eCounterpoint
December 2021
"Supporting the Houston Symphony Since 1937"
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Happy holidays everyone! It’s a time of lights, trees, menorahs and holiday get-togethers. However, what may be more important is that we are a little over 20 days toward 2022. We have so many great things coming up; it’s hard not to get excited.
However, as we reach the end of 2021 and in my final President's Message of the year, I would like to acknowledge and celebrate recent League highlights and accomplishments chaired by you –our fabulous League members.
Annual Fund
Karinne McCullough has thoughtfully executed a successful HSL Annual Fund in honor of the League's 84th anniversary -- unlike any other year! Member participation has never been as high, and we cannot thank all of you for your generous donations.
Neiman Marcus Style Show
Thank you, Cynthia Wolff for chairing the Neiman Marcus Style Show! The time you invested in making this annual event a sell-out was a huge success!
Ima Hogg Competition
Chief Executive Officer John Mangum and the Development Department of the Houston Symphony recently held a meeting that included several league members and orchestra musicians to discuss the future of the Ima Hogg Competition. It was an extremely productive meeting, and many aspects of the competition were discussed, along with other ideas to be considered going forward. The Ima Hogg Competition began in 1976 -- a 45-year history.
Representatives of the Houston Symphony were very interested in the musicians' and HSL's perspectives and input on the competition. The League representatives expressed their continued eagerness and willingness to support and play a vital role in any way.
As President, I wanted to make you aware that a discussion of the Ima Hogg Competition had taken place and that John and the development team will discuss its future going forward. As I'm sure you know, there will not be the Ima Hogg Competition 2022, due to the uncertainty of the pandemic.
Holiday Party
What a great way to start the festive season with our annual HSL Holiday Party! Thank you so very much to Nancy Peiser for being such a gracious hostess. Your home was so beautifully decorated with your personal holiday touches! We so appreciate all you do for the Houston Symphony!
A great big thank you and congratulations to Beth Wolff for chairing and organizing our wonderful Holiday Party! Beth is such an excellent party organizer! The Champagne was flowing, food was plentiful and the excitement was in the air!
Also many thanks to Gourmet Society Chair Heidi Rockecharlie; VP Arrangements Susan Binney; Annual Fund Chair Karinne MCullough; Pianist Mary Ann Wilkins-Reynolds; and Vocalist Ami Figg, for their participation and support in making our Holiday Party celebration such a festive event enjoyed by all! We toasted the League's 84th Anniversary with Champagne, enjoyed delicious food, and sang along to holiday tunes. Nothing beats the warmth of our friendships to last us the entire holiday season. Thank you, League members, for bringing good cheer to those of you who attended. The festive spirit of the holiday season was felt more because you were there.
Bylaws Committee
The Bylaws Committee, Chaired by Beth Nock is diligently reviewing our Bylaws, which have not been updated in many years. We do not anticipate far-reaching changes, but a few revisions need to be addressed and voted on by our members. Thanks to Bylaws Committee members Beth Nock, Jerre Williams, Karinne McCullough, and Ann Tornyos for their input and involvement.
TASO Awards
It was a great honor to announce that the Texas Association for Symphony Orchestras (TASO) awarded the Houston Symphony League two awards this past Fall:
1. Conversation with a Houston Icon chaired by Marla Hurley and Ann Ayre; and
2. Streamlining, revisions and updating the HSL website chaired by VP Membership, Leslie Nossaman.
Congratulations to these members for their innovation and hard work! Both recognized projects will be presented via PowerPoint on April 28, 2022 at the annual TASO conference in Lubbock, Texas.
I would also like to share another award received by Houston Symphony Society President and President/Owner of Spec’s Fine Liquors John Rydman. He was awarded the Business Award of Excellence for his significant and continuing support of the Houston Symphony. Most meaningful is that Spec’s won this award 20 years ago and established a record by winning it two times. May I suggest that when shopping for your spirits this holiday season, please keep Spec's in mind and support the Rydman family!
These awards would not have been received if not for the long days and hours that League members April Lykos and Fran Fawcett-Peterson spent preparing these submissions. We are so very grateful to them for their dedication to showcasing the Houston Symphony League's endeavors.
The Symphony World in Harmony - Houston Symphony Ball 2022 is Saturday, January 29 at the Post Oak Hotel. Attendance at the Ball is a perfect way to support our orchestra while enjoying an evening among friends and other League members. You may purchase tickets online on the Houston Symphony website or by clicking here https://houstonsymphony.org/symphony-ball. Chaired by Beth Wolff, Bill Stubbs and Cheryl Byington, this is sure to be a success!
Magical Musical Morning
It was simply magical! Event Chair Tammie Johnson created a magnificent day for 132 children and their families as they stamped their passports traveling the globe at River Oaks Country Club. Tammie dedicated many months to planning this successful fundraiser for the League, and we thank her for working tirelessly on making this holiday tradition a wonderful experience. The children enjoyed face painting, visits with Santa, instrument petting zoo, arts and crafts and so much more.
Many thanks to Ann Tornyos and Kristin Turnak for their creativity in making fun arts and crafts for the kids.
Each table that the children visited reflected the four countries from the honorees and was beautifully decorated by Liz Kierum and Penny Gilbert. Many thanks to our in-house designers, Liz and Penny!
We are so grateful to Clare Fontenot-Gray, Cheryl Boblitt, Kusum Patel and Jan Rhodes for incorporating their family's heritage into the event.
We so appreciate all the HSL members who also volunteered for this event. It simply would not have been possible without our dedicated League members who donated their time and resources.
Houston Symphony Holiday Performances
Check laughter and cheer off your holiday list by attending the Houston Symphony's traditional holiday programming. Favorites such as Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, Musical Treats from The Nutcracker – for Kids, Very Merry POPS and Handel's Messiah are sure to put you in the holiday spirit during December! Jones Hall's beautifully-decorated foyer with the grand Christmas tree in the lobby is the perfect holiday photo opportunity! Click here to purchase tickets or give the Gift of Music .
I am endlessly grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 84th President of the Houston Symphony League; it is truly one of my greatest honors. I cannot thank you enough for the contributions and leadership you have provided to support the League this past year, and I am incredibly excited about the coming New Year.
Finally, I send each of you best wishes for your health and happiness throughout the coming holidays and New Year!
With gratitude,
Leslie Siller, President
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CALENDAR
Family Concerts
January 11 and 12, 2022
Jones Hall
Mah Jongg Mavens
Thursday, January 13, 2022
Lakeside Country Club
Wine TastingOn The Deck
January 13, 2022
Brenner's On The Bayou
Houston Symphony Ball
Saturday, January 29, 2022
Post Oak Hotel
HSL General Board Meeting
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Bayou Bend Kilroy Visitor Center
League Adventures
February 23, 2022
Seasons 52
4410 Westheimer Road
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NEIMAN MARCUS FALL FASHION SHOW AND CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION
The Houston Symphony League (HSL) hosted a champagne reception featuring the latest in Fall fashions and beauty trends. Heather Almond, Neiman Marcus’ Brand Experience manager, led the charge and Vice President and General Manager, Chris Hendel made the rounds and charmed everyone in attendance.
This is an annual fall tradition between HSL and Neiman’s which has been ongoing for the last 17 years. The crowd mingled while sipping champagne, listening to Divisi Strings and participating in a drawing for a gift basket donated by Sisley and a $500 gift card from Neiman Marcus. The seated lunch included goodie bag featuring samples from Sisley. The event was a huge success raising over $9100.
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Leslie Siller, Chris Hendel & Cynthia Wolff, Chair |
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Lilly Andress, Vickie West, Leslie Siller, Maureen Higdon |
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Beth Wolff, Fran Peterson, Jacquie Baly & Cheryl Byington |
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Karinne McCullough, Lidiya Gold & Liz Kierum |
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Stacey Swift, Darlene Clark & Donna Shen |
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B # Brunch No 2 on February 8, 2022
11.30 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.
Please join us for our second B # Brunch of the season on February 8, 2022:
The Power of Rhythm and Sound – The Role of the Human Voice in our Emotional and Social Lives.
Rhythm and Sound are directly connected to our emotional intelligence. This age of virtual actuality highlights how communication takes place on multiple levels, exceeding language. Let us explore the role of the human voice in our emotional and social lives.
Our speaker will be Mezzo Soprano Sonja Bruzauskas. Born and raised in Germany, Sonja was trained on both sides of the Atlantic. Besides her expansive career in musical theater, opera and operetta, she is a well-established concert singer and recitalist, focusing on German Art Song and contemporary music. She held numerous board and director positions, including director for the Theatre Forum at Round Top, and recently completed her term as President of the Philosophical Society at Rice University. She is the founder and director of Partnerschools, a project that connects students through the Arts to strengthen communities.
Place TBD.
If you haven’t yet subscribed for the whole series, we invite you to pay for the individual ticket of $ 50 by clicking here or sending a check to Stacey Swift, Houston Symphony,
615 Louisiana St., Suite 102, Houston, TX 77002
For further questions please contact Ursula Muenzel at u.muenzel@gmx.net or 713.301.0498
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Social Connections Groups
When you are a Houston Symphony League member, you will have the opportunity to be a part of the newly formed Social Connections Groups which allows League members to develop close friendships with each other and with the Houston Symphony. Each Social Connection Group member has the opportunity to further develop friendships by volunteering in Jones Hall for the Student Concerts in January and February 2022.
Perhaps YOU will be a part of one (or more) of the Groups listed below:
1. Symphony Soles walking group meets twice a week in Memorial Park and the third Wednesday at the Houstonian. Chair: Terri Romano
2. Mah Jongg Mavens The next Houston Symphony League Mah Jongg Mavens day of playing Mah Jongg and enjoying lunch at Lakeside Country Club will be Thursday, January 13,2022. Please bring $20.00 to cover cost of lunch. Contact chair, Lucy Lewis, if you would like to join us for our day of camaraderie, food, fun and games at lucyhlewis@yahoo.com.
3. Gourmet Society On Nov. 9th Social Connections Gourmet Society members gathered at Culinary Institute LeNotre for our first Baking Class. The minute we walked through the doors the lovely aroma of freshly baked pastries filled the air! Our fabulous instructor demonstrated how to bake a delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Marble Pound Cake from scratch. Students followed along and made their own cake to take home! We had a tour of the school while our creations were in the oven, and finished the class by enjoying a lovely glass of Rose to celebrate the success of our masterpieces!
4. Wine Society - Our next get together will be Wine Tasting on the Deck at Brenner's on the Bayou, January 13, 2022 from 4:30 - 6pm. Chair: Heidi Rockecharlie
5. Exploring Houston's Arts and Culture meets once in the Fall and Spring for Houston Culture and Art experiences. Chair: Susan Osterberg
6. League Adventures meets twice in the Fall and Spring to experience different Houston locations for cocktails, light bites, dinner together, Symphony performances, or other Houston adventures. Chairs: Donna Mello and Beverly Hicks
7. Destination Getaway is a group trip together for a two-night stay with tours, lunch and dining experiences. Chair: Elise Glattier-Hollingsworth
Betty Tutor
VP Social Connections
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Wine Tasting on the Deck - Brenners on the Bayou |
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Thankful for our Symphony Musicians
After a hiatus of over 20 months since the Houston Symphony League had been able to fete the musicians of the Symphony with our signature “Orchestrated Lunches”, we were finally able to return to Jones Hall and surprise the orchestra members with a sweet treat and a personal note and gift card. Headed by Symphony League President, Leslie Siller and members, Mary Fusillo and Donna Shen, they were assisted by a group of fellow volunteers in hand-writing heart felt thank you notes to each of the 81 Symphony musicians. Helping with the penmanship tasks were Betty Tutor, Rita Aron, Lidiya Gold, Katherine Yzaguirre and Julie Fischer. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, between double orchestra rehearsals, Leslie, Donna and Mary surprised the musicians and handed out the cookies and cards. Orchestra members were surprised and especially thankful for each handwritten note.
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Donna Shen, Leslie Siller and Mary Fusillo |
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Cookies for the Symphony musicians |
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Student Concert Volunteers Needed
We’re excited to welcome Houston area students back to Jones Hall for Student Concerts beginning Wednesday, January 12, 2022. Other dates are:
Tuesday, January 25
Wednesday, January 26
Thursday, January 27
Wednesday, February 2
There are two concerts each day and we need at least 16 volunteers for each concert. Volunteers greet students as they arrive and help them get to their assigned seats. Following the concert, volunteers help students exit Jones Hall and return to their buses.
Benefits include helping students feel welcome to Jones Hall and the Houston Symphony, enjoying the concert yourself after students are seated and getting your steps in for the day.
If you are interested in participating in this awesome opportunity, please email Deb Happ at dahapp37@gmail.com.
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BOARD ADMINISTRATION
Please submit all your volunteer hours to Rita Aron at raron22@comcast.net or 713-416-5436. All volunteers for Magical Musical Morning and Family Concert crafts should submit an update to Rita.
Congratulations to all our members who give of their time to support the Symphony. So far this year we have donated over 1700 hours of volunteer time.
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MEMBERSHIP
We’re so happy to have 28 New Members join our Houston Symphony League! Many of them joined us for the Holiday Luncheon at Nancy Peiser’s home. (See photo below - names left to right).
The New Members that are not pictured in the photo are: Janet Aigner, Shawna Bloom, Cheryl Boblitt, Brittney Borener, Susan Davis, Emily Donner, Heather Harvery, Jacqueline Holland, Alicia Jansen, Rachel Klaassen, Faith Majors, Malaika Mukuro, Duyen Nguyen, Michele Noel, Regina Rogers, Mariana Servitje, Cooper Smith, Charity Yarborough.
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Paige Cawthorn, Cindy Cook, Laurie Coton, Kim Padgett, Diane Roederer, Raquel Lewis, Alex Brown, Stephanie von Stein Schusterman, Vaneisha Brown. |
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Leila Perrin shown with Beth Wolff and Cheryl Byington. |
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HOLIDAY PARTY AT NANCY PEISER'S |
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Nancy Peiser, hostess and Mary Dee Neal |
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Susan Binney and Heidi Rockecharlie |
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Mary Ann McKeithan and Darlene Clark |
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Leslie Siller & Angela Apollo |
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Roz Cooley & Leslie Nossaman |
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Beth Wolff, John Mangum, Nancy Peiser |
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Mary Ann Wilkins-Reynolds & Ami Figg |
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Leslie Nossaman & Donna Mello |
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HSL Volunteers - Santa's helpers |
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Kids enjoying Symphony musicians |
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Tammie Johnson, chair & Heidi Rockecharlie |
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HOUSTON SYMPHONY FAMILY CONCERTS |
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Waltrip High School musicians |
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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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Houston Symphony League
www.houstonsymphonyleague.com
Editor - Ann Cavanaugh
Photographer - Robert Chanon
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