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
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.
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
Amanda Key
Amanda Key is known for her “wonderful light lyric voice with a smashing top.” The American Soprano graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance and after she finished her master’s degree at the Conservatory in Amsterdam, she co-founded and was named artistic director of a Dutch opera company called B.O.O.M! Bold Opera on the Move.
She was blessed to sing in 11 different countries while living and working in Europe for 12 years. Amanda has performed various opera roles in productions such as Le Nozze di Figaro (Susanna) in Greece and the Netherlands, Vivaldi’s Ottone in Villa-Macht Oder Liebe (Tullia) with Oper Oder Spree in Germany, Cosi fan tutte (Despina) in Italy, Rigoletto (Gilda) in the Netherlands, Un Ballo in Maschera (Oscar) in Spain, Die Zauberflöte (Königin der Nacht and Erste Dame) in the Netherlands, Die Verkaufte Braut (Esmerelda and Kathinka) in the Netherlands, Dialogues of the Carmelites with Austin Lyric Opera, and L’Elisir D’Amore with the Dutch National Opera Academy. She also participated in many international masterclasses such as the International Opera Academy in Schwerte, Germany under the direction of Yamina Maamar and Norbert Schmittberg, performing Zerbinetta’s aria in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, the International Masterclass Circolo della Lirica di Padova, performing scenes from Rossini’s Il turco in Italia (Fiorilla) in Italy with director Stefano Vizioli, and performing Die Fledermaus (Ida) at the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel directed under Joan Dornemann of the New York Metropolitan Opera’s young artist program. She also attended the European Music Academy in Prague, Czech Republic under the direction of Maestro Wolfgang Scheidt and was a finalist in the 2016 Beethoven Award performing highlights from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (Susanna, and Barbarina) and Cosi fan tutte (Despina) with the North Czech Philharmonic at the world-famous Smetana Hall, Prague Municipal House.
Amanda also performed oratorio and church music as a soloist in more than 200 cathedrals throughout the Netherlands and Belgium, including repertoire from The Messiah by George Frideric Handel, Matthäus Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach, Ein deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms, Johannes Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach, Sacred songs by Karl Jenkins, Die sieben Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuz by Joseph Haydn, Requiem by John Rutter, Symphony No. 3 in D minor by Anton Bruckner, Brahm’s Requiem, and the Requiem by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with the Arnhems Oratorium Koor, Dordrecht Opera Koor, Belgian Vox Amicorum, Volendams Opera Koor, Groot Omroepkoor, and as a guest artist of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra.
Erin Wagner
American mezzo-soprano Erin Wagner is a passionate advocate for vocal music that embraces modern and diverse perspectives. She won the 2021 Naumburg Foundation Vocal Award, making her Carnegie Hall recital debut with the program “But how things change,” which featured works by Edie Hill, Fauré, Ravel, Errollyn Wallen, Shawn Chang, and Mahler. Erin also commissioned Errollyn Wallen to compose the song cycle JOY, which premiered in 2023.
An alumna of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Erin debuted as Jack in Dame Ethel Smyth’s The Wreckers and performed in Le Nozze di Figaro (Barbarina) and Salome (Page). She was named a First Prize Winner of the 2022 YCA Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, leading to debut performances at The Kaufman Center and The Kennedy Center. At the 2022 Merola Opera Program, she won the Schwabacher Recital Debut Auditions with Shawn Chang, and they later performed a recital at San Francisco Opera titled “Everything Must Change.”In 2023, Erin returned to the Aspen Music Festival as a Renée Fleming Artist, where she portrayed Idamante in Idomeneo and performed Schubert under Nicholas McGegan.
In the 2024-25 season, Erin will make her Metropolitan Opera debut in Richard Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten. She will also present a new work by David Ludwig on the Brooklyn Arts Song Series, participate in the New York Festival of Song at Merkin Hall, and perform with the Brazos Valley Symphony and the Maryland Symphony. Erin will be featured in the YCA Encore Series at the Morgan Library and the YCA Season Finale at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall.
Erin is dedicated to making art accessible to all. She commissioned Shawn Chang to compose “Marty’s Letter”, based on her father’s childhood, and collaborated with David Clay Mettens on The Sustaining Air, set to text by Larry Eigner. Erin holds a Master’s Degree from The Juilliard School, where she won the Juilliard Vocal Arts Honors Recital, and a Bachelor’s Degree from The Manhattan School of Music. She currently studies with Dr. Stephen King.
Alexei Kuznietsov
Alexei Kuznietsov (Ukrainian: Oleksii Kuznietsov) is a highly acclaimed international opera singer and tenor, renowned for his exceptional vocal range and captivating performances. Born and raised in Ukraine, Alexei has carved out a unique space in the world of opera with his deep passion for music and versatility in performance. He gained significant recognition when he became the winner of the prestigious X-Factor Ukraine, a pivotal moment that marked the beginning of his rise to international stardom.
In addition to his musical prowess, Alexei is also a professional athlete, having competed as a boxer for eight years at the professional level. His dedication to sports earned him the prestigious title of Master of Sport of Ukraine, reflecting his excellence and discipline in both fields. His dynamic combination of athletic and artistic talents sets him apart as a multifaceted performer.
Fluent in nine languages beyond his native Russian and Ukrainian, Alexei’s linguistic abilities allow him to deliver authentic and emotionally resonant performances across a wide range of cultures. His performances have taken him to prestigious venues around the globe, including Ukraine, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, France, Italy, Romania, Moldova, Austria, Switzerland, Cyprus, the United States, and Canada, where he continues to captivate audiences with his emotive voice and stage presence.
Alexei made his operatic debut in 2018, taking on the role of Lensky in P.I. Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” with Mannes Opera in New York City. His performance was lauded by critics and audiences alike, establishing him as a rising star in the world of classical music. The following year, in 2019, he debuted in another iconic role, performing in La Bohème with CVAI in Montreal, Canada.
Currently based in New York City, Alexei continues to perform on the international stage, further expanding his artistic repertoire and solidifying his reputation as a versatile and compelling tenor. His career is marked by continuous growth, with upcoming engagements that promise to showcase his extraordinary talents to even broader audiences.
For more information and updates on Alexei Kuznietsov’s upcoming performances and to stay connected with his journey, visit his official website at www.alexeikuznietsov.com, and follow him on social media at @alexeikuznietsov.
Guest Artist
Thomas Gerber
Originally from Austin, Minnesota, Thomas Gerber is the Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Texas A&M University, where he is honored to direct the Century Singers and Women’s Chorus. While at A&M, his choirs have been heard nationally and internationally. Recently, his choirs toured Spain, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. Additionally, the Women’s Chorus recently collaborated with the Radcliffe Singers of Harvard University, and the Century Singers collaborated with the Grammywinning group Chanticleer. Gerber also serves as the Artistic Director of the Brazos Valley Chorale here in Bryan-College Station, where he works with nearly 100 wonderful local singers who perform four varying concerts per season.
Before arriving at Texas A&M, he served as Music Director at Bishop England High School, where he conducted the Mixed Choir, Chorale, and Chamber Choir. During his tenure, the choirs of Bishop England made their Carnegie Hall debut, performing Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna and the Carnegie Hall premiere of William Menefields, Prism. In 2016, he received the Outstanding New Faculty Member Award.
Gerber served as the Associate Music Director of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Chorus from 2018-2020. He had the pleasure of preparing annual performances of Handel’s Messiah during his tenure. In 2019, he prepared the chorus for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in collaboration with CineConcerts and their Harry Potter™ Film Concert Series.
Gerber received his Bachelor of Arts in Choral and Instrumental Music Education from Luther College in Decorah, IA, under Dr. Allen Hightower and Dr. Edwin Andereck, where he was a section leader of the internationally acclaimed Nordic Choir. Gerber received his Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, OH, under the tutelage of Dr. Earl Rivers and Dr. Brett Scott while also studying voice with David Adams. While at CCM, Gerber served as a graduate research assistant to Dr. Eva Floyd and also taught the undergraduate voice methods class and voice lessons. He is finishing up his DMA in Choral Conducting with a related field in Vocal Pedagogy at the University of North Texas, Denton, TX. While at UNT, he served as the conducting associate for the UNT A Cappella Choir and Kalandra. At UNT, he was a student of Drs. Allen Hightower, Kristina MacMullen, and Stephen Austin.
Gerber has an extensive background in outdoor ministry and enjoys working with students of all ages and abilities. He strongly desires to make music available to those who might not have the opportunity or the means. He is passionate about getting as many people involved in a choir as possible while creating a sense of community through musical creation. When he’s not performing, Tom can be found jogging or walking his dogs, Chloe and Luna!
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
This program made possible in part through Hotel Tax Revenue funded from the City of College Station through The Arts Council. This project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
in-kind supporT and serVices from:
Romeo and Juliet Overture-fantasy Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Peter Ilich (Pyotr Ilyich) Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk, Russia on May 7, 1840, and he died in St. Petersburg on November 6, 1893. Nicolai Rubenstein conducted the premiere of the first version of Romeo and Juliet in March 1870; the third and final version of 1880 was first performed in 1886.
Romeo and Juliet is one of three works by Tchaikovsky inspired by Shakespeare’s plays. Mili Balakirev (1837-1910), a mentor to the Russian nationalist school, had suggested the subject to a young Tchaikovsky in 1869, and even made recommendations on how the work should be organized. Tchaikovsky was teaching at the Moscow Conservatory and was recovering from a failed love affair at the time; some writers propose that this situation may have propelled him to complete the piece in 1870. The first performance was less than successful, and Tchaikovsky revised the work, which was played in Germany in 1872. Balakirev was still not satisfied with it, and Tchaikovsky revised it a third time, taking his friend’s suggestions to heart. It is this third revision, completed in 1880, that is usually performed today.
This “overture-fantasy,” written in a sonata form, begins with a quiet section reminiscent of Russian church music; it is sometimes called the “Brother Lawrence” theme, for the monk who acts as an intermediary for the ill-fated lovers. This section accelerated to an agitated “Allegro giusto” with many rapid repeating notes suggesting the feuding families. The familiar “love theme” is stated first in a quiet section, but, after another agitated episode and a big crescendo, it breaks out in full Romantic color. Both the agitated section and the love theme return before a reminder of the “Brother Lawrence” theme reappears. Like Shakespeare’s play, the piece ends powerfully and tragically.
Passages from Romeo and Juliet have been quoted in various television shows and movies, perhaps most familiarly (and incongruously!) in A Christmas Story.
Serenade to Music
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph (pronounced Rafe) Vaughan Williams was born in Down Ampney, England on October 12, 1872, and he died in Hanover terrace, England, on August 26,1958. The premiere of his Serenade to Music was performed by sixteen vocal soloists, and instrumentalists drawn from the London Symphony, the London Philharmonic, and the BBC Symphony orchestras, conducted by Sir Henry Wood (to whom the composer dedicated the score in honor of Wood’s 50-year jubilee), in Royal Albert Hall in London on October 5, 1938. In 1951, Vaughan Williams conducted the work himself.
This richly orchestrated paean to music was originally performed by sixteen prominent British singers, each of whom had a solo part indicated in the score by his or her initials. The composer later arranged it for four soloists, choir, and orchestra. In the orchestral-only version, the voices are omitted, but the essence of the piece remains intact through its lush instrumental textures. The Serenade begins with a peaceful instrumental fantasy, evoking the serenity of the original setting. Vaughan Williams adapted the text from Act V, Scene I of The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, where two lovers (Lorenzo and Jessica, in the play) ponder the music of the spheres. The mood darkens as the music takes on a more introspective tone, reflecting the underlying emotional tension, before concluding with a return to the peaceful scene at the beginning.
Interestingly, Sergei Rachmaninov played his Piano Concerto No. 2 at the 1938 jubilee concert, where he heard the Serenade for Music, and was very moved by it.
Te Deum, WAB 45
Anton Bruckner
I. Te Deum laudamus
II. Te ergo quaesumus
III. Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis
IV. Salvum fac populum tuum
V. In Te, Domine speravi
Josef Anton Bruckner was born in Ansfelden (near Linz), Austria on September 4, 1824, and he died in Vienna, Austria on October 11, 1896. His setting of the Te Deum was first premiered in Vienna on May 2, 1885, in an arrangement for two pianos; the following year, Hans Richter conducted its first performance with full orchestra, also in Vienna
The Latin text of the Te Deum is one of the oldest Christian hymns, dating to the fourth or early fifth century. It is a lengthy hymn of praise sung in the Divine Office and on occasions of solemn rejoicing. For a long time, it had been ascribed to Saints Ambrose and Augustine, but that attribution is doubtful; its authorship remains uncertain. Many composers have set these words to music, either in Latin or in translation. A hymn familiar to many modern Christians, “Holy God, we praise thy name,” is based on it.
This year, 2024, marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Anton Bruckner, an Austrian composer, organist, and teacher. Although he is better known in the United States for his mighty symphonies, Bruckner also composed a great deal of choral music, particularly sacred music. Bruckner was a composer who worked slowly, making many revisions. He began writing his setting of the Te Deum in 1881 at the same time he was working on his Symphonies No. 6 and No. 7. His first draft did not contain the final fugue (the fifth section), which appears in the final version completed in 1884. A deeply religious man, he dedicated it “to the greater glory of God.”
The work is scored for four soloists, choir, large orchestra, and organ “ad libitum. It has the form of an arch, in that the beginning of the fifth section recalls the first; the fourth section begins like the second; and the climax is reached in the third section. Bruckner’s approach to the orchestra is often compared to selecting registrations for a huge pipe organ. Overall, the Te Deum is an expression of joy and triumph; the composer himself considered it “the pride of his life.”
Notes by Felicia Piscitelli
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
Marcelo Bussiki, Music Director
Sue & J.C. Lee Music Director Chair
Violin I
Javier Chaparro, Concertmaster
Creighton Miller Concertmaster Chair
Naomi Frausto
Edward Ji
Jarred Kennedy
Eddy Marcano
Steve Merson
Amanda Schubert
Oscar Vera
Chris Walters
Violin II
Adam Mikeal, Principal
Laura Callon
Dustin Cunningham
Darbi Green
Marco Hernandez
Ethan Lammayot
Lucina Reyes
James Robertson
Viola
Luis Perez, Principal
Tam Duong
Paul Duston
John Holguin
Omeed Manshouri
Carlo Mauricio
Cello
Jane McCormick, Principal
Ward & Diane Wells Cello Chair
Cony Knight
Alex Lammayot
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
Nami Kimura
Jessica Borski Owens
Oboe
Rebecca Fairweather-Haskins, Principal
Amy Burgus
Jaleen Seshadri
Clarinet
Jill Stewart, Principal
Mark Arritola
Bassoon
Luis De La Garza, Principal
Adam Drake
Horn
Mary McNeel, Principal
Sarah Au
John Craig Hubbard
Chris Shelburne
Trumpet
Phil Scoles, Principal
Wesley Miller
Trombone
Brian Logan, Principal
Steve Vogel
Bass Trombone
Michael Johnson, Principal
Tuba
Ethyn Evans, Principal
Timpani
Todd Quinlan, Principal
Percussion
Zach Edwards, Principal
Gary Martin Percussion Chair
Jonathan Englishbee
Harp
Lily Primus
Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors!
Thank
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
Jennifer Fredericks
Becky Hall, FASO President
Don Hellriegel, Treasurer
Chuck Hermann
Sue Lee, 2nd Vice President
Cathy Loving, Past President
Adam Mikeal, Orchestra Representative
Elizabeth Natsios
Kathy Payne
Matt Prochaska
Scott Shafer
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
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.
Endowment Fund
pledged or received as of October 1, 2024
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
Ellen & Penrod Thornton
Elizabeth & Bill Ward
BRONZE
($1,000 - $4,999)
Steven & Lisa Aldrich
Bob & Dorothy Anderson
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
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
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
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 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 October 1, 2024 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)
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
Bob & Dorothy Anderson
Fuller & Gloria Bazer
Ryan* & Kari Becker
Paul & Karen* Bonarrigo
Robert & Blanche Brick*
Mike* & Sheila Connor
Terrance & Stacy Dill
Rainer & Tami Fink
Jane Flaherty
Gary & Judy Hart
Charles* & Lorraine Hermann
Clifford & Alice Hoelscher
John & Claire Lillie
Jerry & Cathy Loving*
Brent Maxwell & Patricia Burchfield
Jo Monroe
Andrew & Elizabeth Natsios*
John & Carol Nichols
Michael & Karen Pilant
David & Lou Ellen Ruesink
Mark & Carol Sadoski
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)
Carolyn Adair
Benton Cocanougher*
Sandra da Contrubia
Claude & Joanna Gibson
Tom & Linda Henry
William Kennamore
James B. Kracht
in Memory of Erin Kracht
Billy & Mary Jo Lay
Albert & Mary Loudon
Scott* & Debe Shafer in Honor of Peggy Shafer
Carl Shafer
Bobby & Nita Smith
Martha Vilas*
Ward & Diane Wells
Ann Wiatt
Mary Williams
Dick & Linda Witherite
The Estate of Arthur Wolfe
Friend ($50-499)
Leonard Bowden
Mark & Nancy Browning
Zou & Boyd Cherry
Brett & Olga Cooke
Kim Feldman
Stephen Fulling
Anat & Nehemia Geva
Phil & Zo Granberry
Bob & Becky* Hall
Rodger Koppa
Andreas Kronenberg
Roger Kuhnle
William & Laurine Marlow
Matt* & Merrilee Prochaska
Werner Rose
Byron & Ann Stebbins
Thomas & Anne Wehrly
Katherine Williams
* Symphony Society Board Member
STEPHEN
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
