Issuu

Dear Friends,

On behalf of The Venice Symphony, it is a true delight to welcome you to the opening performance of our 2026–27 season, A Ghoulish Gathering! Our theme this year, “See Where Music Takes You,” invites you to explore new worlds through the imagination and passion of our remarkable musicians. Today, Music Director Troy Quinn and our orchestra carry us through the shadowy supernatural and spectacularly spooky. From the dark, playful magic of John Williams’s Devil’s Dance from The Witches of Eastwick and Bernard Herrmann’s haunting themes from Vertigo, to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera and Danny Elfman’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, this program promises chills and excitement. To close, the orchestra soars into Richard Strauss’s masterwork Death and Transfiguration with a breathtaking climax moving from darkness into brilliant transformation. There’s so much in store this season! Join us at the Venice Performing Arts Center as the Venice Symphony Big Band returns Saturday, November 14, for The New Voice of the Great American Songbook, featuring guest artist Danny Sinoff. Don’t miss our first Soundscapes Chamber Series concert at the Venice Community Center on Sunday, January 17, with The Venice Symphony String Quartet in From Dawn to Dusk. We also invite you to explore special ways to help sustain our mission for years to come. Through our Legacy Circle, visionary patrons ensure the future of live symphonic music by including the Symphony in their estate plans. Additionally, our new monthly recurring gift program, The Symphony Circle, provides reliable, year-round support that keeps music thriving across our community. Whether you are a longtime subscriber or attending your very first performance with us, thank you for being here today. Your support makes everything on stage possible. Please visit thevenicesymphony.org or chat with us in the lobby during intermission to learn more. Sit back, embrace the thrills, and enjoy A Ghoulish Gathering! Warmest regards, Christine Kasten, President/CEO The Venice Symphony 1

TROY QUINN,DIGITAL MUSIC DIRECTOR PROGRAM Access all things The Venice Symphony with our digital program on your smartphone, tablet, or computer! Inside you’ll discover: ● ● ●

Concert Notes detailing the composers, fun facts, and the history behind today’s program selections. Local contributors and The Venice Symphony community partners More ways to get involved and stay connected with Symphony staff, programs, and musicians!

Please be courteous of other patrons… Access the digital program before or after the concert, or during intermission. Change your display settings to Night Mode for viewing while in the auditorium. Thank you and enjoy the performance!

TROY QUINN, MUSIC DIRECTOR TROY QUINN Emmy-nominated conductor Troy Quinn has quickly established himself as one of his generation’s most versatile young artists. Lauded for his energetic and riveting conducting, charismatic stage presence, and genre-defying programs, Quinn is in his ninth season as Music Director of the Venice Symphony in Florida. He is also in his tenth season as Music Director of the Owensboro Symphony in Kentucky and serves concurrently as the Pops Conductor of both the Rhode Island Philharmonic and the Santa Rosa Symphony in California. Quinn’s engagements have included performances with many prestigious orchestras in the United States, including the Boston Pops, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. Equally at home in the pops and commercial world, Quinn has performed and recorded with some of the most popular artists of our time, including The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, Barry Manilow, Lee Greenwood, Josh Groban, Jennifer Hudson, Michael Feinstein, Sutton Foster, Tower of Power, Rockapella, Cypress Hill, The Indigo Girls, and Nas. As an accomplished vocalist, Quinn has also collaborated with such renowned composers as Alan Menken, Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestri, and Alexandre Desplat while performing under prominent maestros, including Helmuth Rilling, Larry Rachleff, Carl St. Clair and Dan Saunders of the Metropolitan Opera. In addition to his concert work, Quinn has worked extensively in the television and recording industry, earning

MUSIC DIRECTOR an Emmy nomination for the PBS special A Night at the Oscars with the Owensboro Symphony. He has made appearances on such hit television shows as Fox’s GLEE, NBC’s The Voice, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno while recording on films like The Call of the Wild and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He has also appeared at many of the world’s major music centers and at such famed venues as the Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Tanglewood. A native of Connecticut, Quinn pursued a bachelor of arts degree from Providence College where he was the recipient of the Leo S. Cannon award for superior achievement in the music field. He went on to earn his master’s degree with honors from the Manhattan School of Music, studying conducting with David Gilbert and voice with highly acclaimed Metropolitan Opera singer Mark Oswald. He completed his doctorate in conducting at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, where he studied with Larry Livingston and Jo-Michael Scheibe and was named the outstanding doctoral graduate of his class. Quinn has participated in numerous masterclasses as a conducting fellow, attending conducting institutes at the Royal Academy of Music, Eastman School of Music, and Bard Conservatory of Music. He has been mentored by such renowned conductors as Benjamin Zander and Neil Varon. Quinn serves on the conducting faculty at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music and has previously served as a faculty member at Providence College, where he was also awarded an honorary doctorate.

CONCERT PROGRAM

October 9, 2026 | 7:30 pm October 10, 2026 | 3:30 pm Troy Quinn, Conductor John Williams Devil’s Dance from The Witches of Eastwick Bernard Herrmann The Nightmare and Prelude from Vertigo Andrew Lloyd Webber Symphonic Suite from The Phantom of the Opera INTERMISSION E. Bernstein/Ray Parker Jr.

Theme from Ghostbusters

Danny Elfman The Nightmare Before Christmas arr. Nic Raine Richard Strauss

Death and Transfiguration, Op.24

Today’s performance will be approximately 90 minutes in length. The box office is open before the concert and during intermission. Late arrivals will be seated during musical breaks in the program. Please silence your cell phones during the concert. Food and beverages are not allowed in the concert hall. Please visit the information tables in the lobby. Enjoy the concert.

MUSICIANS MUSIC DIRECTOR Troy Quinn Rosalie Hardman Chair First Violin

Marcus Ratzenboeck Concertmaster Paul & Linda Mulligan Chair Hannah Cho Associate Concertmaster Stephen & Redenta Picazio Chair Katherine Gilger Assistant Concertmaster Diane & James Crawford Chair Wallace DePue Elaine Jones Chair Sergio Carleo Robert & Bonnie Anderson Chair Francisco Diaz Albert & Susan DiGiacomo Chair Sardor Djumaev Henry & Joan Hajdas Chair João Felipe da Fraga Frank & Kathe Magadance Chair Evgeny Komarnitskiy Jack & Beth Gehring Chair Karissa Ratzenboeck Joseph & Maureen Bentley Chair Nash Rider Michael & Lynn Nemser Chair Eliot Roske Sidney & Suzanne Durham Chair Iryna Usova Rev. Chris & Paula Gray Chair Ilana Zaks

Second Violin

Amy Rawstron Watson, Principal Beatrice Holt Chair Erik Berg, Assistant Principal David & Beverley Wimberly Chair Isabella Diaz Robby Cordes & Ginger Mace Chair Kara Griffith Ernest & Judith Bago Chair Leah Kane Will & Becky Kadel Chair Elena Komarnitskaia Charlotte Loukola Kateryna Marach 8

Nicole Rawley Patricia McClure Chair Therese West Adrienne Williams

Viola

Paul Reynolds, Principal Joseph & Sally DeAngelo Chair Audrey Naffe, Assistant Principal Mark & Jeanne Polzin Chair Yaniv Cohen Michael & Anita McRobert Chair Jim Griffith Jon Mulford Chair Roberto Henriquez Brian & Ruth Smith Chair Seongwoo Jeong Kenneth Martinson Rafael Ramirez Roxanne Baker Chair

Cello

Susan Debronsky, Principal Thomas & Martha Galek Chair Nathaniel Taylor, Assistant Principal Michael & Patricia Dunlap Chair Michael Amos Doug & Dana Kasl Chair Luis Bernardo Chen Chen Barbara Hoecker Chair Oliver Cole Joseph Hamlet Helen Lewis Mitch & Katie Hartsock Chair Chris Pegis Samantha Powell

Bass

Christopher Riley, Principal John Myers Chair Trent Harper, Assistant Principal Kenneth & Selma Bitz Chair Kevin Gallagher Gerhard & Edith Mueller Chair Jonathan Ingram

MUSICIANS Laura Miranda Conroy-Mueller Family Chair Jordan Nashman Louise Wiggins Chair

Flute

Francesca Arnone, Principal Carole Raymond Chair Rene Miska Elissa Lakofsky

piccolo

Elissa Lakofsky Dennis & Marilyn Eshoo Chair

Oboe

Amy Collins, Principal George De Luisi Chair Chanmi Kim Patrick & Geri Allard Chair Emily Hart

ENGLISH HORN

Chanmi Kim

Clarinet

Asher Carlson, Principal Wesley John Schumacher Chair Kelsey Castellanos Dennis & Ruthanne Neeser Chair Jeff Snavely Vinod & Gail Sahney Chair

Lisa Bontrager

Trumpet

Kris Marshall, Principal Henry & Barbara Price Chair David Dash Bert & Janetta Nicholson Chair Ken Brown Dean & Theresa Hilgers Chair John Castleman William G. Blomquist Chair

Trombone

Joe Offner, Principal Bill & Kitty Gamber Chair Tom McNair Stephen V. Kenney Chair Teddy Arnold

BASS TROMBONE

Chris Lundquist

Tuba

Joseph Alvarez, Principal Mick & Cindy Bryan Chair

Timpani

Gavin Dougherty, Principal Joseph & Susan Wolters Chair

Percussion

CONTRABASSOON

Dana Kimble, Principal Elliott & Dana Corn Chair Al Lyman Martin & Nancy Lyons Chair Michael Woods Jeanne & Larry Clark Chair Nick Bruno John & Maureen Heakin Chair Matthew Kibort Bryan Stevens Chair

Horn

Giuseppina Ciarla, Principal David Chivas & Ron RIce Chair

BASS CLARINET

Jeff Snavely

Bassoon

Patrick Broder, Principal Stephen & Nancy Eibling Chair Javi Rodriguez Ann Adair Ann Adair Stephen B. Hammond Chair Joseph Lovinsky, Principal Bill & Sara Gill Chair Chase DeCarlo Jennifer Miller Floyd & Mary Juday Chair Margaret Dixon Lyndsie Wilson

HARP

KEYBOARD

Judi Glover, Principal Fred & Cindy Gossman Chair The Venice Symphony is a proud member of

CONCERT NOTES Devil’s Dance from The Witches of Eastwick

John Williams (born February 8, 1932) is an American composer and conductor. Over his seven-decade career, he has composed many of the best known, instantly recognizable and beloved, scores in film history. Amid a long list of accolades, including a total of 54 Academy Award nominations, he is the second-most nominated person in the award’s history, after Walt Disney. He is also the oldest Academy Award nominee in any category, receiving a nomination at 91 years old. Williams served as the Boston Pops’ principal conductor from 1980 to 1993 and is its laureate conductor. The Witches of Eastwick is a 1987 American dark fantasy comedy film based on the 1984 novel by John Updike. It stars Jack Nicholson alongside Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer. The film follows three best friends who are unaware that they are witches and that their regular meetings have formed an informal coven; the arrival in town of a mysterious man who starts courting them marks the start of a back-and-forth between him and the women. John Williams’s score was nominated for an Academy Award and a Grammy, and won a BMI Film Music Award. It has been said that Devil’s Dance feels like a diabolical jig, or the evil cousin of an Italian Tarantella, whose relentless driving pulse pushes the tune forward.

The Nightmare and Prelude from Vertigo

Bernard Herrmann (June 29, 1911 - December 24, 1975) was an American composer and conductor best known for his film scores, and widely regarded as one of the greatest film composers of all time. Early in his career, Herrmann was the chief conductor of the CBS Symphony Orchestra, which led him to become the composer for Orson Welles’s radio series The Mercury Theatre. He often scored Alfred Hitchcock films, including The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, and Marnie. His final score, recorded shortly before his death, was for Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. He also composed for television, including Have Gun – Will Travel and Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone. His 1958 score for Vertigo is considered by many to be his masterpiece. In many key scenes, Hitchcock let Herrmann’s score take center stage. Frequently echoing Richard Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde, it dramatically conveys the protagonist’s obsessive love for the image of a woman and underscores that Vertigo, like Tristan, is a story of love and death. The main melodic contour is his own; the harmony is still his idiosyncratic construction. He is jogging the memory of those who know Tristan and the subconscious of those who don’t. His veiled citations indicate in their own way the unstoppable recurrence of the past.”

CONCERT NOTES Symphonic Suite from The Phantom of the Opera

Andrew Lloyd Webber, (born March 22, 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, a song cycle, a set of variations, two film scores, and a Latin Requiem Mass. Fascinated by music from an early age, he started playing the piano and violin at the age of three, and started composing his own music by age six, writing a suite of six pieces when he was nine. Lloyd Webber has received numerous awards: a knighthood, seven Tony Awards, seven Laurence Olivier Awards, three Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award), an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and the 2006 Kennedy Center Honors. The Phantom of the Opera is the longest running show in Broadway history, and celebrated its 10,000th performance on February 11, 2012, becoming the first Broadway production in history to do so. It is the second longest-running West End musical, and the third longest-running West End show overall. With total estimated worldwide gross receipts of over $6 billion and total Broadway gross of over $1 billion, The Phantom of the Opera was the most financially successful entertainment event until The Lion King surpassed it in 2014. By 2019, it had been seen by over 140 million people in 183 cities across 41 countries. Symphonic Suite weaves together the most iconic numbers from the show. In 2018, Andrew Lloyd Webber became the thirteenth person to become an EGOT, by winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.

Theme from Ghostbusters

Elmer Bernstein (April 4, 1922 - August 18, 2004) was an American composer and conductor. In a career that spanned over five decades, he composed “some of the most recognizable and memorable themes in Hollywood history”, including over 150 original film scores, as well as scores for nearly 80 TV shows. For his work, he received an Academy Award for Thoroughly Modern Millie in 1967 and a Primetime Emmy Award. He also received seven Golden Globe Awards, five Grammy Awards, and two Tony Award nominations. Bernstein composed and arranged over 100 film scores, including The Man with the Golden Arm, The Ten Commandments, The Magnificent Seven, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Escape, Thoroughly Modern Millie, True Grit, Cape Fear, and Twilight to name a few. He is also known for his work on comedic films including Animal House, Meatballs, Airplane!, The Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Ghostbuster, Spies Like Us, and Three Amigos, plus the fanfare used in the National Geographic television specials. 11

CONCERT NOTES Ghostbusters is a 1984 American supernatural comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. It stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler, three eccentric parapsychologists who start a ghost-catching business in New York City, and Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore. Bernstein’s main theme was later replaced by Ray Parker Jr.’s Ghostbusters. Bernstein said, “it’s very hard to argue with something like Ghostbusters, when it is up in the top ten on the charts”. It spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1984 and 21 weeks on the charts altogether.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Danny Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He came to prominence as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since scoring his first studio film in 1985, Elfman has garnered international recognition for composing over 100 feature film scores as well as compositions for television, stage productions, and the concert hall. Well known film scores include Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Mars Attacks!, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Good Will Hunting. He also wrote music for all of the Men in Black and Fifty Shades of Grey franchise films, as well as the themes for the popular television series Desperate Housewives and The Simpsons. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a 1993 American stop-motion animated musical fantasy film which tells the tale of Jack Skellington, King of Halloween Town, who stumbles upon Christmas Town and becomes obsessed with celebrating the holiday himself. For the film, Elfman also provided the singing voice for Jack Skellington, along with the voices for secondary characters Barrel, the Clown with the Tear-Away Face and others. The film premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 9, 1993, and was met with critical and commercial success upon release, and has since garnered a cult following. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects — a first for an animated film. In 2023, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” The film was originally a poem written by producer Tim Burton. In 1990 he made a development deal with the Walt Disney Studios and production started in July 1991. Disney initially released the film through the Touchstone Pictures label because the studio believed the film’s Gothic tone would be “too dark and scary for kids.” 12

CONCERT NOTES Death and Transfiguration, Op. 24

Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864 - September 8, 1949) was a German composer and conductor known for his tone poems and operas. He was a leading figure of the late Romantic and early Modern era. His other notable works include An Alpine Symphony, Also Sprach Zarathustra (remember 2001: A Space Odyssey?), and Don Quixote. Death and Transfiguration, Op. 24, is a tone poem for orchestra begun in the late summer of 1888 and completed on November 18, 1889. The music depicts the death of an artist, who as he lay dying, has thoughts of his life pass through his head: his childhood innocense, the struggles of his manhood, the attainment of his worldly goals; and at the end, he receives the longed-for transfiguration “from the infinite reaches of heaven”. Strauss conducted the premiere on June 21, 1890 at the Eisenach Festival and also at his first appearance in the United Kingdom, at the Wagner Concert with the Philharmonic Society June 15, 1897 at the Queen’s Hall in London. The work has been recorded worldwide from 1926 through 2020, by conductors including Strauss himself (3 times), Arturo Toscanini, Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Ormandy, and Lorin Maazel, among others. English music critic Ernest Newman described this as music to which one would not want to die or awaken. “It is too spectacular, too brilliantly lit, too full of pageantry of a crowd; whereas this is a journey one must make very quietly, and alone.” Just before his own death, Strauss remarked that his music was absolutely correct, his feelings mirroring those of the artist depicted within; Strauss said to his daughter-in-law as he lay on his deathbed in 1949: “It’s a funny thing, Alice, dying is just the way I composed it.”

Don’t Miss Our Pre-Concert Talks Join Music Director Troy Quinn, soloists and musicians for a casual, entertaining and informative talk and Q&A. This is a free half-hour program before every concert, and you do not need a concert ticket or reservation. Open seating is in the orchestra level of the concert hall. sponsored by

8 • 2025-2026 Season • Tickets: 941-207-8822

UPCOMING EVENTS

CHAIR SOCIETY The Venice Symphony Chair Society is dedicated to supporting The Symphony today and in the future. Members have the opportunity to sponsor a musician’s chair in the orchestra, attend exclusive events with Maestro Troy Quinn and Symphony musicians and more.

Patrick & Geri Allard* Dale & Carolyn Anderson^ Robert & Bonnie Anderson^* Frank & Jennifer Annetti Mary Jo Ardington Ernest & Judith Bago^* Roxanne Baker* Pat Behe & Bob Davies Warren Benson Joe & Maureen Bentley^* Linda M. Bentley Kenneth & Selma Bitz* Kathleen Black William G. Blomquist* Robert & Sharon Boynton Maria Bradley & Martin Pfister* Pat Brandt Marjorie Brooks Mick & Cindy Bryan* Edmund Campbell Jr.^ Paul Campbell Betty Castigliano^ David Chivas & Ron Rice* Jeanne & Larry Clark* Robby Cordes & Ginger Mace* Elliott & Dana Corn^* Katharine Couchot Diane & James Crawford* George DeLuisi* Sally & Joseph DeAngelo* Susan DiGiacomo* 16

Gilbert & Carol Drendel Michael & Patricia Dunlap^* Sidney & Suzanne Durham* Steve & Nancy Eibling* Dennis & Marilyn Eshoo* Diane & Mark Fennelly Patricia Fjetland & Linda Newton Dennis & Barbara Gahry Thomas & Martha Galek* Jason Gallourakis & Edwin Beltran Bill & Kitty Gamber* Jack & Beth Gehring* Bill & Sara Gill^* Fred & Cindy Gossman* Rev. Chris & Paula Gray* James & Anne Grubb Henry & Joan Hajdas^* Stephen B. Hammond* & Susan Boyer Rosalie Hardman* Katie & Mitch Hartsock* John & Maureen Heakin* David & Joan Heald Theresa & Dean Hilgers* Byron & Janet Hill Gary Hill & John Schultz Paul & Marilyn Hollowell Beatrice Holt^* Quint Jackson Elaine Jones* Robert & Lili Jones

2026-2027 MEMBERSHIP Floyd & Mary Juday^* Will & Becky Kadel* Carol Karakashian Doug & Dana Kasl* Billie & Lee King Michael & Stephanie Kitt Pat Knasiak Joe & Janice LaFramboise John & Beverly Larson Gordon & Joan Lehman Martin & Nancy Lyons* Tim & Christine Madigan Patricia Madyda Frank & Kathe Magadance* Marcia Major Jane Marcin Barbara & Sil Martinage Margaret Massara Linda Masterson David & Stephanie Matthews* Denise & Tom Mattmuller Patricia McClure* Michael & Anita McRobert* Kenneth & Joyce Mikulski* Gerhard & Edith Mueller^* Michael Mueller & Mary Ann Conroy* Jonathan Mulford* Paul & Linda Mulligan* John Myers* & Barbara Hoecker*

Dennis & Ruthanne Neeser^* Michael & Lynn Nemser* Bert & Jan Nicholson* Nick & Kate Pachota Helen Pape^ Linda Patriarca^ Donna Perkins^ Steve & Redenta Picazio^* Mark & Jeanne Polzin* Henry & Barbara Price^* Carole Raymond^* Howard & JoAnne Reed Vinod & Gail Sahney* Kenneth & Jerrilyn Schulze Thomas & Anne Sherman Brian & Ruth Smith* Murray & Sharon Smith* Lucinda Spaney Bryan Stevens* Paul & Charlene Turczyn Margaret Weiss Louise Wiggins* Malcom E. Williamson Anita Wilson David & Beverley Wimberly* Joseph & Susan Wolters* ^Charter Members *Denotes Chair Sponsors

New members are always welcome! Brochures are available in the lobby, or look for a patron wearing a gold lapel pin. For complete membership information contact Holly Anderson, Vice President of Philanthropy at 941-207-8822 or email handerson@thevenicesymphony.org 17

EXPERIENCE • ENGAGE • CONNECT Stay connected with The Venice Symphony even after the concert ends! Stop by our tables in the VPAC lobby or visit thevenicesymphony.org to learn more about our many programs: Friends of The Venice Symphony

Become an ambassador of The Venice Symphony. Our Friends meet each month to plan fundraisers, socials, and other Symphony events. Volunteer in the Symphony office, at concerts, and educational events.

Patrons on Percussion

Join our Patrons on Percussion (POPS) program and be our guest bass drum soloist, playing The Star Spangled Banner at one of our concerts at The Venice Performing Arts Center. (No experience necessary … we’ll provide coaching.)

Chamber Musicians & Ensembles

Members of The Venice Symphony are available to perform at your special event. Whether it’s a soloist to serenade your guests or a jazz ensemble for larger parties, we will find the perfect musicians for your needs.

Musician Host Program

Our musicians travel from all over the world to perform for you in Venice, FL. Through the Musician Host Program, select patrons and volunteers share their homes and experiences with visiting musicians to provide a rehearsal space and a “home away from home.”

Chair Society

Invest in excellence when you join this ensemble of our most loyal and passionate concertgoers. Many Chair Society members go the extra mile in their giving to sponsor a chair in the orchestra. This additional investment helps significantly to cover production costs necessary to provide the highest standard of concerts. 18

14 • 2025-2026 Season • Tickets: 941-207-8822

2025-2026 Season • TheVeniceSymphony.org • 15

COMMUNITY OF CONTRIBUTORS We gratefully acknowledge contributions and support received June 1, 2026 - September 20, 2026

Corporations & Businesses Coca Cola Corporation FourThought Private Wealth Johnson & Johnson

Foundations Community Foundation of Sarasota County Gulf Coast Community Foundation Kadel Family Foundation Nemser-Dreyer Family Foundation Plantation Community Foundation Venice Yacht Club Charitable Foundation

Government Florida Department of State|Division of Arts & Culture Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax Revenues

Organizations Venice-Nokomis Rotary

COMMUNITY OF CONTRIBUTORS Individual Giving Maestro • $20,000 - $49,999

Rosalie Hardman Donna Kubik

John Myers Lucinda Spaney

Concertmaster • $10,000 - $19,999

Elliott & Dana Corn* Steve & Laura Enz Dr. Jonathan & Mrs. Sophia Fong Barbara Freeman* Thomas & Martha Galek Stephen B. Hammond

Beatrice C. Holt Floyd & Mary Juday* Linda & Paul Mulligan Frank & Elaine Pagliaro Murray & Sharon Smith David & Deborah West

Virtuoso • $5,000 - $9,999

Dale & Caroline Anderson John & Chris Behnke Mick & Cindy Bryan David Chivas & Ron Rice* Dianne Chrismer Diane & James Crawford Sally & Joseph DeAngelo Roger & Sally Effron

Stephen & Nancy Eibling Patricia Fjetland & Linda Newton Bill & Kitty Gamber Michael Gness & Sharon Van Baaren Paul & Marilyn Hollowell Michael & Anita McRobert Dennis & Ruthanne Neeser Stephen & Redenta Picazio

Principal • $2,500 - $4,999

Kenneth & Selma Bitz William G. Blomquist Berta Campagna Paul Campbell Sue Chapman & Robert Brooke George DeLuisi Michael & Patricia Dunlap Dennis & Marilyn Eshoo Mark & Lees Ferguson

Fred & Cindy Gossman Timothy & Dawn Jackson Regina Liotta Frank & Kathe Magadance Mark & Jeanne Polzin Henry & Barbara Price* Brian & Ruth Smith Melvin Storm David & Beverly Wimberly

Orchestra • $1,000 - $2,499 Angelo & Mary Agliardo Robert & Bonnie Anderson* Ernest & Judith Bago Roxanne Baker Pat Behe & Bob Davies Joe & Maureen Bentley* Jeanne & Larry Clark Gail Davey Kay DeLucia Susan DiGiacomo

Tony Dolejs Sidney & Suzanne Durham Jack & Beth Gehring Rev. Chris & Paula Gray Paula Gulliford Henry & Joan Hadjas Robert Hardy Mitch & Katie Hartsock John Haseltine John & Maureen Heakin

COMMUNITY OF CONTRIBUTORS Orchestra continued Paul Michael & Betty Morton Joyce Heimonen Gerhard & Edith Mueller* John & Betty Herr Michel Mueller & Mary Ann Conroy Dean & Theresa Hilgers Jonathan Mulford Byron & Janet Hill Douglas & Mitti Meyers Robert & Barbara Hintze Michael & Lynn Nemser Barbara Hoecker Bert & Jan Nicholson Elaine Jones Paul & Mary Ellen Quigley Laurel & Jackie Kaddatz Vinod & Gail Sahney Doug & Dana Kasl William R. & Gloria A. Schranz Sara & Curtis Kasten Sara Stafford Don Lazzaro Bryan Stevens Gordon & Joan Lehman Louise Wiggins Martin & Nancy Lyons Judy Wolf Patricia McClure Janice Zarro* Kenneth & Joyce Mikulski

Sustainer • $500 - $999 Michael & Beverly Austin Russell & Barbara Bahner William & Bettye Bartholomay Mark & Karen Blazey Robert & Sharon Boynton William & Linda Cantrell Robert Denmead Mike & Marty Dolley Gilbert & Carol Drendel Diane & Mark Fennelly Sanford Feuer & Bonnie Morley Nancy Fink Robert & Susan Foster Luke, Nan, Leo & Will Frient Dennis & Barbara Gahry Jason Gallourakis & Edwin Beltran Karen & DRC Gonzales Joseph & Marietta Graber James & Anne Grubb David & Joan Heald Rita Hebel Gary Hill & John Schultz Peter & Jean Huber Quint Jackson

Robert & Lili Jones David & Caitlin Joyner* Billie & Lee King Michael & Stephanie Kitt Cora Kukula Janice & Joe LaFramboise Thomas Leonard & Catherine Hill Susan Littlehales Tim & Christine Madigan Barbara & Sil Martinage Denise & Tom Mattmuller Gene & Susan McGowan Nick & Kate Pachota Joe & Melanie Piacentino Howard & JoAnne Reed John Ruthman Kenneth & Jerrilyn Schulze Tom & Anne Sherman Steve & Jan Simon Chuck & Maureen Snyder Paul & Charlene Turczyn Linda Varone Malcolm Williamson

Supporter • $100 - $499

Carolyn & Laurence Annear Gale & Anne Adams Frank & Jennifer Annetti

Mary Jo Ardington Steve & Ruth Averdick Bernard & Monica Baker

COMMUNITY OF CONTRIBUTORS John & Wendy Baker Paul & Jean Ballas Stephen Balsam Nancy & George Barusso Gerry & Lynn Baskin Bill Baxter Pat Becker Warren Benson Linda M. Bentley Joy & Tom Berlin Robert & Kathleen Bittner Elaine Bixler Steven & Kathleen Black Patricia Bowman Linda Boyd Bette Boysen Pat Brandt Kathleen Broder Marjorie Brooks Anne Burbine Betty-Ann Busby Rosemary Bussiere John & Karen Calder James & Linda Chisman Richard & Caryle Cirello Lewis Clark Patricia Colbert Kenneth (KB) Cook Katharine Couchot Eleanor Crawford Kent & Ulla Crickard Patricia Crisafulli John & Carol Cummiskey Kathy Cuocolo Patricia Dal Cortivo Rob & Janice Daly Jessica D’Antonio Janet Dapkunas Steve & Elizabeth Dauphinais Steven Dawes Norma & Bruce Dayton Evelyn Delph & Roger Hilfiker Geoff & Julie Dobson Andrew & Karen Durette John & Nancy Eldridge Linda Falco Jeff & LaRue Fields

John Fippen Eddie & Sandra Fisk Terry & Brenda Foster Robert & Grace Fries Carla & Jerry Gabbard Judith Ganschaw Al & Peg Gatto Margaret Geller Cathi Grote Jan Gurdjian Elizabeth Hall Earl & Phyllis Hannum Jane Hardy Kathleen & Mark Harrison James Henry & Jane Smith William Herbert Paul Hershberger Andrew & Lee Hewlett Virginia Hofford Ed & Diane Huller Carol & Larry Humes Sharon Ide Pamela Johnson Sonny & Jo Jones Carol Karakashian George & Sue Kennedy Patricia Knasiak Deborah Kostroun Thomas Kueny & Sally Johnson Frank & Rosalie Kunsman Nora Lavelle George & Jacqueline Lincoln Lawrence Littman & Judith Roettger Judy Livingston Hal & Shirley Loud Anthony Madera Patricia Madyda Marcia Major James & Jo Manwaring Jane Marcin Barbara Marinan Margaret Massara Linda Masterson Mark & Pamela Mathisen Jerry & Sue McCormick Tony & Belva McNair Maryann Melus 25

COMMUNITY OF CONTRIBUTORS Supporter continued Maxine Slattery Ronald & Margaret Meyers Jean Smithies Jean Miller Frank & Kateri Snow Frances Mogelnicki Robert & Carol Speir Robert & Marilyn Moist Dan & Nancy Spohn Bruce Murray Mona Strahlman Ausma Mursch Cynthia & Thomas Stuhley Charles & Betty Newsom Nancy Susskind Barbara O’Brian Barbara Talmage Ralph & Loretta Orrico Don & Leslie Titzel Carolyn Otterbine Gina Trelle Helen Pape Inia Tunstall Linda Patriarca Renee Uhlich Larry Patton Robert & Susan Vedder Donna Perkins* Ida Walker Claire Peterlin Susan Weiner Robert & Ann Porawski Margaret Weiss Ed & Donna Posuch Robert & Lynda Weston Ralph & Sherri Progar David & Loretta Whitney Barbara Quinn Ralph & Mary Wilkinson Steve & Trish Robbins Anita Wilson Robert & Antoinette Ross Rich & Kathie Wilson Sharon Rugh John & Toni Yahres Marion Sautner & Virgilio Beruffi Beverly Zaffino Jim & Lynne Schaeffer Charlotte Zurn & Wayne Morgan Peter & Beth Ann Schnorf Larry Schornack Dennis Schornack & Linda Gobler * Denotes Past Board Members Shellenbaum Family Fund

In Memoriam Carolyn & Laurence Annear in memory of Michael Wiggins Steve & Ruth Averdick in memory of Michael Wiggins David Chivas & Ron Rice in memory of Ruth Posner Dianne Chrismer in memory of her husband Joseph Jay Barrett Norma & John Curtis in memory of Michael Wiggins Luke, Nan, Leo & Will Frient in memory of Michael Wiggins Donna Kubik in memory of her husband Thomas E. Kubik Paul Hershberger in memory of Dr. Paul James Renz Jr. Debra Naylor & Henry Lewin in memory of Michael Wiggins Ken & Joyce Mikulsi in memory of Stephen V. Kenney Louise Wiggins in memory of her husband Michael Wiggins If you believe there is an error or omission in this list, please contact the Development Team at 941-207-8822.

2025-2026 Season • TheVeniceSymphony.org • 21

SUPPORT THE SYMPHONY Your personal investment is the reason The Venice Symphony delivers exceptional concerts and affordable music education. Together, musical excellence is sustained and lives transformed. Annual Fund – The Venice Symphony’s primary source of operating revenue and outreach. Contributions may be given monthly or annually. Donor Advised Funds and IRA Distributions – A contribution from an IRA or DAF is an excellent way to achieve your charitable giving objectives.* Employee Match – Many corporations will match their current employee’s or retiree’s donations. This could potentially double or triple Your impact! Living Trusts and Bequests – Pledge a will bequest or name The Venice Symphony as a beneficiary of a retirement or life insurance plan.* Monthly Giving Option – An easy and affordable way to offer support! Simply select monthly recurring payments when giving online or when visiting or calling our administrative offices. Play It Forward – Donate an instrument and help make a difference for a young musician in our community. Small Business and Corporate Engagement – Strengthen your community by offering support through concert sponsorships, participating in special events, advertising or other unique opportunities. Let’s curate a doable option for your business! Stock and Securities – Gifts of appreciated stocks are welcomed and may be advantageous to the donor from a tax point of view. * For more information on any of these opportunities, speak with a Development Team member by calling 941-207-8822 or visit our Administrative Offices. *Because each situation is different, please discuss potential benefits with your financial advisor. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION #CH5442 AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF COMSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

2025-2026 Season • TheVeniceSymphony.org • 27

32 • 2025-2026 Season • Tickets: 941-207-8822

Get Social

with The Venice Symphony NEWS ••• PHOTOS ••• VIDEOS Stay connected with The Venice Symphony even after the concert ends! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube for upcoming events and music news.

Like and Share The Symphony with Your Friends 39

THE FRIENDS OF THE VENICE SYMPHONY The Friends of The Venice Symphony are dedicated volunteers whose passion and generosity champion world-class music and vital educational programs throughout our community.

2026-2027 Friends of The Venice Symphony Frank & Jennifer Annetti Joe & Maureen Bentley Jo Ann Britton Kathleen Carbone Kelly & Mary Carroll David Chivas & Ron Rice Russell & Deirdre Christman Georgiana Cleason Patricia Coelho Patricia Cook Elliott & Dana Corn Charlotte Darrow Gail Davey Mike & Marty Dolley Jack & Beth Gehring Kathleen & Mark Harrison Katie & Mitch Hartsock Teresa Heather Charlotte & Tom Hedge Diane Henderson Michael Holston Robert Houston & Sandi Chance Maureen Hughes Elaine Jones Gene & Kathy Jongsma Sherry Kane Carol Karakashian Sara & Curtis Kasten

Mary Kloet Patricia Knasiak Patricia Madyda Marcia Major Peter & Linda Marion Denise & Tom Mattmuller Michael & Anita McRobert Jonathan Mullford Linda Patriarca Eleanor Perfetto Donna Perkins Dr. Geraldine Pozzi-Galluzi Margaret Radke Carol Rahmoeller Marybeth Russell Whitney & Ned Sale Joy Satterlee Park Showalter & George Ward Nina Sedule-Ross Jane Serio Nathan & Laurie Skjerseth Rosalie K. Smith Lucinda Spaney Joan Tramontano Michelle Trent Christel Webb Louise Wiggins

Email aposner-solares@thevenicesymphony.org to find out how you can join the Friends of The Venice Symphony 40

2025-2026 Season • TheVeniceSymphony.org • 35

36 • 2025-2026 Season • Tickets: 941-207-8822

MUSICIAN HOST PROGRAM The Musician Host program is the heartbeat of The Venice Symphony, providing a home away from home for our out-of-town musicians. It creates unforgettable bonds that enrich our orchestra and community.

2026-2027 Musician Hosts Frank & Jennifer Annetti Carl & Kathy Baer Ebert (Edge) & Leigh Baff Elizabeth Baker Stan & MaryJo Bastacky Gary Boruff Glenn Bradley & Don Farrelly Susan Calhoun Casey & Kim Clouser Ken Cook Robert Cordes & Ginger Mace Richard Daitch & Sandra Goodman Joseph & Sally DeAngelo Jim & Sharyn Dent Michael & Patricia Dunlap Steve Easton Denny & Marilyn Eshoo Rebecca Folta & Mark Page Elise Fox Tom & Martha Galek Fred & Cindy Grossman David & Joan Heald Randy & Ingrid Hoerauf Ruth Immel Ann Jackson Barbara Keating Steven & Tavia Lesage

Karen Mann Laura Marianino Warren & Mary McBride John & Bernadette McEnearney Tony & Belva McNair Susan McNeil Ann Norville Eleanor Perfetto Celeste Pfister Ralph & Sherri Progar Margaret Radke Craig & Karen Riley Park Showalter & George Ward Nathan & Louise Skjerseth Brian & Ruth Smith Murray & Sharon Smith Roy & Teri Smith Chuck & Maureen Snyder Lauree Spangler Jon & Lois Steketee Jon & Cindy Stolson Bill Troetel & Margo Schneel Margaret Weiss David & Fran White Louise Wiggins Gordon & Carole Wilke

Email pdunlap@thevenicesymphony.org to find out how you can join the Musician Host program 44

TVS SEASON?

2025-2026 Season • TheVeniceSymphony.org • 39

ADMINISTRATION & STAFF Executive Office 2026-2027 The Venice Symphony Board of Trustees Officers Roger Effron, Chair Brad Speckerman, Vice Chair Peter Oliger, Secretary Cole McHargue, Treasurer Members Linda Cantrell Robby Cordes Natalie Croston Susan DiGiacomo Marc Gerken Bob Hite Denise Mattmuller Paul McCullough Nick Pachota Joshua Perez Sam Stempler OUR MISSION

The Venice Symphony exists to inspire and transform lives through exceptional musical experiences.

OUR VISION

Uniting Through Music

Christine Kasten, President/CEO Candace Kurtz, Manager of Office Operations Alison Posner-Solares, Patron Services and Ticketing Manager

Artistic Operations Dana Kimble, Vice President of Artistic Operations Al Lyman, Principal Librarian + Artistic Coordinator Terry Williams, Assistant Librarian Patricia Dunlap, Musician Host Program Manager

Development Holly Anderson, Vice President of Philanthropy Holly Rubin, Director of Development

Music Education, Community Engagement Tim Ferguson, Production Manager + Director of Education and Outreach Nicole Rawley, Concert Strings Conductor Christopher Riley, Symphonic Strings Conductor David Wing, Symphonic Winds Conductor

Marketing Eric Landrum, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Keishen Lloyd, Digital Marketing Specialist Stacy Rector, Graphic Designer Judith Engle-Purple, Graphic Designer

2025-2026 Season • TheVeniceSymphony.org • 41