Welcome In December, perhaps more than in any other month of the year, our lives are guided by tradition — and the closer we come to the holidays, the more important our individual and collective traditions become. The clothes we wear, the foods we eat, the places we shop, the music to which we listen are often guided by traditions established in the past. When one of my beloved aunts was just a teenager, she and my mother joined the Columbia (S.C.) Choral Society. It was as members of that choir that they first learned and performed Handel’s Messiah. Now in their 80s, attending a performance of Messiah remains a cherished, not-to-be-missed tradition. What’s the music that makes your December? What about your own traditions? The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra — your Atlanta Symphony Orchestra — has many beloved traditions, some obvious and some not. Obvious traditions include stunning performances of Messiah by our own Orchestra and Chorus under the leadership of Norman Mackenzie; Gospel Christmas; and this 45th anniversary season of our beloved Christmas with the ASO, joined by the Morehouse Glee Club. Without exception, these are concerts that will put a smile on your face and a song in your heart. Other traditions permeate the life of this institution throughout the year: We are justly proud of our long-standing commitment to nurture the talents of Atlanta’s young artists, and of our extensive network of partnerships — such as with the Atlanta Music Project, Emory University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and the Georgia Humanities Council — which enable us to bring the power us music to bear on the lives of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the greater Atlanta metropolitan region. There is, however, an unfortunate tradition in our state seriously limiting our ability to perform great music, to educate Atlanta’s children, and to engage in meaningful partnerships: collectively, you and I provide little if any financial support for the arts in our community. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s annual concert audiences number almost 400,000 yet the number of people who make any financial contribution to support the Orchestra’s work is only 9,600 (about 2.4 percent). Let me encourage you to establish a new tradition this December: Make a year-end contribution — of any size — to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the organization which brings music into your life all year long. We’ll use your dollars wisely, and we’ll be deeply grateful for your support. Happy holidays! Wishing you all the best,
Stanley E. Romanstein, Ph.D. President
12 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra/aso.org