A Musical Evening: The Nashville Symphony Celebrates the Stradivarius Society

As guests entered the lobby of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, they beheld a room transformed with clusters of soft-white and light-blue seating. They also enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres, like stuffed mushrooms and palate-teasing arancini. The arts patrons gathered for the annual Stradivarius Society dinner — an evening dedicated to the Nashville Symphony’s donors who, through their generosity, support the symphony’s mission to “entertain and educate audiences with varied opportunities to engage with orchestral music.”

After cocktail hour, guests made their way into the Laura Turner Concert Hall for a spectacular dinner. Then, Cathey and Wilford Fuqua took the stage to address the symphony’s family of close supporters and share some inspiring statistics. In the last year alone, over 6,000 students have participated in the free Young Musicians program. Over 700 participated in the Music in My Neighborhood program in North Nashville. Created in 2016, the Accelerando program has directly impacted students in the community. Of the 24 students who have participated in the Accelerando program, 15 graduates have gone on to higher education.

After the speakers concluded, members of the Nashville Symphony took the stage to perform Beethoven’s Piano Trio, Op. 97 — “the Archduke Trio” — to the delight of all in the room. Guests then enjoyed a dinner of beef short rib, which was perfect for the chilly evening. 

All headed home, undoubtedly looking forward to the next evening they’d spend with the Nashville Symphony.