President's Letter

Dear Women’s Symphony League Members,

BEAUTIFUL MUSIC IS CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION! In our fifty-fifth year of Women’s Symphony League, we celebrate the enduring classics of the music masters---Mozart, Dvořák, Handel, Brahms, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky.

In September we “Waltz into the Season” with a beautiful luncheon and style show. The opening performance of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra’s 66th Anniversary Masterworks season follows next as we celebrate our distinct American heritage in the works of Dvorak’s NEW WORLD Symphony and Aaron Copland’s LINCOLN PORTRAIT.  WSL will co-host a Gala Reception in Cowan Center following this first concert. Make your plans to buy season tickets and be there!

Mid-October’s meeting in the stately First Presbyterian Church sanctuary will feature the TASO state Juanita Miller Concerto Competition winner, Suhun Hong, playing piano classics for us.  At this time we will celebrate the distinguished state and national leadership of WSL members LaVerne Gollob, Laura Hyde, Annette Findley, Joi Smith, Mildred Witte, Nancy Wrenn and Zoe Talbert. Their time and talent has been given at various times to the Texas Association for Symphony Orchestras, the League of American Orchestras, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

An evening meeting in early December at First Presbyterian Church will showcase the popular Tyler Chamber Chorale singing in the mood of Mozart’s birthplace, “Christmas in Salzburg”, with Donald Duncan conducting.

January Winter Fundraisers will feature two wonderful classical game events.  Tuesday evening, we play “Bunco with Beethoven” and on Thursday morning we enjoy “Mah Jongg with Mozart” as we invite friends to share in the fun.  In early February to fulfill our primary WSL commitment to music education in the community, we present a performance of the celebrated Classical Kids Live!  “BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS” to families and to thousands of school children.  Later in February, our General Meeting is to be in the lovely Marvin United Methodist Church Chapel where we are honored to host the Texas Guitar Quartet who will serenade us with romantic classical guitar music.

Our grandest celebration of the year comes in early March when “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” Ball will be unveiled at Harvey Hall.  Many “special things” are being planned for ball attendees and for our Junior Symphony League honorees.   Austria’s elegance and grandeur will be everywhere.

April’s final meeting at Marvin Church will feature Barbara Sudweeks, Principal Assistant Violist, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, playing her Chinese violin, the Erhu, for us.  It will be a grand year filled with rich musical experiences for our members and for our community as we join to celebrate the abundant joy of music.              

Rejoice,

Joyce Hudnall
WSL President
2009-2010