Playing for good
Dallas Symphony Orchestra bands together for concert to benefit its struggling members
When the Dallas Symphony Orchestra plays its June 9 concert, it will be personal.
The concert will support the recently created Hardship Fund, which helps orchestra and staff members manage unforeseen hardships. Ruth Reinhardt will conduct the orchestra in what will be a varied classical program. It will include such audience favorites as Stravinsky's The Firebird: Suite; Copland's "Saturday Night Waltz" from Rodeo and "Simple Gifts" from Appalachian Spring; and Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending for violin and orchestra, featuring Emmanuelle Boisvert on violin.
“Many of our closest friends and colleagues have found themselves dealing with unexpected health emergencies and hardships,” Kim Noltemy, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's president and CEO, says in a release. “This concert will provide funding for a grant program that will give members of the DSO family a way to bridge the gap at a time when they need it most.”
Struggling orchestra and staff members can apply for grants from the fund to "reduce financial stress as their families deal with serious illnesses," the organization says, adding, "[t]he most visible of those are health emergencies where the difference between the funds provided by long-term disability and financial obligations can be substantial."
In keeping with the spirit of the concert, the orchestra also will honor two of its musicians with new titles. Ryan Anthony will become the Principal Trumpet Emeritus, and Dwight Shambley will become the Young Strings Founder, Artistic Director Emeritus, the DSO says.
“Music has always been at the center of my life, and the Dallas Symphony and its patrons have supported me through very difficult years,” Anthony says. “Being on stage, being able to perform every week while being treated has provided strength and great joy. I thank Kim and my colleagues at the DSO for recognizing this need and addressing it so publicly.”
Shambley also expressed appreciation for the Dallas Symphony.
“Young Strings was founded to bring music to the lives of those who have never thought it could be an option for them,” he says. “Through its 27-year history, it has continued to nurture our youngest musicians in Dallas, launch the careers of many players, and inspire the imaginations of music lovers. I am honored to have established this tradition, and I know that as it continues to grow, we will see even more students and young adults have music as the center of their lives.”
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The Dallas Symphony Orchestra Hardship Relief Benefit Concert takes place at 6 pm June 9 at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St., Dallas. Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased here.
