Contact:  Meg Whalen, Director of Public Relations
E: megw@charlottesymphony.org
P: 704-714-5114
W: www.charlottesymphony.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            August 26, 2010

Gala Celebrates Inaugural Season of Christopher Warren-Green
CSO and The Symphony Guild of Charlotte co-host concert and dinner
Thursday, September 23 @ 6:30 p.m.
Belk Theater

The Charlotte Symphony and The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc. will celebrate the opening of the 2010-2011 season with a concert gala at the Belk Theater of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center on Thursday, September 23. The Symphony’s 79th season, Christopher Warren-Green’s first as Music Director, begins the following evening on September 24.

The evening starts at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails, followed at 7:30 p.m. by a short gala performance of festive music by Johann Strauss. Maestro Warren-Green will conduct the orchestra in waltzes and marches by the Viennese “Waltz King,” a particular favorite of his (a CD featuring Maestro Warren-Green conducting the Johann Strauss Orchestra was released in 2001 on the Black Box Music label).

An elegant seated dinner catered by Best Impressions begins at 8:15 p.m. in the Belk Theater Mezzanine Lobby.

“The opening of the season is always exciting, as the orchestra looks forward to a new year of great music,” said Jonathan Martin, Executive Director of the Charlotte Symphony. “But this season has particular significance. Christopher Warren-Green has made it clear that he is fully committed not only to the Symphony, but to this city. He is passionate in his desire to lead the orchestra in artistic excellence and service to its community. That is a special reason to celebrate, and we welcome him and his family to Charlotte.”

Prior to the event, four auction items will be available in an online auction, including an opportunity to conduct the orchestra at the gala, a cocktail party for 25 guests, a cooking class and dinner party for 20, and seating at the gala dinner with Maestro Warren-Green and his wife, violinist Rosemary Furniss. Bids open on Thursday, August 26 at 10:00 a.m. and close on Friday, September 17 at 12:00 p.m. All proceeds from both the auction and the gala will benefit the Charlotte Symphony and The Symphony Guild. To view auction items, visit http://www.charlottesymphony.org/gala.asp.

About the Charlotte Symphony
The not-for-profit Charlotte Symphony is governed by a 47-member volunteer Board of Directors and operates on an $7.8 million annual budget, providing artistic excellence, community service, music education, and a wide variety of performances. It is supported by ticket sales, performance fees, generous individuals, The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc., corporate sponsors, foundation grants, the North Carolina Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and by a basic operating grant from the Arts & Science Council-Charlotte/Mecklenburg.

About The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc.
The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc. was established in 1953 as an adjunct to the Charlotte Symphony. Today it is an independent non-profit volunteer organization, which not only provides funds and support to the Charlotte Symphony, but sponsors many enrichment programs to assist young musicians. Among these are the underwriting of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras through scholarships, both need and merit, as well as a five-day residential camp in the summer.

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