the mingling was engaging and the champagne and wine flowing. A special thank you also to our Gourmet Society (and others), as well as the Pearls of the Symphony for making it an enjoyable event.

Leisa Holland-Nelson and Susan Hansen

Cynthia Wolff and Beth Wolff

New members Grace Murray, Margie Davis with Vesna Jurick

Angela Apollo and Leslie Siller

Donna Shen

Vicki West and Mary Ann Reynolds-Wilkins

Darlene Clark and Nancy Willerson

Cheryl Byington, John Mangum, our hostess Jana Arnoldy and Raquel Lewis

Mary Ann McKeithan, Stephanie von Stein Schusterman and Jana Arnoldy

Anna Dean, Clare Fontenot-Gray and Astrid Van Dyke

Joni Baird and Deborah Meek

Julia Soto and Sonia Soto

Flora Choy, Susan Osterberg and Connie Kwan-Wong

Musicians Playing

New members Cheryl Haseeb, Amy Ditta and Tracy Faulkner