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I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and to thank you for being interested in the Greater Bridgeport Symphony. In my experience as Executive Director of the GBS only since last November, I have seen so closely and powerfully the commitment our community feels for this organization – the standing ovations, the nice letters, and the generous patrons – and have discovered a community that clearly loves the Symphony and our legendary Maestro Gustav Meier. From our audience to our Board of Trustees to our Orchestra, everyone understands the value the GBS brings to Fairfield County and to our audience.
This season you heard our incredible young soloists, all rising stars and laureates of our Carlson Horn Competition for Young Musicians – Anita Chen on violin and piano, Allison Eldredge on cello, and Alexander Beyer on piano. You heard our thrilling concert-version of Verdi’s Aida in April. You also heard our fun Holiday Pops concert, which I had the privilege to conduct. Throughout each concert the response of the audience was palpable and reflected in the consistently great reviews we received in the Connecticut Post.
You have already seen our new and improved website – www.GBS.org. Next month, you will be able to renew your subscription and purchase additional tickets online, even choosing your own seats! This season we have been making high-quality video recordings of our concerts which are posted on YouTube and which will soon be featured on our website. You will also find program notes for upcoming concerts, biographies of our guest artists, and much more.
We’re very excited to honor Gustav Meier on his 40th season as Music Director by highlighting many aspects of his incredible career, which you can see when you visit our website. You may have heard about our greatly expanded 2011-12 schedule announced at the April concert. Next year, in addition to our traditional five Saturday evening subscription concerts at the Klein Auditorium, we will present:
• a full Sunday afternoon Matinée Series at the Klein Auditorium;
• three performances of our Holiday concert, Handel’s Messiah, including one on Thursday, December 15 at the Kelley Theatre in the Quick Center at Fairfield University;
• a Gala Concert in May to honor Gustav Meier in his 40th season as Music Director featuring former and current conducting students of Gustav Meier;
• a June 16, 2012 concert with the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestra which will spotlight the Winner of the 2012 Carlson Horn Competition for Young Musicians, three World Premieres created jointly by Yale composers and students from Bridgeport area schools, and a performance of the combined forces of the GBS and the GBYO.
None of our past success would have been possible without the generosity of our subscribers; we need your support to sustain the GBS. Your fully tax-deductible donation gives you the benefit of membership in the Greater Bridgeport Symphony Society, including receiving advance notice of GBS events by email and acknowledgement in every program book for 12 months from the date of the donation. You can see the full benefits of membership on the enclosed Membership Levels and Benefit chart.
We are asking all of our valued patrons to consider a gift to help us reach our goal of $80,000 for this Spring Annual Appeal. Will you consider supporting the GBS with a gift? As you know, only about one third of our operating expenses are covered by ticket sales. We rely on the generosity of our GBS members to help us present our incredible concerts.
On a personal note, I have had the incredible opportunity to study conducting with Gustav Meier first in 1991 at Tanglewood and then again for three years at the Peabody Institute from 1999-2002. I know firsthand how incredibly fortunate we are to have him as our Music Director. He is a mentor whose deep value is felt not only by me, but also around the world to the musical community; Gustav has a widely accepted reputation as both a great conductor and the greatest living teacher of conductors. When Gustav called last summer to tell me that the GBS was looking for a new Executive Director to succeed Jena, my predecessor who left an incredible legacy of solid stewardship, I felt this was an opportunity to serve an organization to which he had committed nearly 40 years and one in which he also found so much value – the community and the orchestra.
Gustav’s deep value is reflected in the loyalty and excitement of our audience, our orchestra and our board. The honor I feel grows every day as I know more about the organization. In the past seven months as my family and I slowly transition to Fairfield Country, my commitment and understanding of the value of this organization has grown exponentially. This organization has a vital history – we celebrated out 65th anniversary this past year and honor Gustav’s 40th next year – and an even more vital future!
Please help us grow for the future. Become a member with a gift of support. Thank you again for your role in building and sustaining our heritage.
Sincerely,
Benjamin Loeb
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