Colorado Symphony readies for centennial season

Tickets on sale now for more than 150 performances

BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

On Sept. 12, 2001, legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma was scheduled to perform Antonín Dvo ák’s Cello Concerto with the Colorado Symphony. e day prior to the performance, the United States was shaken by the events of 9/11, one of the most tragic losses of life in American history.

Colorado Symphony cellist, Margaret Hoeppner, vividly remembers Ma’s performance that night. Instead of playing the planned Dvo ák piece, Yo-Yo Ma decided to play Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto, a composition written in the aftermath of World War I. As the Colorado Symphony’s longest tenured member with 62 seasons under her belt, the performance after 9/11 is Hoeppner’s most powerful, moving memory as a part of the orchestra.

“Ma’s performance brought the audience and the orchestra a sense of solace and some comfort during that terribly di cult time. For me it was a sense that life will go on and that we will recover from this horrible tragedy,” said Hoeppner. “Because of the beauty of his performance, it gave us all hope. It gave me hope that we would survive and that this is something we would recover from.” e Colorado Symphony is celebrating 100 years of symphonic music in Colorado. e 2023-2024 season is highlighted by a trio of must-see performances featuring Audra McDonald, Renée Fleming and, of course, the legendary Yo-Yo Ma. Led by Principal Conductor Peter Oundjian, Colorado Symphony patrons will be treated to a schedule teeming with incredible programming, renowned guest artists and revered symphonic works all season long. To kick o the Centennial Season, the Colorado Symphony will perform Beethoven’s Fifth along with several other works on Sept. 15-17.

For the 2023-2024 Centennial Season of the Colorado Symphony, Yo-Yo Ma will return to Denver to play Elgar’s Cello Concerto, the same piece that brought comfort to concert-goers in the wake of 9/11. Ma will perform along with the Colorado Symphony at 7 p.m. on May 5 at Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. is is one of more than 150 performances o ered by the Colorado Symphony throughout the season.

“ is centennial season will highlight the best of the Colorado Symphony,” said Oundjian. “We’re doing some really huge projects. We will keep doing programs that I think will engage people enormously. We are going to keep people excited with every performance.”

History of the Colorado Symphony e Colorado Symphony has a rich history that dates back to 1922 when its predecessor, the Civic Symphony Orchestra, formed in Denver. Prior to 1922, there were several semi-professional music acts scattered across Denver, but no formal orchestra. At the height of the Great Depression, Helen Marie Black, publicist for the Civic Symphony Orchestra, helped form the Denver Symphony Orchestra in 1934. Her goal was to consolidate the local musicians, boost audience attendance and guarantee union wages. e orchestra held its rst concert at the Broadway eater in Denver on Nov. 30, 1934, led by Conductor Horace Tureman.

After a 55-year run, the Denver Symphony Orchestra disbanded in 1989 as the result of nancial hardship. It led for bankruptcy on Oct. 4 of that year. Musicians left the Denver Symphony Orchestra for the newly-formed Colorado Symphony, which played its rst concert on Oct. 27, 1989. e following year, the two groups merged to form one organization.

Since its inception in 1989, the Colorado Symphony has had ve recorded principal conductors, beginning with Marin Alsop in 1993. e current principal conductor, Oundjian, has served in the role since 2022.

One hundred years ago, the symphony in Colorado was di erent than it is today. From a small group of semi-professional local musicians, the Colorado Symphony has grown in size and in the diversity of its members. e Symphony currently has 80 full-time musicians, representing more than a dozen countries around the world.

The Colorado Symphony today

Denver is a vibrant city full of people who yearn to experience the arts. From taking in contemporary paintings at the Denver Art Museum to seeing hip hop concerts at Red Rocks, and from watching classic works performed by the Colorado Ballet to laughing at stand-up acts at Comedy Works, locals love to get out and experience the best of Colorado arts.

“Twenty years ago, people said Colorado was just a great place for the mountains — a great place for sport. at is what people were interested in. I feel there has been a huge shift in what people in Denver want,” Oundjian said. “We had the biggest crowds ever at Boettcher Concert Hall last year. Nobody moves to Denver to just sit inside and watch TV. Colorado is all about getting out there.” roughout the 100 years of symphonic music in Colorado, performances and o erings have shifted and grown to meet the needs and wants of the changing audience. e Colorado Symphony not only performs classical works from composers like Mozart, Brahms and Tchaikovsky, but it also performs contemporary pieces, pop songs and soundtracks from fan-favorite lms. is year the Colorado Symphony will have several performances outside of the classical genre. ese include “Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert,” “Disney in Concert: Time Burton’s e Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Home Alone in Concert.” ere will also be performances for children like the “Halloween Spooktacular,” “Elf in Concert” and “Peter and e Wolf & e Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.”

Highlands Ranch resident Yvette Gunther celebrates 101st birthday

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Some say she’s amazing, others say she’s a wonder woman, but one thing for certain is Yvette Gunther is an energetic and caring mother, grandmother and friend.

To celebrate her 101st birthday, many of her closest friends came together at Northridge Park in Highlands Ranch.

“She means a lot to us,” said close friend Sue Jude. “She always has the sweetest, warmest greeting.” ere was a lot of food to go around at the celebration as Gunther had a large birthday cake and guests brought other treats for a large potluck.

Wearing a purple happy birthday tiara, Gunther was joined by two of her daughters, Barbara and Susan, and her friends from her aerobics class.

Gunther goes to aerobics class three times a week where the other participants say they have to keep up with her.

“She’s very energetic,” said Barbara.

Since she can remember, Gunther has always been physically active.

While attending an all girls boarding school in Vancouver, Canada as a child, Gunther said there was not much to do, so she and some friends decided to stay active. In addition to walking and running around the school, she also played soccer.

One of her fondest childhood memories is the First of July events in Vancouver where there were fun activities all day long. Some of her favorites were running in races and swimming.

“I’ve always been athletic,” said Gunther. “Since I’m older now, I still try to keep some of it.”

To stay active, Gunther plays with her grandkids when they come to visit and takes her dog, Toby, on a walk everyday.

Gunther also cherished Christmas at her grandmother’s house. And now, Gunther gets to continue to experience that love every holiday and birthday with her own growing family.

With her husband and ve children, the family would adventure on many road trips across the country and up to Canada.

“I loved every minute of it,” said Susan, Gunther’s eldest child.

Gunther met her husband Carl - who was a Navy O cer - on a blind date

“I would tell him I fell in love with his white uniform,” said Gunther.

Having lived in Seattle, Washington, the two had traveled to Colorado where he proposed to her in the mountains, followed by 59 years of marriage before Carl passed.

When they rst moved to Highlands Ranch, there were only a few houses on their street with an open view to watch the sunset every night.

Every year, the couple would go on an international trip, going all around the globe to places like Japan to see Mount Fujiyama as well as Portugal and England.

Gunther said the only places she hasn’t gone are Russia, India and South America.

With beautiful clear blue water, Gunther said the South Paci c was her favorite destination. She and her husband went there on their 50th anniversary.

While in China, she fell in love with the art of traditional Chinese ribbon and fan dancing.

“ at’s where I saw this Chinese dancing,” said Gunther. “I saw those fans and those beautiful ribbons.”

Gunther knew she had to learn that style of dance.

She performed the style of dance for the talent portion of beauty pageants - where she tied for for Ms. Senior Colorado one year- and performed at her 100th birthday party.

Gunther’s life so far has been lled with loving people and amazing memories from around the world and she does not want to stop.

No matter what it is, Gunther encourages others to never stop moving.

“I o er everybody the choice to do something all the time,” said Gunther. “Don’t just sit around, look at TV, you want to live life.”

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