29TH CONCERT SERIES
THE MOANIN’ FROGS
six saxophones
Sunday, October 13, 2024, 5 pm
Century Square
Supported by Brazos Valley Jazz Society
RUCKUS
flute, violin, bassoon, cello, guitars, bass, harpsichord
Sunday, November 10, 2024, 5 pm
First Presbyterian Church
Supported by Concerts on Carter Creek
THE STRING QUEENS
violin, viola, cello
Saturday, February 1, 2025, 5 pm
A&M United Methodist Church
LOS ANGELES GUITAR QUARTET
BACH TO BRAZIL
Saturday, March 22, 2025, 5 pm
A&M United Methodist Church
MIRÓ STRING QUARTET
HAYDN, SHAW, BEETHOVEN
Sunday, April 6, 2025, 5 pm
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Friends of Chamber Music’s
World Cultural Heritage Composition at the WORLD SHAKUHACHI FESTIVAL
Sunday, April 20, 2025, 4:30 pm
Rudder Theatre
Part of the World Shakuhachi Festival Texas 2025
RHT O U GH TIME&SPACEMusic
Te Deum
This season for the Brazos Valley Chorale will prove to be very musically diverse and eclectic. We start our season with a “tour de force” combining with the Texas A&M Century Singers and Women’s Chorus in collaboration with the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra to present Anton Bruckner’s Te Deum. This will be part of the Symphony’s Serenade to Music concert which will also feature our own Artistic Director and Conductor, Tom Gerber, as a soloist.
October 20, 2024 Rudder Auditorium, Texas A&M University
Tidings of Comfort and Joy
This year’s Christmas concert brings back the wonderful Bluebonnet Children’s Choir. We will sing familiar Christmas tunes and invite the audience to join us for a couple. If you have children, bring them along, as St. Nick has promised to visit! This concert is a great way to kick off Christmas with family and friends.
December 6, 2024 Holy Cross Lutheran Church, College Station, TX
Stage and Screen Spectacular! The third concert the Chorale will present is a variety show complete with dinner for the patrons. As the name suggests, the Chorale will be singing tunes from popular Broadway shows and perhaps some music from the movie screen. In addition, we will be showcasing the wealth of talent within the ensemble through small group and solo acts.
March 1, 2025 College Station Visitors Center, College Station, TX
Classical Echoes
Our final concert of the season will visit the music of Haydn and Mozart. These two musical giants are pillars within the classical world that greatly influenced the music today and will continue to influence tomorrow’s music.
May 4, 2025 First Presbyterian Church, Bryan, TX
Our program is made possible in part through Hotel Tax Revenue from the City of College Station through the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley. This project is also supported in part by an award from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
MUSIC Director 28 YEARS
Marcelo Bussiki, Music Director
Sue & J.C. Lee Music Director Chair
Marcelo Bussiki is the music director/conductor of the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra. He is also the Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs at Blinn College. He has had a passion for music since his early years. Born in Cuiaba, capital of Mato Grosso State in Brazil, Bussiki left home at age 14 to study at the Brazilian Conservatory of Music in Rio de Janeiro. He continued his conducting studies under Maestro Roberto Duarte at Rio de Janeiro Federal University. Upon graduation, he was named music director of the orchestra of the Federal University of Mato Grosso, a position he held for six years. Bussiki was awarded knighthood in the Ordem de Merito de Mato Grosso in recognition of his pioneering work in cultural expansion and musical education. He received the title of Oficial, the highest honor that the executive power can confer upon an artist in Brazil.
Bussiki came to the United States in 1992 under a scholarship from the Brazilian government and studied at the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. From 1994-1996, he directed that university’s New Music Ensemble, developing an extensive repertoire of modern and contemporary music. He received a doctorate of musical arts in conducting from the University of Houston in 1998.
During his tenure with the Brazos Valley Symphony, Bussiki has been in demand as a guest conductor in Texas and out of state. In September, 2002, he returned to his native Brazil under sponsorship from the Brazilian National Bank in Rio de Janeiro to conduct 15 performances of Gaetano Donizetti’s opera Viva la Mama, as well as other symphony concerts in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. In October 2001, he conducted a premiere performance of the Organ Concerto by vanguard U. S. composer Lou Harrison, featuring organist John Walker and the Carnegie-Mellon Percussion Ensemble, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Bussiki conducts several concerts a year at the International Festival Institute at Round Top, Texas. He was conductor for the International Guitar Festival in 2005, 2006, and again in 2016. In 2014, Bussiki was awarded the “Artist of the Year” honor by The Arts Council.
American Landscapes
Sunday, March 23, 2025 · 5:00pm Rudder Theatre
Marcelo Bussiki, conductor Sue & J.C. Lee Music Director’s Chair
25′ Appalachian Spring Suite Copland
25′ “Catfish Row” Symphonic Suite Gershwin from Porgy and Bess
I. Catfish Row
II. Porgy Sings
III. Fugue
IV. Hurricane
V. Good Mornin’, Sistuh
INTERMISSION
25′ Symphonic Dances Bernstein from West Side Story
I.Prologue
II. Somewhere
III. Scherzo
IV. Mambo
V. Cha Cha
VI. Meeting Scene
VII. “Cool” Fugue
VIII. Rumble
IX. Finale
*Times listed are approximate
Thank you and Welcome! We are thrilled to have you be a part of the 43rd Season of the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra (BVSO). Under the Direction of Maestro Marcelo Bussiki, each concert within this season has been designed to captivate and inspire. Since last season, because of the generosity of Ms. Sue Lee and her late husband Dr. J.C. Lee, the BVSO is honored to have the Musical Director’s Chair endowed in their name. It both recognizes Marcelo’s decades of dedication and guarantees the future of Maestros-to-come.
Under the dedicated leadership of our Executive Director, Sandra Castañon, we have seen a resurgence in attendance and community participation to pre-pandemic levels. Based on excellent feedback from BVSO members and patrons, we will continue to host the pre-concert receptions. These receptions are a great venue for members of the community to engage with fellow arts-lovers and occasionally musicians and special guests!
A special and emphatic thanks to our season sponsors: College Station Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz of College Station, BMW of College Station, College Station Ford, Aggieland Chevrolet, and College Station Nissan. The passion and leadership of BVSO Board Member Andy Wheeler, GM of Hyundai of College Station, helped craft this partnership which is vital to this season’s success. Thanks also to the Friends of the Symphony Orchestra (FASO), Ham Family, and the Rea Charitable Trust for their generous support of individual concerts. Additionally, because of the BVSO Endowment we are able to host new and innovative programs such as Cirque de la Symphonie.
A community hallmark, and family favorite, Holiday Pops is once again sponsored by Becky and B. Don Russell in partnership with the Wakefield Foundation. Also, the always uplifting Youth Concerto has been further endowed by Tracy and Tamara Carter. Their increased and continued support ensures the longevity and impact of this scholarship. Our season concludes with the Classical Mystery Tour, which will appeal and resound with all generations through the music of the Beatles.
Once again, thank you for joining us for this celebration of community and music. It is for you and because of you that the BVSO is able to continue to captivate and inspire.
Sincerly, Blaine Decker
Photo Courtesy of Maria Baranova
Presenting innovative, culturally diverse, cutting-edge visual and performing arts since 2003
The Brazos Valley symphony socieTy graTefully acknowledges granT, TrusT, and communiTy supporT from:
The Clearfield Family
Eugene Edge, III Charitable Trust
The Ham Family Trust
Gilbert & Thyra Plass Charitable Trust
Plass Arts Foundation
Union Pacific
Rea Charitable Trust
Nina Astin Winkler Charitable Trust
Becky & B. Don Russell
This program made possible in part through Hotel Tax Revenue funded from the City of College Station through The Arts Center. This project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
in-kind supporT and serVices from:
American Landscapes
March 23, 2025
It was mainly during the twentieth century that music written by U.S. composers acquired its distinctively American sound, as opposed to a European one. Much of this American flavor comes from jazz and popular music. These styles, in turn, derive much of their rhythmic and melodic character from African American idioms. The three works in tonight’s concert and their composers all share things in common: They are all orchestral suites derived from larger theatrical works, and all three composers were Americans of Jewish background, who successfully bridged the worlds of classical and popular music (thus placing the United States on the world’s musical stage), and who utilized other ethnic music styles in their works.
Appalachian Spring
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was born on November 14, 1900, in Brooklyn, New York, and he died in Tarrytown (Sleepy Hollow), New York on December 2, 1990. His ballet, Appalachian Spring, premiered on October 30, 1944, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D. C. with Martha Graham as the lead dancer and choreographer.
Bierstadt, Albert. Among the Sierra Nevada, California. 1868, Smithsonian American Art Museum
PROGRAM Notes
Copland named the work simply “Ballet for Martha,” for it was commissioned by Martha Graham (1894-1991), a famous dancer and choreographer, and Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, a music patron. Graham herself supplied the title from a line in a poem by Hart Crane. The story takes place in rural Pennsylvania and concerns a group of pioneers (including a couple of newlyweds, a revivalist preacher and his followers, and a neighbor) celebrating the building of a farmhouse. Originally the ballet was scored a small orchestra of only 13 instruments. The following year, Copland arranged the music into an eight-movement suite (the ballet had fourteen movements) for a larger orchestra, which became the most popular version. Still later, in 1972, the orchestral suite was re-arranged with the scoring for the original ballet. In 1945, only a year after its first performance, Copland received a Pulitzer Prize for this composition. Appalachian Spring is one of the most widely played pieces of classical music by an American composer, due largely to the iconic hymn tune, “Simple gifts,” a traditional hymn of the Shakers, a small, celibate Protestant sect known for its craftsmanship and an austere communal lifestyle. Thus, in Copland’s hands, a simple hymn became an emblem of the pioneering American spirit.
The suite is divided in eight episodes, which Copland describes:
1. Very slowly. Introduction of the characters (newlywed farm couple, neighbor, revivalist preacher and his followers), one by one, in a suffused light.
2. Allegro (fast). Sudden burst of unison strings in A major arpeggios starts the action. A sentiment both elated and religious gives the keynote to this scene.
3. Moderato. Duo for the bride and her intended – scene of tenderness and passion.
4. Allegro--quite fast. The revivalist and his flock. Folksy feeling – suggestions of square dances and country fiddlers.
5. Subito allegro (still faster). Solo dance of the bride – presentiment of motherhood. Extremes of joy and fear and wonder.
6. As at first (slowly). Transition scene to music reminiscent of the introduction.
7. Doppio movimento. Calm and flowing. Scenes of daily activity for the bride and her farmer husband. There are five variations on a Shaker theme, introduced by a solo clarinet.
8. Moderato-Coda. The bride takes her place among her neighbors. At the end the bride and groom are left “quiet and strong in their new house.” Muted strings intone a hushed prayer-like chorale passage. The close is reminiscent of the opening music.
“Catfish
Row” Symphonic Suite from Porgy and Bess
George Gershwin
I. Catfish Row
II. Porgy Sings
III. Fugue
IV. Hurricane
V. Good Mornin’, Sistuh
George Gershwin (originally named Jacob Gershowitz or Gershwine) was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 26, 1898, and he died in Hollywood, California on July 11, 1937. During his short life, and while radio and the recording industry were still young, Gershwin became one of the earliest composers to bring jazz and Tin Pan Alley into the formal concert hall. In 1934 he and his older brother, Ira (his main lyricist) began an ambitious project—a full-scale opera about African American life in Charleston, South Carolina. Novelist DuBose Heyward wrote the libretto, incorporating the Gullah dialect of the southeastern U. S. into the dialogue. Porgy and Bess premiered on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on October 10, 1935, with an all-African American cast. The tragic story takes place in Catfish Row, a fictional slum in Charleston, and recounts the love that develops between Porgy, a penniless disabled man, and Bess, a woman trying to escape an abusive relationship, prostitution, and drug addiction. As in his other music, Gershwin integrated sounds from jazz and the blues into the operatic score. He called it a “folk opera”, but he did not use any actual folk music in it. After the opera’s initial run, he created a five-movement orchestral suite from its main themes, which Ira Gershwin named Catfish Row Suite. Audiences will recognize the languid “Summertime,” and Porgy’s arias, “I got plenty o’ nuttin’” and “Bess, you is my woman now.” Alexander Smallens conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra in the premiere of this suite on January 21, 1936, at the Academy of Music in Philly. Gershwin’s early death from a brain tumor deprived the world of an important composer. Today, Porgy and Bess is recognized as perhaps America’s greatest opera.
Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein was born on August 25, 1918, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and died on October 14, 1990, in New York. His hugely popular musical, West Side Story, premiered at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway (New York City) on September 26, 1957, with Max Goberman conducting. West Side Story is a modernized version of Romeo and Juliet, in which an ill-fated romance between a white boy (Tony) and a Puerto Rican girl (Maria) is set amidst ethnically charged gang rivalry in the slums of New York City in the 1950’s. Ater a two-year run of over 700 performances, Bernstein arranged nine Symphonic Dances from the musical. Lukas Foss conducted the New York Philharmonic in the premiere of the Symphonic Dances at a gala concert in Bernstein’s honor on February 13, 1961.
The printed score includes the following descriptions:
Prologue (Allegro moderato): The growing rivalry between two teenage street gangs, the Jets and Sharks.
“Somewhere” (Adagio): In a visionary dance sequence, the two gangs are united in friendship.
Scherzo (Vivace e leggiero): In the same dream, they break through the city walls and suddenly find themselves in a world of space, air, and sun.
Mambo (Meno presto): Reality again; competitive dance between the gangs.
Cha-cha (Andantino con grazia): The star-crossed lovers [Tony and Maria] see each other for the first time and dance together.
Meeting Scene (Meno mosso): Music accompanies their first spoken words.
Cool Fugue (Allegretto): An elaborate dance sequence in which the Jets practice controlling their hostility.
Rumble (Molto allegro): Climactic gang battle during which the two gang leaders are killed.
Finale (Adagio)—Love music developing into a procession, which recalls, in tragic reality, the vision of “Somewhere.”
Notes by Felicia Piscitelli
Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors!
Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors!
Wakefield Foundation
2024-2025 BVSS Board of Directors
Ryan Becker, Secretary
Karen Bonarrigo
Blanche Brick
Marcelo Bussiki, Music Director
Sue & J.C. Lee Music Director Chair
Pierce Cantrell
Sandra Castanon, Executive Director
Benton Cocanougher, 1st Vice President
Mike Connor, President Elect
Joe Cook, Communications Director
Blaine Decker, President
Becky Hall, FASO President
Don Hellriegel, Treasurer
Chuck Hermann
Sue Lee, 2nd Vice President
Cathy Loving, Past President
Adam Mikeal, Orchestra Representative
Elizabeth Natsios
Matt Prochaska
Scott Shafer
Melissa Sibley, Bush Board Fellow
Thomas Teegeman, Bush Board Fellow
Rod Thornton
Martha Vilas
Andrew Wheeler
Gaines West
Penny Zent, Orchestra Chair
For the past 40 years, an auxiliary organization called FASO (Friends Association of the Symphony Orchestra) has provided the volunteer hours required to promote and stage the exciting Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra concerts you enjoy each season.
We invite you to become a member of FASO this year to help increase educational opportunities and appreciation for classical music in the Brazos Valley. Membership applications may be found on the symphony website: bvso.org/faso/
Follow us on Facebook at @faso2021
2024-2025 FASO Officers
Becky Hall - President
Jennifer Wood - President Elect
Sandy Farris - Past President
Lana Wood - 1st Vice President
TBD - 2nd Vice President
Anne Prescott - 3rd Vice President
Beth Pennebaker - Secretary
Colleen Holmes - Treasurer
– Members-at-Large –
Sue Lee, Karen Melvin, Julia Beazer, Kathy Brewer, Jane Miller
Alice Hoelscher - TASO Representative
Investing in a Brazos Valley TREASURE . . .
If the symphony is important to you today, help make sure it continues for their tomorrow. When you include the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra in your estate plans, you provide a foundation for great symphonic music to continue in the Brazos Valley for the next generation. For more information, contact the Executive Director, Sandra Castañon, at 979-696-6100 or sandra@bvso.org
BRAZOS VALLEY Symphony Orchestra
Marcelo Bussiki, Music Director
Sue & J.C. Lee Music Director Chair
Violin I
Javier Chaparro, Concertmaster
Creighton Miller Concertmaster Chair
Naomi Frausto
Letty Fuentes
Edward Ji
Eddy Marcano
Steve Merson
Chris Tran
Oscar Vera
Chris Walters
Yuan Wu
Violin II
Adam Mikeal, Principal
Laura Callon
Dustin Cunningham
Ethan Lammayot
Gregory Mata
Lucina Reyes
James Robertson
Mario Zelaya
Viola
Luis Perez, Principal
Tam Duong
Paul Duston
John Holguin
Sam Lee
Omeed Manshouri
Cello
Jane McCormick, Principal
Ward & Diane Wells Cello Chair
Alex Lammayot
Tom Lawshae
Elizabeth Lee
Andrew Nguyen
Jaqui Wogick
Bass
Gaven Krase, Principal
Sabrina Behrens
Ray Fisher
Christian Harvey
Andy Moritz
Flute
Penny Zent, Principal
The Hermann Family Flute Chair
Jessica Borski-Owens
Nami Kimura
Oboe
Rebecca Fairweather-Haskins, Principal
Amy Burgus
Jaleen Seshadri
Clarinet
Roberto Guzman, Acting Principal
Mark Arritola
Scott Byers
Aaron Martinez
Bassoon
Luis de la Garza, Acting Principal
Hugo Alfred Doege
Contra Bassoon
Shawn Karson
Horn
Mary McNeel, Principal
John Craig Hubbard
Chris Shelburne
Russell Vogt
Trumpet
Phil Scoles, Principal
Edgar Jaime
Wesley Miller
Colin Sieg
Trombone
Ramiro Cortez, Acting Principal
Steve Vogel
Bass Trombone
Michael Johnson
Tuba
Ethyn Evans, Principal
Saxophone
Andrew Wheeler
Timpani
Todd Quinlan, Principal
Percussion
Sarah Burke, Principal
Gary Martin Percussion Chair
Zach Edwards
Grant Gould
Patrick Slevin
Harp
Ayren Huslig
Piano / Celesta
Mariaclara Welker
Banjo
Halston Luna
ENDOWMENT Fund
On behalf of the BVSO and the community we serve, the Brazos Valley Symphony Society wishes to express their deep gratitude to the following individuals who have served as members of The Endowment Committee since its inception in 2015:
Current Committee Members
Gaines West – Co-Chair
Cindy Craigen – Co-Chair
Dr. Charles Hermann
Dr. Cathy Loving
Ward Wells
Larry Zuber
Blaine Decker
Past Committee Members
Alisa Boatner
John Bohnsack
Blanche Brick
Katherine Payne
Joe Ramirez
Dick Witherite
BVSS Presidents – 2015-2025
John Bohnsack
Blaine Decker
Kathy de Figueiredo
Jennifer Fredericks
Dr. Charles Hermann
Steve Krusie
Dr. Cathy Loving
Matt Prochaska
Gaines West
Ex Officio
Sandra Castanon – BVSO Exec. Dir.
Dr. Mary Koeninger – Former BVSO Exec. Dir.
Faithfully served and dearly missed:
Bonnie Denny
Gary Martin
Dr. Creighton Miller
Jeannie Miller
Rose VanArsdel
Endowed Orchestra Chair Funding Levels
Chair Endowment enables you to support a position within the Orchestra that has a personal resonance or is of special interest to you. This is a hugely satisfying and personal way in which to contribute to the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra’s music-making. Endowed Chairs can be named in honor of a family member, friend, or an admired person or organization.* A chair may be endowed in perpetuity or for a term of five years.
Music Director ($250,000 Endowed)
Sue & J.C. Lee Music Director Chair
Concertmaster ($125,000 Endowed)
Creighton Miller Concertmaster Chair
Cello ($50,000 Endowed)
Ward & Diane Wells Cello Chair
Flute ($50,000 Endowed)
The Hermann Family Flute Chair
Percussion ($50,000 Endowed)
Gary Martin Percussion Chair
Endowed
Principal Chairs
Violin II
Viola
Permanent Endowment
Brazos Valley
Symphony Society
Permanent Endowment
A strong endowment ensures that there is an enduring source of funding for immediate and future needs of this Brazos Valley treasure—the BVSO. Endowments grow over time to create a legacy of education, culture, and artistic development as they extend the impact of the donor’s generosity beyond a lifetime. The investment income from the BVSO Permanent Endowment will provide a foundation for great symphonic music to continue in the Brazos Valley for the next generation and beyond.
pledged or received as of March 10, 2025
Founders ($100,000+)
Ruth Clearfield Memorial Fund
Larry & Mary Koeninger
Sue & J.C. Lee
Bert & Mary Loudon
Gary & Lynn Martin
Creighton & Jeannie Miller
Bookman & Florence Peters
Rose P. VanArsdel
Ward & Diane Wells
Diamond ($50,000 - $99,999)
Anonymous
Tracy & Tamara Carter
Lorraine & Chuck Hermann
Taylor & Cindy Craigen
Carolyn McDaniel
Platinum ($25,000 - $49,999)
In Memory of Evelyn & Fred Anderholm
Penelope Kosztolnyik & Joe Ham
Stephanie Sale & Jim Singleton
Susan & Gaines West
Linda & Dick Witherite
Gold ($10,000 - $24,999)
Anonymous
Nancy E. & Mark Browning
Maestro Marcelo Bussiki
Carol & Pierce Cantrell
Chrissie & Jay Granberry
The Coulter & Lily Rush Hoppess Foundation, Inc.
Jan & Bill Johnson
Anonymous
Cathy & Jerry Loving
Joann Monroe
John & Carol Nichols
Joyce Nies & Peter Witt
Valerie & David Woodcock
Rodney & Penny Zent
Silver ($5,000 - $9,999)
Don & Pat Allen Rice
David & Joanne Claridge
Bonnie & Otway Denny
Gary & Judy Hart
Linda & Paul Parrish
Karen & Michael Pilant
Ellen & Penrod Thornton
Elizabeth & Bill Ward
BRONZE ($1,000
- $4,999)
Steven & Lisa Aldrich
Bob & Dorothy Anderson
Jennifer & Chandler Arden in Memory of Valerie Woodcock
Althea Bair-Sutherland
Briaud Financial Advisors
Jo Berg
Robert & Blanche Brick
Cydney Collier Donnell
John & Naomi Fackler
Warren & Mary Finch
Rainer & Tammy Fink
Jan Folse
Jennifer Fredericks
Stephen A. Fulling
Phil & Zo Granberry
Gary & Judy Hart in Memory of Jeannie Miller
Edward E. & Ruth Anne Hazen
Alice & Clifford Hoelscher
Michael J. King & Robin L. Altholz
Randi & Averyt Knapp
Celebrating Virginia & Russell Mays
Karen Kubena
Claire & John Lillie
Marti Marberry & Thomas Roraff
John & Leslie Miller
Andrew & Elizabeth Natsios
Carol Parzen
Joyce Perkins in Memory of Richard C. Perkins
Rhonda Raphael Sheran Riley
Jami & John Rudinger, Jr.
Dave & Lou Ellen Ruesink
Becky & B. Don Russell
Carol & Mark Sadoski
Thomas Sadoski & Amanda Seyfried in Honor of Carol & Mark Sadoski
Jack Skinner
FRIEND (UP TO $999)
Sara Alpern Anonymous
Kenneth & Kathi Appelt
Pat & Sarah Ashburn
Karen Bachman
Leonard & Nancy Berry
Carol & Doug Biggs
Brett & Alisa Boatner
Robert C. Borden
Leonard L. Bowden
Scott Ball & Janice Bradshaw
Lorence & Zora Bravenec
Karen Buck & Porscha Buck
Jack & Mary Campbell
Irwin & Claudia Carroll
Dara & Judith Childs
Charlotte Christman
Robert H. Clearfield
Franco & Sandra da Conturbia
Olga & Brett Cooke
Marian & Gus Cothran
The Dangott Family Trust
Mr. David Dellwo & Mrs. Nancy Inglis
Ronald & Barbara Douglas
Norma Dunn
in Memory of Cindy Still
Billie Elmendorf
John Fackler
in Memory of Jeannie & Creighton Miller
Ann Fancher
Chris & Sandra Farris
Anonymous
Jack & Anita Friedman
Ivy V. Geiger
Gracie Graves
Don & Rosemary Green
Lisa Halperin & Jonathan
Coopersmith
Anonymous
General Joe G. Hanover
W.T. (Bill) Harper
Tom & Lynda Henry
Susan & Rodney Hill
Susan Irza
Anonymous
Myong & Pedro Ledesma
Robert & Candace Leslie
Karon & Glenn Mathews
David & Jeanette McMahon in Memory of Tom Roraff
Dr. & Mrs. Glenn Miller
Jane Miller
Jeannie Miller in Memory of Tom Roraff
Leon & Junett Noack in Memory of Tom Roraff
Dr. Ozden Ochoa
Mohsen & Terri Pourahmadi
Matthew & Merrilee Prochaska
The Quackenbush Kids
Thomas & Liana Rike in Memory of Tom Roraff
Larry & Jean Ringer
The Family of Arthur & Rosalie Roraff in Memory of Tom Roraff
Mary Frances Ross Schade Family
Jay & Barbara Schleppenbach in Memory of Tom Roraff
Timothy Seubert
Mary Sherwood in Memory of Tom Roraff
Matt & Toni Straley in Memory of Tom Roraff
Barbara & Emil Straube
Connie Swing Surrency
Mrs. Dwayne (Carol) Suter
Mrs. Ann W. Thompson
Milton Thompson
Margaret E. Touchstone
Victor & Jo Ann Treat
Harvey & Sandy Tucker
Randy & Mary Ulery
Brad & Pat Vinson
Tom Vogel & Barbara Gastel
Barbara Buffington Walker
Bob Warden & Eva Read-Warden
Doris & Rand Watson
Anne & Thomas Wehrly
Ann Wiatt
Mary Jane Wiggins
Lima & Joe Williams
Dr. Arthur V. Wolfe
Dr. & Mrs. Grant Wolfe
William & Mary Young
Gaines & Susan West in Memory of Bonnie Denny
Gaines & Susan West in Memory of Jeannie Miller
The Brazos Valley Symphony Society is most grateful to the individuals who, by their monetary commitment or through other unique forms of support, make possible the continued growth of the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra’s many outstanding artists, programs and services. Listed below are those individuals that have made gifts or pledges to the Symphony through the DONOR SUBSCRIPTION LEVELS and ANNUAL FUND DRIVE as of March 10, 2025 for the Orchestra’s 43rd season.
Maestro ($10,000+)
The Clearfield Family
Friends Association of the Symphony Orchestra
The Ham Family Trust
Don Hellriegel*
Soloist ($5,000-$9,999)
Sue Lee*
Joyce Perkins
Becky & B. Don Russell
The Wakefield Foundation
Concertmaster ($2,000-$4,999)
Bob & Dorothy Anderson
Sarah & Pat Ashburn
Pierce Cantrell*
In Memory of Carol Cantrell
David & Joanne Claridge
Blaine* & Hannah Decker
Jan & Bill Johnson
Principal ($1,000-$1,999)
Fred & Cheryl Anderholm
Fuller & Gloria Bazer
Ryan* & Kari Becker
Paul & Karen* Bonarrigo
Robert & Blanche Brick*
Mike* & Sheila Connor
Bruce & Mary Ann Dickson in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Terrance & Stacy Dill
Rainer & Tami Fink
Jane Flaherty
Gary & Judy Hart
Charles* & Lorraine Hermann
Clifford & Alice Hoelscher
Mark & Carol Holtzapple
John & Claire Lillie
Jerry & Cathy Loving*
Brent Maxwell & Patricia Burchfield
Jo Monroe
Andrew & Elizabeth Natsios*
Carolyn Adair
Marcelo Bussiki*
John & Carol Nichols
Michael & Karen Pilant
David & Lou Ellen Ruesink
Mark & Carol Sadoski
Jack Skinner
Shirley Smith in Memory of Robert E. Smith
Charles Still
Robert & Katherine Thomas
Ellen & Penrod Thornton*
Harvey & Sandy Tucker
Tom Vogel & Barbara Gastel
Rand & Doris Watson
Dean & Dorothy Wichern
Eric & Julie Wilke
Peter Witt & Joyce Nies
David & Valerie Woodcock
Rod & Penny Zent*
Patron ($500-$999)
Albert & Mary Loudon
Sheran Riley
Benton Cocanougher*
Sandra da Contrubia
Claude & Joanna Gibson
Tom & Linda Henry
Charles & Barbara Johnson in Memory of Sandy Tucker
William Kennamore
James B. Kracht in Memory of Erin Kracht
Susan & David Lancaster in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Billy & Mary Jo Lay
Scott* & Debe Shafer in Honor of Peggy Shafer
Carl Shafer
Bobby & Nita Smith
Charlotte Stevens
Martha Vilas*
Ward & Diane Wells
Ann Wiatt
Mary Williams
Dick & Linda Witherite
The Estate of Arthur Wolfe
Friend ($50-499)
Dee Dee & Jon Acklam in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Kim & Mark Bellard in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Nancy Blair in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Judy & Brian Bochner in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Leonard Bowden
Nelda Bravo in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Mark & Nancy Browning
Pierce Cantrell in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Zou & Boyd Cherry
Claudette Louard-Clarke in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Miramont Country Club in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Brett & Olga Cooke
Margie & Jim Dyer in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Ann Ercelawn in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Kim Feldman
Donna Fong in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Dale & Lisa Fritz in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Dale & Lisa Fritz in Memory of Valerie Woodcock
Stephen Fulling
Anat & Nehemia Geva
Phil & Zo Granberry
Mr. & Mrs. Julius Gribou in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Bob & Becky* Hall
Kay Hart
Friend ($50-499)
in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Mike & Janet Higgins in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Rodger Koppa
Andreas Kronenberg
Roger Kuhnle
William & Laurine Marlow
Patricia McDermott in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Linda Jackson & Bill Mosley in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Gary Pfrehm in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Susan Portis in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Rhonda & Rob Putz
Matt* & Merrilee Prochaska
Joe & Lorrie Quinlan
Werner Rose
Dave & Lou Ellen Ruesink in Memory of Valerie Woodcock
Byron & Ann Stebbins
Gib & Nancy Sawtelle in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Gib & Nancy Sawtelle in Memory of Valerie Woocock
Greg & Madeline Stiles in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Linda Stockton in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Dean Thompson
Doris & Rand Watson in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Doris & Rand Watson in Memory of Valerie Woodcock
Ward & Diane Wells in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Thomas & Anne Wehrly
Erica Wheeler in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Katherine Williams
Grant & Wendy Wolfe in Memory of Sandy Tucker
Mr. Roland Schweitzer & Dr. Susan Woodward
* Symphony Society Board Member
Interested in Hosting a Musician?
We are considering reviving our Host Homes program, which offers short-term housing for visiting musicians during concert weekends or longer engagements. This program not only provides a comfortable home for our artists but also fosters meaningful connections within our community.
If you're interested in learning more or would like to potentially participate, please scan and fill out the form below.
Filling out this form does not commit you to anything—it's simply a way for us to gauge interest and share more details.
Concerts on
presents 42nd Season . .
SUNDAYS at 5:00pm in the Sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church
October 6, 2024
November 10, 2024
March 9, 2025
April 6, 2025
CHASKI: flute + harp + a world full of music
RUCKUS: in collaboration with Friends of Chamber Music
SOUNDSCAPE & PANDA RING: Barbershop Quartets
HOUSTON CHAMBER RINGERS: Handbell Ensemble
FREE admission. FREE parking. Reception follows concert.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1100 Carter Creek Pkwy, Bryan Texas www.fpcbryan.org/concerts-on-carter-creek 979.823.8073 | music@fpcbryan.org Find “Concerts on Carter Creek” on Facebook
Extraco Wealth & Trust is the oldest trust company in central Texas, and continues to deliver high-quality asset management and trust services, guiding clients toward financial success.
TIME FOR THREE October 15, 2024
This year’s Intimate Gatherings season brings you up-close-and-personal with some of the most talented artists in the country. Secure your seats now to these three events coming to Rudder Theatre. Hurry, this series sells out fast!
THE 5 BROWNS February 6, 2025 UNSINKABLE WOMEN: STORIES & SONGS FROM THE TITANIC March 25, 2025
Intimate Gatherings Series Sponsored by
