WSL Newsletter 2023-2024

Notes from our president, Anne Martinez…

Greetings!

We have had a fantastic start to our WSL year and I am truly grateful to each and every one of you for fulfilling your obligations. We have welcomed our new members at Nancy Wrenn’s lovely home and had a successful first general meeting with Richard Lee at Janice Phillip’s amazing home. We have provided meals for the musicians before the concerts at both Bergfeld Park and the Cowan Center and then enjoyed the awesome concerts that followed. We also had a beautiful evening of fellowship on the patio at Fresh chaired by Sandy Colvin and Amy Turman. All of that in just three months! Thank you to our New Member Liaison committee, our Symphony Concert Host committee, our Fall Fresh and Friends committee, our Arrangements committee, New Member Recruitment and the full board for all your hard work to make everything run smoothly! Each of you are so talented and appreciated.

Faye Comte and Brook Salitore are amazing in leading our JSL students through their year. The students looked sharp and have been a friendly face welcoming patrons at the concerts. I hear they had a spooky good time at the Monster Bowl raising money for the East Texas Youth Orchestra and to further music education in WSL. We know they are enjoying their year so far as well.

Have you heard this year’s ball theme yet? On April 20th, 2024, we will present the Junior Symphony League at the “Sounds of Enchantment, A Musical Fantasy” WSL Ball. Our brilliant and gifted ball chair, Heather Hughey Pickett, is working hard to create an evening for the ages where we will make many memories together. Make plans to buy your tickets and join the fun!

We will have our first recipients of Symphony Seeds tickets attend the concert on November 4th. We are excited to introduce these young people to the Symphony and can’t wait to watch the program grow. Please consider supporting the cause with a donation. Every little bit helps! See the QR Code in this newsletter to donate. You may just win a dining gift card yourself too!

Keep April 5-6 on your calendar. Joan LeSauvage, Annette Findley and Joi Smith are working hard to organize the annual Texas Association for Symphony Orchestras conference right here in Tyler! We host this annual conference every 10 years and have quite a reputation for a good time. We can always use extra hands in preparations for this conference. Tickets are on sale now for the bonus concert for this conference, “Total Eclipse Concert” that will celebrate a total eclipse of the sun. Stay tuned!

Join us on December 4th for the Holiday Gathering general meeting! Then enjoy the holidays with family and friends and rest up for the exciting spring we have coming our way.

Wishing you all the best,

Anne Martinez
President 2023-2024

Anne Martinez

WSL Newsletter 2022-2023

Notes from our president, Carol Foley…

“Love is friendship set to music”-Jackson Pollack

Twelve…the number of musical notes from where all music is born. You don’t have to be able to read music to have experienced the magical combination of those twelve notes. Your favorite song made you sing into a hairbrush like Whitney Houston or dance around in your pajamas as if no one was watching. Only music has that kind of power. It can calm, inspire, make you laugh or even make you cry.

I started Junior High band class in 1978 as a flute player and my love of music blossomed. It wasn’t only the beautiful sound I loved but it was being part of a group that worked as a unit. I found it fascinating that if each instrument played their respective notes, together we could make a melody. I went on to play the piano, sing in the choir, join the orchestra and in case I sound like a geek, I even twirled a baton while marching.

It will come as no surprise to many of you to hear me say, I am a relational person.

I am all about people, being with friends & family, sharing life experiences with others and accomplishing big things as a group.

As the youngest of four sisters, I was the peace maker for conflicts as well as the instigator of our group fun and mischief. Well, not much has changed…I won’t hesitate to drag you with me to rush the stage at a concert and I will be the first to suggest a win/win solution to a problem.

Having served as Chi Omega President at Baylor, my 12+ years on PTA boards and countless other community leadership positions, I was being prepared to step into this role at WSL President. I believe in this organization’s ability to work as an amazing group of women and friends in support of the ETSO and to promote music education in East Texas. As a teacher, I have seen first-hand how music positively affects both the learning environment and individual student’s desire to excel. I am committed to helping young people develop into adults who love and support the performing art of music.

The symphony isn’t only instrumental solos. It’s each individual using their talent, collectively for the benefit of the audience. I am convinced the power of WSL is much like the symphony. Together we make the music happen. Together we fulfill our mission statement and ensure our community is exposed to world class symphonic music. I am grateful to be surrounded by so many talented women who step up for leadership roles and who say “yes” when asked to volunteer. My leadership style is also relational, I love working with others. I have enjoyed getting to know many of you as a new friend and I want to empower you to use your God given talents to make us better.

We have so much more fun accomplishing the mission of WSL together.

Carol Foley

WSL President 2022-2023

Reminders!

  • Be sure to visit the WSL website, wsltyler.org, to make sure you are meeting all the requirements for active membership!
  • If you are part of the Executive Board or Full board, make sure you are keeping your notebook current, so it will be ready to pass on in the spring!
  • If you do not have your notebook, and you are part of the Executive or Full board, please go pick it up from Carol’s front door!

JSL Monster Bowl

Monster Bowl Notes from Christi Khalaf

The Junior Symphony League Monster Bowl was held on October 30th. It was a fun night of bowling, music, treats and a costume contest. Every JSL members was required to fundraise, and through sponsorships and pledges, this group raised over $8,000. $5,000 will be donated to the East Texas Youth Orchestra and the remainder will support the work of the Women’s Symphony League.

Fall Fresh and Friends

ETSO Opening Night