April 24 & 25
BELK
THEATER
Kwamé Ryan, conductor
A Message from the President & CEO
April brings two compelling programs to the Belk Theater, each reflecting the many ways in which music expresses the human experience.
Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto anchors our first program, with pianist Inon Barnatan and conductor Stephanie Rhodes Russell, alongside the U.S. Premiere of Anna Clyne’s The Years — a reflection on the isolation of the pandemic — with the Charlotte Master Chorale. At the Saturday performance, we recognize the women shaping the future of music education in our region, placing purple batons in the hands of CharlotteMecklenburg Schools band and orchestra directors as part of a global initiative championing greater representation for women on the podium.
On April 24 & 25, Music Director Kwamé Ryan returns to lead a program of works by Gershwin and Bernstein — music that traces the stories of love against the odds through two of the most defining voices in American orchestral tradition.
But the work of the CSO this month extends far beyond these two programs. In April alone, more than 2,100 students will fill the theater for our “One Musical Family” education concert — bringing the total to more than 10,000 students from across the region this season.
Throughout Charlotte, our musicians are present every week in ways that rarely
appear under concert lights, but are central to our mission: coaching young artists in Youth Orchestra rehearsals, working directly with students at Northwest School of the Arts, performing for patients at Atrium Health’s Carolinas Rehabilitation and Levine Children’s Hospital, and sharing music during lunch service at Roof Above’s Day Services Center.
In partnership with Roof Above, we are also preparing for performances of Gabriel Kahane’s emergency shelter intake form on May 15 & 16, including the creation of a choir comprised of individuals affected by housing insecurity. This work explores homelessness from multiple perspectives, offering a deeply personal reflection on the meaning of home, with moments of unexpected wit and unvarnished humanity.
These moments may not always take place in front of an audience, but they are essential to who we are and why we exist.
Thank you for joining us today, and for making all of our work possible.
David Fisk
President & CEO
Your Charlotte Symphony Experience
Whether this is your first concert or you’ve been enjoying the Symphony for years, we’re glad you’re here. Below are a few things to know to help you feel right at home.
Food & Drink
A full bar, beverages, and snacks are available both before the concert and during intermission in the lobby.
Photography
We welcome and encourage you to capture and share photos before and after the concert or during intermission. Feel free to use your cell phone for photography without flash during the performance, but please refrain from video or audio recording.
Applause
You’ll notice that audiences applaud to welcome the concertmaster, conductor, and featured artists on stage. Some works may have several sections, or movements, separated by brief silent pauses. It is tradition to hold applause until after the last movement. If you are unsure, wait for the conductor to face the audience. But if you feel truly inspired, don’t be afraid to show your appreciation.
Need help or have questions?
Our ushers and staff are happy to assist — just ask!
THE NINETY-FOURTH SEASON
Friday, April 24, 2026, at 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 7:30 pm
Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
JOHAN SVENDSEN (1840-1911)
GEORGE GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
Kwamé Ryan, conductor
Romeo and Juliet, Fantasia for Orchestra, Op. 18
Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture arr. Robert Russell Bennett
INTERMISSION
LEONARD BERNSTEIN (1918-1990)
Symphonic Dances 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
CONCERT DURATION: approx. 2 hours, including one 20-minute intermission.
This concert is made possible in part by the generous support of Arlene & Milton Berkman
Kwamé Ryan music director
Kwamé Ryan is a Grammy Award-winning conductor, currently in his second season as Music Director of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Ryan formerly held the position of General Music Director of Freiburg Opera from 1999–2003 and served as Musical and Artistic Director of the Orchestre National BordeauxAquitaine from 2007–13. As a guest conductor in Germany, he has led the Radio Orchestras of Stuttgart and Bavaria, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Staatsoper Saarbrücken, and Staatsoper Stuttgart. While in France, he worked with Opéra de la Bastille, Opéra de Lyon, and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Work in the US and the UK has taken him to the Symphony Orchestras of Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Houston, Boston Lyric Opera, English National Opera, and the London Philharmonia.
Ryan has been a regular guest of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Proms, and Dutch National Opera, at which he has worked with the Residence Orchestra, The Hague, and the Rotterdam Philharmonic. In 2024, he returned to La Monnaie, Brussels for the revival of Kris De Foort’s The Time of our Singing, his 2021 premiere of which earned the International Opera Award for World Premiere of the Year.
The 2025–26 season sees returns to the Washington National Opera and the New York Philharmonic as well as his debut at the Metropolitan Opera.
Together we can create a harmonious future
At Deloitte, we believe in the power of community and the transformative impact of the arts.
That’s why we’re proud to sponsor the Charlotte Symphony, a cornerstone of cultural excellence in our vibrant city.
Why Deloitte Supports The Arts
We understand that creativity fuels innovation. Our sponsorship of the Charlotte Symphony reflects our dedication to supporting the arts and investing in the cultural fabric of Charlotte.
We believe that music has the power to connect, inspire, and transform communities.
Kwamé Ryan · Music Director
Christopher James Lees, Resident Conductor Christopher Warren-Green, Conductor Laureate
MUSICIAN ROSTER
FIRST VIOLINS
Calin Ovidiu Lupanu Concertmaster
The Catherine & Wilton Connor Chair
Joseph Meyer* Associate Concertmaster
Kari Giles
Acting Associate Concertmaster
Hanna Zhdan
Acting Assistant Concertmaster
Susan Blumberg°°
Jane Hart Brendle
Cynthia Burton
Fengwan Chen†
Ayako Gamo
David Horak†
Oliver Kot°°
Lenora Leggatt
Jenny Topilow
Dustin Wilkes-Kim*
SECOND VIOLINS
Kathleen Jarrell, Acting Principal
The Wolfgang Roth Chair
Carlos Tarazona°
Acting Assistant Principal
The Pepsi-Cola Foundation of Charlotte Chair
Monica Boboc
Martha Geissler
Sakira Harley
Laura Herrera†
Tatiana Karpova
Ellyn Stuart
VIOLAS
Benjamin Geller, Principal
The Zoe Bunten Merrillt Principal Viola Chair
Pin-Hao Liao
Assistant Principal
Ellen Ferdon
Wenlong Huang
Pedro Mendez
Viara Stefanova
Ning Zhao
CELLOS
Jon Lewis, Principal
The Kate Whitner McKay Principal Cello Chair
Allison Drenkow
Assistant Principal
Marlene Ballena
Jeremy Lamb
Sarah Markle
Nicco Mazziotto
David Olson
DOUBLE BASSES
Jason McNeel, Acting Principal
Judson Baines, Assistant Principal
Jeffrey Ferdon
Eric Thompson†
HARP
Andrea Mumm Trammell
Principal
The Dr. Billy Graham Chair
FLUTES
Victor Wang, Principal
The Blumenthal Foundation Chair
Amy Orsinger Whitehead
Erinn Frechette
PICCOLO
Erinn Frechette
This roster lists the full-time members of the Charlotte Symphony. The number and seating of musicians on stage varies depending on the piece being performed.
° Non-revolving position
°° Alternates between first and second violins
† Acting member of the Charlotte Symphony
‡ Funded by The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc.
* On leave
OBOES
Timothy Swanson, Principal
The Leo B. Driehuys Chair‡
Erica Cice
Jamison Hillian†
ENGLISH HORN
Erica Cice
CLARINETS
Taylor Marino, Principal
The Gary H. & Carolyn M. Bechtel Chair
Samuel Sparrow
Allan Rosenfeld
E ♭ CLARINET
Samuel Sparrow
BASS CLARINET
Allan Rosenfeld
BASSOONS
AJ Neubert, Principal
Joshua Hood
Nicholas Ritter
CONTRABASSOON
Nicholas Ritter
The CSO is a proud member of the League of American Orchestras.
HORNS
Byron Johns, Principal
The Mr. & Mrs. William H. Van Every Chair
Andrew Fierova
Christopher Caudill†
The Robert E. Rydel, Jr. Third Horn Chair (acting)
Richard Goldfaden
Paige Quillen
TRUMPETS
Alex Wilborn, Principal
The Betty J. Livingstone Chair
Jesdelson Vasquez†
Gianluca Farina†
Acting Associate Principal
The Marcus T. Hickman Chair
Gabriel Slesinger*
TROMBONES
John Bartlett, Principal
Thomas Burge
BASS TROMBONE
Scott Hartman, Principal
TUBA
Colin Benton, Principal
The Governor James G. Martin Chair
TIMPANI
Denis Petrunin, Acting Principal†
The Robert Haywood Morrison Chair
PERCUSSION
Brice Burton, Principal
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is one of the premier music organizations in the Southeastern United States and the oldest continuously operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas. As Charlotte’s most active performing arts group, the CSO presents around 150 concerts each season, reaching more than 150,000 music lovers.
The 2025–26 season marks the next chapter in the Charlotte Symphony’s artistic evolution under Music Director Kwamé Ryan. Framed by a season-long exploration of home — reflecting on belonging, identity, and place through a wide range of musical voices — the season offers bold new works, symphonic masterworks, and creative collaborations across the Classical, Pops, Movie, and Family series. Highlights include the debut of the CSO Spotlight Series, an everexpanding look at the work of this season’s CSO Spotlight Artist, Gabriel Kahane; performances of audience favorites like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Ravel’s Boléro; and more events that showcase the Orchestra’s breadth, from the music of Dolly Parton to Black Panther in Concert. Engaging with more than 15,000 students each year, the Charlotte Symphony nurtures the next generation of musicians and music lovers through its four diverse
youth orchestras, in-school education programs, instrument coaching, and Project Harmony, which offers free afterschool lessons in music and life skills to over 200 students in under-resourced areas. With its new mobile stage, CSO Roadshow, the Symphony extends its reach directly into neighborhoods, bringing live music to communities across the region.
Founded in 1932, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra continues to play a vital cultural role in the region and remains committed to the belief that music, accessible to all, enriches and unites our community.
OUR MISSION
The Charlotte Symphony uplifts, entertains, and educates the diverse communities of CharlotteMecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences.
OUR VISION
Reaching out through the transformative power of live music, the Charlotte Symphony will be a civic leader, reflecting and uniting our region.
For more information, visit us online at charlottesymphony.org
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT
Erica Cice
OBOE AND ENGLISH HORN
CSO Member since September 2006
HOMETOWN: Natick, Massachusetts
Fun Facts
• Erica chose her instrument after hearing Peter and the Wolf — she liked the duck the best.
• Her pre-performance rituals include deep breathing and a mental pep talk.
• You might find cigarette rolling papers in her instrument case. Erica uses them to clean her oboe’s tone holes.
Johan Svendsen
BORN: September 30, 1840 in Christiana (now, Oslo), Norway
DIED: June 14, 1911 in Copenhagen, Denmark
Romeo and Juliet, Fantasia for Orchestra Opus 18 (1876)
PREMIERE: October 14, 1876 in Christiana Approximate performance time is 14 minutes.
BEHIND THE MUSIC
The distinguished career of Norwegian conductor and composer Johan Svendsen spanned Europe, but he was most influential in his native country and Denmark. Among Svendsen’s many successful orchestral works are four Norwegian Rhapsodies and two Symphonies. Another accomplished orchestral composition is Svendsen’s Romeo and Juliet. The work premiered six years after the original version of Tchaikovsky’s well-known Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy (1869, rev. 1870, 1880). There is no evidence that Svendsen was aware of Tchaikovsky’s work when he composed his own Romeo and Juliet, a piece that reflects the Norwegian composer’s elegant Romantic voice.
WHILE YOU LISTEN
Svendsen’s Romeo and Juliet begins with a hushed slow-tempo introduction that gains intensity. This leads to a quick-tempo portion that suggests the youth and passion of the “star-crossed lovers.” The music resolves to a subdued close, perhaps evoking Romeo and Juliet’s tragic fate.
George Gershwin
BORN: September 26, 1898 in Brooklyn, New York
DIED: July 11, 1937 in Hollywood, California
Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture arr. Robert Russell Bennett (1943)
PREMIERE: February 5, 1943 at Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Approximate performance time is 24 minutes.
BEHIND THE MUSIC
George Gershwin’s opera Porgy and Bess explores a similar kind of jazz-classical fusion as the composer’s pathbreaking Rhapsody in Blue (1924). The libretto, by George Gershwin’s brother, Ira, and DuBose Heyward, is based upon the latter’s novel, Porgy. The work premiered in Boston on September 30, 1935, before moving to Broadway in New York, where it opened on October 10, 1935. While the opera was not an immediate success, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess has long been celebrated as a masterpiece. Porgy has become a mainstay not only of the opera house, but of popular culture as well.
Fritz Reiner, Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra from 1938–48, commissioned Robert Russell Bennett to compose an orchestral synthesis of music from George Gershwin's opera, including such favorites as “Summertime,” “I Got Plenty o' Nuttin’,” “Bess, You is My Woman Now,” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So.” Reiner and the Pittsburgh Symphony gave the first performance of Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture on February 5, 1943.
THE COMPOSER SPEAKS
Gershwin, on the initial failure of Porgy and Bess: “It is not the few knowing ones whose opinions make any work of art great, it is the judgment of the great mass that finally decides.”
Leonard Bernstein
BORN: August 25, 1918 in Lawrence, Massachusetts
DIED: October 14, 1990 in New York City
Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (1960)
PREMIERE: February 13, 1961 at Carnegie Hall in New York
Approximate performance time is 24 minutes.
BEHIND THE MUSIC
West Side Story premiered on August 19, 1957, at the National Theater in Washington, DC. The production featured one of the most remarkable collaborative teams in the history of musical theater: the book by Arthur Laurents, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Leonard Bernstein, and the entire production directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins.
After stagings in Washington, DC, and Philadelphia, West Side Story opened at the Winter Garden in New York City on September 26, 1957. The production finally closed on June 27, 1959, after 734 performances. A tour followed, as well as a Hollywood movie in 1961. West Side Story has remained in the repertoire ever since.
One of the miracles of American musical theater, West Side Story is a remarkable fusion of drama, music, and dance, all placed at the service of a powerful and timeless story. It also represents an amazing synthesis of popular and classical elements, a sublime marriage of the Broadway stage with opera and ballet.
In West Side Story, the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet shifts from Verona to New York City. The Capulets are now the Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks. The Montagues become the Jets, a gang of “self-styled ‘Americans.’” Tony, a member of the Jets, and Maria, the sister of the leader of the Sharks, are the modern-day “star-crossed lovers.”
WHILE YOU LISTEN
Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, an orchestral work featuring music from the original Broadway score, comprises the following sections, played without pause:
I. Prologue
II. “Somewhere”
III. Scherzo
IV. Mambo
V. Cha Cha
VI. Meeting Scene
VII.“Cool” Fugue
VIII. Rumble
IX. Finale
THE COMPOSER SPEAKS
I am now convinced that what we dreamed all these years is possible; because there stands that tragic story, with a theme as profound as love versus hate, with all the theatrical risks of death and racial issues and young performers and “serious” music and complicated balletics — and it all added up for the audiences and critics.
—LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Photos from the original Broadway production of West Side Story
Annual Fund
We gratefully acknowledge these generous donors to the Charlotte Symphony Annual Fund. This list reflects gifts received through February 5, 2026.
BENEFACTOR CIRCLE
$100,000+
Anonymous Jacqueline B. Mars Douglas Young
$50,000 – $99,999
Dr. Milton & Arlene Berkman Philanthropic Fund
The Fox Family Jane & Hugh McColl*
$25,000 – $49,999
Joan & Mick Ankrom
Ruth & Richard Ault
Judith & Mark Brodsky
Margarita & Nick Clements
Roberta H. Cochran
Jean & Dick Cornwell
Susan Cybulski
Linda & Bill Farthing
Heidi & Craig Froelich
Ralph S. Grier
Maria & John Huson
Fran & Greg Hyde
Ginger Kelly
Sally Gregory & Richard Krumdieck
Betty P. & Jeffrey J. Lee
Ulrike & Alex Miles
Janet Preyer Nelson
Patrick J. O'Leary
Richard J. Osborne*
Debbie & Pat Phillips*
Ann Rehkopf
Pat Rodgers
Marjorie Moses Schwab
Carolyn Shaw
Cameron & Stuart Sherrill
Susan & John Shimp
Tara & Ken Walker
$15,000 – $24,999
Joye D. Blount & Jessie J. Knight Jr.
Catherine & Wilton Connor*
Denise & Peter DeMaio
Robin & Christoph Feddersen
Laurie & Barry Guy
Tanya & Steve Makris
DeDe & Alex McKinnon
Mica Post Oberkfell & Keith Oberkfell
Juliette & Walter Pryor
Melinda & David Snyder
Annie & Matthew Spanjers
Drs. Jennifer Sullivan & Matthew Sullivan
* The CSO recognizes donors of exceptional generosity whose cumulative giving exceeds $1 million with the designation of Music Director Society.
For more information, please contact Mary Nell Johnson at 704.714.5137
Annual Fund Supporters
$10,000 – $14,999
Kristen & Paul Anderson
Katharine & Frank Bragg
Betsy & Alfred Brand
Lynne & Colby Cathey
Jeanie & Tom Cottingham
Peter De Arcangelis
Donna & Alvaro de Molina
Peggy & Richard Dreher
Lisa & Carlos Evans
Drs. Amy & Sidney Fletcher
Eileen Friars & Scott Pyle
Dr. Robert A. Gaines & Toni S. Burke
Caren & Charles Gale
Laura & Mike Grace
Andrea & Todd Griffith
Susan & Chris Kearney
Robert H. Lee
Leslie & Michael Marsicano
Susan & Loy McKeithen*
Elizabeth & Jay Monge
Robert Norville
Kathy & Paul Reichs
Kelli & Michael Richardson
Rosalind S. Richardson
Sara Garcés Roselli & Dan Roselli
Lindsay & Frank Schall
Glenn Sherrill, Jr. in Honor of Robin Branstrom
Parker & Stephen Shuford
Sherry & Thomas Skains
Sabina & Wilfrid Schlumberger
Leigh-Ann & Martin Sprock
Ann & Michael Tarwater
Jill & Kevin Walker
Michael Waterford
John Drew Witherington
Lisa & Richard Worf
Joan H. Zimmerman
VIRTUOSO CIRCLE
$5,000 – $9,999
Debbie & Wedge Abels
Carol B. McPhee & Howard P. Adams
The Charlotte Assembly
Amanda & Zack Bacon
Dawn Beatty-Batten & Philipp J. Bischoff
Si & Michael Blake
Krisha & Andy Blanchard
Mary & Charles Bowman
Barbara & Twig Branch
Robin & Bill Branstrom
Shirley & Mike Butterworth
Paige & Steve Burgess
Dr. William J. Charles & Dr. Cynthia Nortey
Pauline & Bill Chinnis
Morgan & Brian Cromwell
Chris & Elizabeth Daly in Memory of Betty Haggerty
Mary & Phil Delk
Mary Anne Dickson
Dorne & Steve Eastwood
Anne O'Byrne & David J.L. Fisk
Joan & Parker Foley
Carol & Ron Follmer
Carrie & Jay Galloway
Sarah & Frank Gentry
Billy L. Gerhart, in memory of Judith Gerhart
Judith & Martyn Greene
Lucia Zapata Griffith & Michael Griffith
Janet M. Haack
Reginald B. Henderson, Esq.
Nina & James Jackson
Vivian & Robert Lamb
Katy Ross & Joseph Lees
Anna & Laszlo Littmann
Lina & Enrique Lopez-Ibanez
Stacie McGinn
Susanne & Bill McGuire
Paula & Paul McIntosh
Chuck Miller & Marcy Thailer
Courtney Reichs Mixon
Emily & Nima Pirzadeh
Judy & Derek Raghavan
Anne Robinson
Nancy & Charlie Robson
Susie & Rick Schnall
Laura A. & Michael J. Schulte
Ylida & Bert Scott
Mr. & Mrs. Harley F. Shuford, Jr.
Erin & William Sparks
Elizabeth Connor Stewart
Kelly & Neal Taub
Annual Fund Supporters
$5,000 – $9,999 (continued)
Chris & Jim Teat
Nancy & Dick Thigpen
Brienne Tinder
Judith & Gary Toman
Rocky & Curtis Trenkelbach
Daniel Troy, in Loving Memory of Kathleen Troy
Molly & Chris Tull
In Memory of Tess Verbesey
Elizabeth & Stephan Willen
Aimee & Chris Williams
Glenda Colman & Floyd Wisner
Abby & Albert Zue
$3,500 – $4,999
Jan & Bob Busch
Karen Gunther
Megan & Brendan Hoffman
Christy & Ben Hume
Posey & Mark Mealy
Dick Metzler
Holly & Jason Norvell
Linda & Tony Pace
Suan & Bob Salvin
Jane Perry Shoemaker
Teresa & Stuart Singer
Emily & Zach Smith
Dr. Mark R. Swanson
Deborah J. Cox & Bob Szymkiewicz
Susan & Paul Vadnais
Karen & Edgar Whitener
$2,500 – $3,499
Harriet B. Barnhardt
Georgia & Bill Belk
Tiffany & Jason Bernd
Lee & Alan Blumenthal
Dr. & Mrs. O. Robert Boehm
Frances & Herbert Browne
Maggie Callen
The Jack H. & Ruth C. Campbell Foundation
Dr. William H. Carson
Drs. Iris Cheng & Daniel Uri
Brent Clevenger
Amy & Alfred Dawson
Cheryl DeMaio
Peggy & Charles Dickerson
Michael & Polly Dyer
Elizabeth Betty Eaton
Lucy Quintilliano & Leonard Fumi
Melisa & Frank Galasso
Kara & Timothy Gallagher
Katherine G. Hall
Beverly & Jim Hance
Jennifer & Logan Henderson
Mathew Holladay
Leigh & Watts Humphrey
Peggy Hynes
Shirley & Bob Ivey
David S. Jacobson
Christopher James Lees
Meghan & Luis Lluberas
Jim & Kathleen Lynch
Dottie & Jim Martin
Cynthia L. Caldwell & Richard I. McHenry
Dee Dee McKay
Carolyn & Sam McMahon
Debbie Miller & Tim Black
Susan D. Montgomery
Janet & Peter Nixon
Laura & Tom Parrott
Laura Paschall & Brad Glaza
Pamela Pearson & Charles Peach
Daniel Peterson
Dr. Reta R. Phifer
Vincent Philips & Paul Pope
Kathleen D. Prokay
Michelle Richards
Lisa & Robert R. Rollins, Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. Mahesh Sardesai
Peggy & Pope Shuford
Nancy E. Simpson
Patricia & Morris Spearman
Ken Spielfogel & Richard Withem
Maxine & Robert Stein
Dottie Stowe, in Loving Memory of Dickson Stowe
Jean M. Summerville
Jenny & Ken Tolson
Sandy & Greg Vlahos
Deborra Wood & Russell Propst
Barbara Yarbrough
PATRON CIRCLE
$1,500 – $2,499
Sharon Baker & Peter Moore
Merilyn & Craig Baldwin
Katie & Morgan Beggs
Barrie & Mark Benson
Donald H. & Barbara K. Bernstein
Sallie & Derick Close
Dr. & Mrs. Mark Couture
Jean E. Davis & Robert Metzger
Dr. Kandi & Gary Deitemeyer
Martin Ericson, Jr.
Angela M. & Michael D. Helms
Anne J. Henderson
Joan Irwin
Martha D. Jones
Helen & Gene Katz
Ginger Kemp
Mary & Michael Lamach
Lucinda Nisbet Lucas
Dr. & Mrs. Randolph Mahnesmith
Anna Marriott
Tammy & Steve Matula
Annual Fund Supporters
Louise & Gary McCrorie
Cricket Weston & David Molinaro
Joan Morgan
Greater Golf Express
Dr. John & Susan Rae
Brendan Reen
Anne & Mark Riechmann
Rita & Thomas Robinson
Donald Schmidt
Dr. Stephen P. Schultz & Donna Dutton
Katy & Raleigh Shoemaker
Rebecca & Eric Smith
Linda & Morris Spil
Marsha & Robert L. Stickler
Gretchen & Jean-Claude Thill
Tillie S. Tice
Henry Ward
Vera Watson
Grant Webb
Pam West
Bryan Wilhelm
Deems Wilson
Kelly Zellars & James H. Trexler
$1,000 – $1,499
Anonymous
Mariam Abdul Hamid & Ferd Davis
Amanda Albrecht
Michele & Ross Annable
Larry Anderson
JWD Atchison
Dianne & Brian Bailey
Elsie & William Barnhardt
Ms. Helen Fowler & Mr. Lincoln A. Baxter
Emerson Bell
Shirley W. Benfield
Samuel Blackmon
Sara & Ethan Blumenthal
Marilyn & Herb Bonkovsky
Jodie & Erik Bowen
In Memory of Kyden Justice Brown
Joyce Cadesca
Jane & Larry Cain
Jennifer & Daniel Callahan
Amanda & Kevin Chheda
Rebecca & D. Mark Cody
Ann Thomas Colley
Dorothy & Mike Connor
Dr. & Mrs. Charles E. Cook
Dr. Kilian Cooley
Kathleen Goldammer-Copeland & Mark Copeland
Ann F. Copeland
Larry J. Dagenhart
Heather & Gray Dyer
Caroline & Jed Dyson
Judy & Bob Erb
Heather & Thomas Finke
Kate & Trae Fletcher
Dr. John & Eileen Gardella
Karen Geiger
Jenn & Taylor Gherardi
Carol & Joseph Gigler
Audean & Berkley Godehn
Joyce & Ed Hamilton
Juliet & Brian Hirsch
Linda & Paul Ibsen
A’Keela Johnson
Jennie & Don Johnson
Lea & Stuart Johnson
Priscilla & Michael Johnson
Vickie & Eugene Johnson
Dr. Valerie Kinloch & Mr. Thomas A'Hearn
Joan Kirschner
Marilyn Kroll
Leigh & Bruce Marsh
Paula Goolkasian & Francis Martin
Holly & Christopher Maurer
Jill Maxwell
Anna & John McCoy
Arrington Mixon
Katelyn M. Morton
Sue Lin Tan & Rama Narayanan
Eleanor W. Neal
Juanita & Lonnie Newsom
Mr. & Mrs. E. O. Oakley
Caroline Olzinski
Patricia & James Petillo
Catherine Philpott
Dr. William G. Porter
Susanne & Mark Rascio Family
Joan Rasmussen & Morry Alter
Cynthia & Joseph Riedl
Jennifer & Manley Roberts
Sally Robinson
Linda Rosenfeld & Fred Krosner
Elizabeth & Robert Rostan
Anjan Shah
Sandra Shuster
Birte & Roman Streitberger
Rebecca Smith
Scott Smith
Tamara & Cassiel Smith
Susan Spaugh
Jennifer & Philip Stafford
Alice & Al Sudduth
Ann & Wellford Tabor
Annette & Eric Telljohann
Catherine Thompson
Libby & Vint Tilson
Tim Timson
Sarah S. Tull
Maureen Turner
Emily & Jeff Vaughan
Victoria & Mark Walker
Dr. & Mrs. Bill Chu & Jin Wang
Rebecca Waters
Linda & Craig Weisbruch
Jennie & Ry Winston
Lauren Wooden
Velva W. Woollen
Sue Worrel, in Honor of Rich Osborne
Alanna & Richard Worrell
Sandy & John Yakob
Annual Fund Supporters
$500 – $999
Anonymous (2)
Lynda & Doug Abel
Daphne A. Banks
Sharon Bartlett
Natasha A. Bechtler
Cathy & Bob Becker
Dr. John L. Bennett & Mr. Eric T. Johnson
Mary Ann & Timothy Beranek
Patricia Bialecki
Mrs. Christine Bieri
Black Notes Project & The Sol Kitchen
Jeffrey Boghosian
James Broadstone
Nelle & Ken Brown
Aram Kim Bryan
Mary Lou & Greg Cagle
Nan & Brooks Carey
Janelle & Todd Collins
Thomas E. Collins, Jr.
Jack Cook
Dedee & Irv Cygler
In Loving Memory of Ruth Jernigan
Gaither & Robert Deaton
Dr. Roy E. DeMeo, Jr. & Ms. Linda A. Evanko
Diane & Doug Doak
Dr. Kathleen A. Doman
Kris & Thomas Duffy
C. Thomas Fennimore & Gail H. Fennimore
Lucinda & Harvey Gantt
Dr. John & Eileen Gardella
Dr. & Mrs. Richard Gellar
Stacy & Pete Gherardi
Cyndy & Larry Goodgame
Linda & Dan Gordon
Cynthia Greenlee
Gloria Gunst
Johanne & Patrick Hawk
Dr. & Mrs. Michael D. Heafner
Maria Felisa San Andres & Stefan Heinzelmann
Ms. Yvonne DeBeauville & Mr. Roger Hill
Susan Keeble
John J. Kelly, Jr.
Mary & Steven Kesselman
Nancy H. Kiser
Constance C. & George W. Knight
Linda & Norman Kramer
Maria Kurtz
Jonathan Lamb
Barbara & Jerome Levin
Dr. Elissa & Joshua Levine
John J. Locke
Katherine & Mark Love
Dr. & Mrs. William W. MacDonald
Allison Malter
Rosemarie Marshall & Lee Wilkins
Wendy & Ed Matthews
Jill Maxwell
Lindsay & Stanton McCullough
Rob Roy McGregor
Constance & Kiran Mehta
Amanda & Matthew Molbert
Sally Staub Moore
Mary Beth & Bill Morgan
Kimbrel & Tripp Morris
Fran & Gary Morrison
Jennifer & Michael Neurohr
Mary Newsom
Dr. & Mrs. Paul Nitsch
Nancy Olah & Bill Pace
Ynez Olshausen
Janet & Rick Pfeiffer
Lisa & Tom Phillips
Barbara M. Pooley
Sabine & Haywood Rankin
Emily & Brian Reinicker
Joan & Albert Rodgers
Margaret Rogers & John R. Willis
Betty & Bill Seifert
Michael Silverman
Carol Smith
Dr. & Mrs. Henry L. Smith II
Scott Smith
Julia J. Souther
Tara & Joseph Spil
Mary & Bill Staton
Kathryn Stewart, MD, MPH
Susan & Jet Taylor
Melanie & James Twyne
Aishwarya & Krishna Varanasi
Kathleen & Henry Ward
Debi Wayne
Signature Web Design
Lyman Welton
Peter White
Karen & Charles Wolff
Judith Wood
The Charlotte Symphony wishes to thank the following companies for matching their employee gifts in support of our Annual Fund Campaign:
Advocate Aurora Health
Albemarle Foundation
Ameriprise
Atrio Health Plans
Bank of America
Corning
Deloitte
Duke Energy
Elasticsearch
EY
Harris Foundation
Honeywell
Johnson Controls
JPMorgan Chase
Lincoln Financial Foundation
Microsoft
Premier Health
TIAA
Truist
Wells Fargo
Planned Giving
The Encore Society
The Encore Society includes individuals who have made provisions for the CSO in their estate plans. We are honored to recognize their support:
Anonymous (3)
Geraldine I. Anderson†
Michele & Ross Annable
Richard & Ruth Ault
Baldwin Family Trust
Barnhardt Thomas Trust
Lincoln A. Baxter & Helen M. Fowler
Annette Bedford†
Larry & Joyce Bennett†
Dr. Milton & Arlene Berkman
Donald H.† & Barbara K. Bernstein
Mark & Louise Bernstein†
Sybil Bernstein†
Rosemary Blanchard†
Twig & Barbara Branch
Saul Brenner
Mike & Joan Brown†
Mrs. Joan & George Bruns†
Jan & Bob Busch
Dr. Helen G. Cappleman, Ph.D.†
Jim Cochran† & Robin Cochran
Catherine & Wilton Connor
Charles & Peggy Dickerson
Martin Ericson, Jr.
Linda & Bill Farthing
David J.L. Fisk & Anne P. O’Byrne
Sylvia T. Forsythe†
Nadine W. Fox†
Dorris H. Goodyear†
Peter & Ann† Guild
William G. & Marguerite K. Huey Fund
Dr. Nish Jamgotch, Jr.†
Lucille F. & Edwin L. Jones
Endowment for the Arts
Betty & Stanley Livingstone†
Polly and Don Kellam†
Jim Martin
Daphine Doster Mastroianni†
Nellie Rose McCrory†
Paula & Paul McIntosh
Jane Green McNeary†
M. Marie Mitchell†
Cricket Weston & David Molinaro
Joan & Richard† Morgan
Francis A. Mueller†
Don C. Niehus
Eva Nove
Dean O’Hare†
Richard J. Osborne
Gwen Peterson & Tom Hodge
Gilbert Pirovano†
James Y. Preston†
Mrs. Clayton (Dusty) Pritchet
Sally A. Raines†
Ann & Fritz† Rehkopf
Elizabeth Waring Reinhard
Albert Rogat
James M. and Ellen L. Ross†
Nancy W. Rutledge
Mike Rutledge
Harriet Seabrook
Mr. & Mrs. William Seifert
Morris & Patricia Spearman
Bob & Maxine Stein
Robert Steppe†
Dr. Ben C. Taylor III
Mr. & Mrs. Hans Teich
Cordelia G. & Dr. Chandler† Thompson
Tim Timson
Jenny & Ken Tolson
Ms. Deborra Wood & Mr. Russell Propst
For more information, please contact Shayne Doty at 704.714.5104.
Comprehensive Campaign
We gratefully acknowledge these generous donors to the Charlotte Symphony Comprehensive Campaign. This list reflects gifts received through August 1, 2025.
$10,000,000+
Bank of America · The C.D. Spangler Foundation
$5,000,000 - $9,999,999
John S. & James L. Knight Foundation
$2,000,000 - $4,999,999
The Leon Levine Foundation · Jane & Hugh McColl
$1,000,000 - $1,999,999
Michele & Ross Annable · Atrium Health · Howard C. & Margaret G. Bissell Foundation Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. · EY · Contributions Associated with Falfurrias Capital Partners
Lynn & Brian Good · Julie & Howard Levine · Susan & Loy McKeithen · Novant Health
$500,000 - $999,999
Anonymous · Arlene & Milton Berkman · Robin & Bill Branstrom · Deloitte
Mary & Mike Lamach · Rich Osborne · Debbie & Pat Phillips · Pat Rodgers · M.A. Rogers
Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation · Trane Technologies · Truist Financial Corporation
$250,000 - $499,999
Cathy Bessant · The Dickson Foundation · The Gambrell Foundation
The Gorelick Family Foundation · Moore & Van Allen PLLC · Janet Preyer Nelson The Trexler Foundation · Ed Weisiger, Jr. & Betsy Fleming
$100,000 - $249,000
Anonymous · Jeannette & Francisco Alvarado · Joan & Mick Ankrom
Ruth & Richard Ault · NCFI/Barnhardt Foundation · Catherine & Wilton Connor
Robin Cochran · Denise & Peter DeMaio · The Dowd Foundation · Linda & Bill Farthing
Fran & Greg Hyde · Dr. Richard Krumdieck & Mrs. Sally Gregory · Elizabeth & Jay Monge
Patricia & Thruston Morton · Steelfab, Inc. · Linda & Craig Weisbruch
Andromeda & John Williams
Comprehensive Campaign
$50,000 - $99,999
Amy & Robert Brinkley · Crescent Communities · The Fox Family · Eileen Friars & Scott Pyle
Mariam & Robert Hayes Charitable Trust · Ulrike & Alex Miles · Dr. Ruth G. Shaw
Chris & Jim Teat · Rita & Bill Vandiver · Lisa & Richard Worf
$10,000 - $49,999
Anonymous Wedge & Debbie Abels · Mary Lou & Jim Babb · Tiffany & Jason Bernd
Frank Bragg · Shirley & Mike Butterworth · Joye Blount & Jesse Knight, Jr.
The Cato Corporation · Margarita & Nick Clements · Mary Delk
Caroline & Ben Dellinger III · Lisa & Carlos Evans · David Fisk & Anne O’Byrne
Averill, Johanna, & Lauren Harkey · Carol & Bill Lorenz · Leslie & Michael Marsicano
Virginia & Chan Martin · DeDe & Alex McKinnon · Posey & Mark Mealy ·
Wanda & Steve Phifer · Ridgely & John Phillips · Dale & Larry Polsky
Judy & Derek Raghavan · Shannon & Eric Reichard · Sara & Daniel Roselli · Lori & Eric Sklut
Emily & Zach Smith · Melinda & David Snyder · Dr. John A. Thompson, Jr. & Dr. Lee Rocamora
Jill & Kevin Walker · Jim Worrell
$5,000 - $9,999
Brian S. Cromwell · Toni Burke & Bob Gaines · Sarah & Frank Gentry · Carol & Joseph Gigler
Lucinda Nisbet Lucas · Dee Dee & William Maxwell · Melissa & Dennis McCrory
Cyndee Patterson · Betty & William Seifert · Peggy & Pope Shuford · Nancy E. Simpson
Drs. Jennifer & Matthew Sullivan · Mary Claire & Dan Wall · Martha Ann & Craig Wardlaw
Corporate Partners
We are grateful for the following outstanding corporate funders: For more information, please contact Tara Spil at 704.714.5138.
We are grateful for the following outstanding foundation and government funders:
Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation
Dowd Foundation, Inc.
The Trexler Foundation
The Dickson Foundation Cole Foundation
Maurer Family Foundation
Triad Foundation
Barnhardt/Thomas Trust
The George W. & Ruth R. Baxter Foundation
The Blumenthal Foundation
The Charlotte Assembly
Minor Foundation, Inc
Music Performance Trust Fund
The Mary Norris Preyer Fund
For more information, please contact Tara Spil at 704.714.5138.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2025-26 OFFICERS
Richard Krumdieck, Chair
Ulrike Miles, Vice Chair
Melinda Snyder, Vice Chair & Secretary
Denise DeMaio, Treasurer
David Fisk, President & CEO
Kwamé Ryan, Music Director
2025-26
DIRECTORS
Krisha Blanchard
Joye D. Blount
Mike Butterworth
Nick Clements
Sidney Fletcher
Craig Froelich
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Linda McFarland Farthing, Chair
Francisco & Jeannette Alvarado
Paul Anderson
Ruth & Richard Ault
Rachel Gogal Badillo
Arlene & Milton Berkman
Mary & Charles Bowman
Frank Bragg
Robin & Bill Branstrom
Paige & Steve Burgess
Dr. William Charles & Dr. Cynthia Nortey
Derick & Sallie Close
Robin Cochran
Catherine & Wilton Connor
Jeanie & T. Thomas Cottingham III
Brian Cromwell
Susan Cybulski
Marcia & Jason Daily
Alessandra & Pasquale De Martino
Alvaro & Donna de Molina
Peggy & Richard Dreher
Carrie Galloway
Lucia Zapata Griffith
Fran Hyde
Byron Johns*
Valerie Kinloch
Stephen Makris
Juliette Pryor
Manley Roberts*
Sara Garces Roselli
Lindsay Schall
Ylida Scott
Cameron Sherrill
Matthew Spanjers
Jennifer Sullivan
Brienne Tinder*
Andrea Mumm Trammell*
Ken Walker *ex-officio
Lisa Hudson Evans
Bill Farthing
Karen Fox
Eileen Friars & Scott Pyle
Ralph S. Grier
Laurie Guy
Janet Haack
Reginald B. Henderson, Esq.
Mark & Whitney Jerrell
Jeff Lee
Dee & Joe Marley
Gov. James G. Martin
Jane & Hugh McColl
Stacie McGinn
Susan & Loy McKeithen
Alex & DeDe McKinnon
Elizabeth & Jay Monge
Janet Preyer Nelson
Mica Oberkfell
Patrick J. O’Leary
Richard Osborne
Sarah Frances Peck
Daniel Peterson
Debbie & G. Patrick Phillips
Derek & Judy Raghavan
Paul Reichs
Nancy & Charles Robson
Patricia A. Rodgers
M.A. Rogers
Frank Schall
Laura & Mike Schulte
Carolyn Shaw
Emily Smith
Will Sparks
Elizabeth Connor Stewart
Bob & Marsha Stickler
Kelly & Neal Taub
Adam Taylor
Chris & Jim Teat
Kevin & Jill Walker
Elizabeth & Steve Willen
Braxton Winston
Richard Worf
Joan Zimmerman
Albert Zue
Leadership
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
EXECUTIVE
David J. L. Fisk
President & CEO
Samantha Hackett
Manager of Executive Administration & Board Relations
ARTISTIC OPERATIONS
Scott Freck
Vice President for Artistic Operations & General Manager
Erin Eady
Director of Orchestra Personnel
Laura Lindsay
Director of Orchestra Operations
Claudia Schmitz
Director of Artistic Planning
Bart Dunn
Principal Music Librarian
Ana Faithe Allen
Operations Coordinator
John Jarrell
Stage Manager
Byron Johns
Senior Stage Technician
Ross Jarrell
Stage Technician
DEVELOPMENT
Shayne Doty
Vice President of Development
Richard Riedl
Associate Vice President of Development
Mary Nell Johnson
Senior Director of Individual Giving
Tara Spil
Director of Corporate & Institutional Giving
Tammy Matula
Director of Development Services
Josh Bottoms
Manager of Corporate & Institutional Giving
Jennifer Gherardi
Manager of Development Services & Events
James Popper
Manager of Individual Giving
HUMAN RESOURCES
Maribeth Baker
Human Resources Counselor
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Christian Drake
Vice President of Finance & Administration
Amy Hine
HR Coordinator & Office Administrator
Kensloe Norrington
Staff Accountant
Chazin & Company, Financial Services
LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Aram Kim Bryan
Vice President of Community Relations & Learning
Dylan Lloyd
Senior Manager of Youth Orchestras
Mark Rockwood
Senior Manager of Youth Education
Michaela Sciacca
Senior Manager of Youth Programs
Gavin Fulker
Education Programs Assistant
Bria Alexander Community Engagement Assistant
MA RKETING & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Frank Impelluso
Vice President of Marketing & Audience Development
Deirdre Roddin
Director of Institutional Marketing & Communications
Nicole Glaza
Senior Manager of Digital Marketing
Laura Thomas
Senior Manager of Marketing & Audience Development
Chad Calvert
Visual Communications Manager
Meghan Cole
Patron Experience Manager
Garrett Whiffen
Ticketing Manager
Go for Baroque
From Brandenburg to Today
Friday, May 1 at 7:30 pm
CAROLINA THEATRE AT BELK PLACE
Bach’s “Brandenburgs,” Handel’s Water Music, and contemporary works bring Baroque brilliance and clarity to the present.
BACH Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 3 & 5
Caroline SHAW entr’acte
HANDEL Water Music Suite No. 1
Christopher James Lees, conductor
Kari Giles, violin
Victor Wang, flute
Emily Urbanek, harpsichord