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It's mid-Summer, and the SVA is deep in planning for the coming season – putting together our calendar, working on plans, and laying the groundwork for new programs. August will be a month of coordinating with SLSO staff and nailing down details before the season officially begins in September.
In the meantime, we have several new teams, and several existing committees and teams that need more members. So now's the time! Take a look and join in!
I’m excited about this coming year! I look forward to seeing each of you as our committees begin their work for the year and hope to see you at our first General Membership Meeting (watch your email for details). Please take a few moments to read further about what is going on in each area and spread the word about our orchestra and the SVA!
All the best,
Jeff Kaplan
President, St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association
c: 610-613-8527
Volunteers, Choose Your Committees!
NEW TEAMS
Group Hosts
This team, part of Powell Hall Opportunities, will greet patrons and assist with giving building entry directions to groups arriving and departing by shuttle to/from Friday morning Coffee Concerts and other special events, such as the Mercy Holiday Celebration programs. The shuttle program has been very successful in the past few years, and this team will enhance the patrons' experience by helping them proceed from the shuttle into Powell Hall.
Celebrations
This team, part of the Ambassadors Committee, will help with celebratory events throughout the year, mostly at Powell Hall. Some of these events will involve collaboration with other SVA committees or teams. Examples of such events: helping to serve champagne during opening week festivities and supporting events surrounding the arrival of Music Director Designate Stéphane Denève.
SVA History
The indefatigable Vi Steinmeyer and multi-talented Nancy Malvin are in the early stages of pulling together a history of the SVA, and our key programs and events from 1993 - present. (Existing publications document the SVA’s history prior to 1993.) The eventual outcome, we hope, will be a written and oral history. Phase I of this project will involve interviewing past SVA Presidents and will commence in the next few weeks.
EXISTING TEAMS Seeking Volunteers
Coffee Concerts
This is an extremely popular team. Team members create a welcoming atmosphere at Friday morning subscription concerts by serving complimentary coffee and tea donated by Community Coffee, along with Krispy Kreme donuts, to concert-goers as they prepare to enter the hall for the concert. Volunteers receive a ticket to the concert when serving. As we expand the number of volunteers per concert, we need to increase the size of this team.
Education Ambassadors
This team supports the SLSO’s Education Concerts, greeting area school children and teachers with friendly faces. Their purpose is to provide a warm welcome and assure the safe and expedient arrival and departure during education concerts. Volunteers receive a complimentary ticket to the morning’s concert. Education Concerts begin at 9:30am and 11:00am. Each shift of volunteers arrives one hour before the concert and leaves after all the buses are loaded for departure after the concert ends.
Express the Music
If you love stories or poems - and kids - we hope you'll sign up for the Express the Music Committee. This year's program will invite grade 6-12 students to listen to the 4th movement of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony and then express their thoughts and emotions through creative writing. Committee members contact area schools, organize entries, select finalists, and plan an awards ceremony with the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. Our launch meeting and ETM workshop will be in early November. We'll send particulars in September only to those who are ETM members. Join us.
Photographers
Team members record moments in SVA history by photographing SVA-related activities and uploading them into the SVA's Flickr account. If you have a smart phone or a digital camera, we need you! We're assembling a “pool” of photographers in order to cover the various SVA events. We'll assign photographers to an event the way One and Done works: we'll let you know about an event, and you respond with your availability. If you've run out of babies to photograph, this team is for you!
Youth Orchestra
This is shaping up to be a big year for our YO team, as we prepare to support the 50th anniversary celebrations during the 2019/2020 season. Stay tuned! As plans solidify, we'll put out the call for expanded participation in several activities pertaining to the Youth Orchestra.
SLSO News
SLSO Teams with the MUNY
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and The Muny, two of St. Louis’ most beloved institutions, have announced a special concert at Powell Hall celebrating The Muny’s centennial on October 7, 2018, at 3:00pm.
The concert will highlight cherished classics from Annie Get Your Gun, Girl Crazy, Show Boat, and The Pirates of Penzance, as well as favorites by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Victor Herbert, and more. The program will feature an outstanding cast of vocal soloists joined by the St. Louis Symphony Chorus and led by conductor Ben Whiteley.
Marie-Hélène Bernard, President and CEO of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, said: “The Muny’s impact on St. Louis over the past 100 years is remarkable. We look forward to collaborating with such a storied organization and bringing the outdoor musical experience to Powell Hall.”
Denny Reagan, President and CEO of The Muny, said: “We are thrilled to team up with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra to celebrate The Muny’s 100 years in St. Louis. Sharing the joys and memories of our history with another enduring and significant St. Louis institution will be a truly unique experience. It’s going to be something you do not want to miss.”
Tickets are on sale now, and priced from $35 to $65. Visit slso.org or call the box office at 314-534-1700.
SVA Notes
General Membership Information
Check Your Email Regularly
Please remember to check your e-mail often. Email is our major source of regular communication, especially for acquiring volunteers and last-minute substitutes.
Committee Kick-off Meetings Coming
'Tis the season for our committees to shake off the Summer lethargy and get into gear, so late August, September, and early October will see several kick-off meetings. Stay tuned – you'll hear from your committee chair or team lead.
Instrument Playground
The first Instrument Playground event of the year will be Saturday and Sunday, September 8 and 9. IP has been invited to take part in the Kid’s Zone at Lou Fest in Forest Park. Watch for an email announcement in August.
Ambassadors Portfolio Grows
Our Ambassadors Committee, led by Sara Fabick and Gerry Frankenfeld, continues to field requests for help, as their effectiveness in outreach becomes more and more apparent. Ambassadors will assist at On Stage Concerts and other special events. We have been on standby to help with various receptions held in the Whitaker Room, and we are helping with A Symphony Prelude in September. Quite a list!
