The SVA’s “News and Notes” newsletter is a quarterly publication that reviews the previous quarter’s accomplishments and provides a preview of activities to come. Comments and suggestions are welcome at SVACommunications@slso.org.

I am thrilled to be the new President of the Symphony Volunteer Association during this new era for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. I look back in recent history to Phyllis Traub, our SVA President during Covid, keeping the organization viable when we were unable to do what we loved in Powell Hall. And Debbie Dillon, our most recent President, who kept us unified even as our volunteer duties took place in venues throughout the city. Both presidents faced a daunting task of maintaining the camaraderie of the SVA and a sense of relevance for the cause when we were often unable to do what we had signed up for. And now, I get to have all the fun as we enter this epoch of SLSO history…Should I be feeling guilty? 

Yes, it’s going to be fun! Yes, it’s going to be an amazing experience to walk through that magnificent arched entry of the Jack C. Taylor Music Hall surrounded by the many members of the Symphony Volunteer Association. Above all it is going to be a privilege for me as the new SVA President, and with this privilege comes responsibility. I’m not much of a public speaker, preferring to lead by my actions and not my words, and I fully plan to continue in this mode. There isn’t any volunteer opportunity that I will not do, and I’ve done them all! 

On several occasions, patrons seeing my name badge and the word “volunteer” beneath my name say, “I didn’t know the Symphony had a volunteer organization. What do you do?” My response is, “How much time do you have?” I tell them many of the wonderful ways we make patrons feel welcome, the SLSO staff feel supported, and the talented musicians feel appreciated. As the chime begins to sound to start the concert, I leave the patron with, “You should consider joining the Symphony Volunteer Association. We would love to have you!” We need you now, more than ever as we return to Powell Hall. As current SVA members, you are more vital than ever to the mission of the SLSO! 

The SVA serves donuts at Coffee Concerts and supports teachers and their students at Education Concerts. We stuff envelopes for the Philanthropy department and go to Jefferson City as advocates for the funding of the arts. Along with giving our time, many of us financially support the SLSO as donors. And no matter what one does with the SVA, I can guarantee they meet a fellow volunteer who is a kindred spirit. As a current SVA member, do those friends of yours who are outside of the SVA a favor and invite them to join. Share your experiences with them and let them feel the joy and fulfillment you have experienced. 

Now is the perfect time to become a new member of the Symphony Volunteer Association! We are all going to be new, learning our way around the new music center. Several new volunteer positions include greeters, way-finders, and SVA information desk staffers. If you know someone who is interested in joining the SVA, send them to the SLSO website to fill out a Prospective Member form at slso.org/support-us-volunteer/.

I’m looking forward to the last week of August, seeing each of you in one of the sessions to familiarize the staff and volunteers with the improved venue along with the expectations of the many roles everyone will be playing when the doors open on September 26. Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the “soft open” on September 6 where we will be part of a mock concert performance to test the policies and procedures before the season begins. I hope to see you often at Powell Hall at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center this coming season.  

Let’s go make some history! 

Suzanne Seibel  
SVAPresident@slso.org 

Hello, SVA volunteers! 

As preparations for the move back into Powell Hall are coming fast and furious, I thank you for your patience on this journey into new territory. You have been agile in the past, and I look forward to continuing to work with you to support the SLSO as new needs arise. I apologize in advance for last-minute changes and requests, because as we all know, when you move into a new space, things don’t always go as planned. You have responded with grace to last-minute SOS calls when the SLSO cannot complete tasks alone, and I thank you for continuing to do so. Keep your eyes open for notices of SVA training to prepare our volunteers for the new season. We would like to get all our SVA trained before we return to Powell Hall, so you are comfortable and ready when the new season opens. 

I’d like to give a special shout out to Martha Duchild and Becky Brown for chairing the Trivia Night benefiting the SLSO Youth Orchestra. Thanks to everyone who worked, contributed, sponsored, played, or sent good wishes for this fun and successful event. 

I’d also like to give a special thank you to my first SVA executive board. Their professionalism, wisdom, and helpful attitude have made this adjustment easy. They have been gracious with my many questions about the inner workings of the SVA, and responsive in timely matters. I will miss their guidance, but I look forward to spending time with the new team as we begin the preparations for the return to Powell Hall in September. 

SVA, thank you for the thousands of volunteer hours and your enthusiasm and commitment to supporting the mission of the SLSO. Thank you for your friendship and for inviting your friends to join the SVA so they, too, can enjoy all the benefits the SVA offers. It’s not work if you are having fun! I look forward to seeing you soon at an SVA event.  

Andrea Biske 
AndreaB@slso.org 

With the start of the 2025/26 season, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will return to its historic venue, Powell Hall, following a two-year transformational expansion and renovation.   

The $140 million project will create the Jack C. Taylor Music Center, with a renovated Powell Hall at its heart, transforming the 1925 building into a vibrant and accessible music center for the entire community. The first major renovation of the building since it became the SLSO’s permanent home in 1968, the project adds 65,000 square feet to the venue and was designed by the New York City-based architecture firm Snøhetta. 
 

Powell Hall at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center will reopen for the first week of classical concerts September 26-28 with the world premiere of Kevin Puts’ new song cycle, House of Tomorrow, featuring mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato. Music Director Stéphane Denève also leads the orchestra in a trio of fanfares and Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben.  

The reopening will mark a milestone nearly ten years in the making. Under the guidance of SLSO President and CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard, the transformation Powell Hall began in the mid-2010s. Shortly after her arrival, Bernard formed a task force to study the feasibility of expanding the 1920s-era venue. By 2019, the design team had formed. Just a few years later, with approval from the city of St. Louis, the first shovel overtured ground on the expansion. 

After years of planning, construction got under way on March 20, 2023, while the orchestra toured Europe. BSI Constructors—the project’s construction manager—began loading in heavy equipment to prepare the site immediately east of Powell Hall. For the first few months, external site work progressed as the SLSO completed in the 22/23 season in Powell Hall. 

First, the crew excavated the site to prepare for the new backstage addition, which now houses the building’s central plant of mechanical equipment in the basement and musician and artist services on the ground level. 

On May 14, the final concert in Powell Hall took place—a St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra concert led by then-Assistant Conductor Stephanie Childress. In the weeks that followed that concert, staff transitioned day-to-day operations to take place at a new temporary office. 

By June 1, the seats had been removed from the auditorium, with some purchased by patrons and others donated. Meanwhile, the iconic blue “Park” signs were dismantled and given to the St. Louis City Museum for use there.  

Throughout the summer and into the fall, demolition took priority inside, with old mechanical systems decommissioned and removed, the office spaces demolished, and other obsolete architecture removed. Outside, excavation for the foundation of the new lobby began by mid-summer. In August the basement slab was poured, and crews set foot for the first time on solid ground in the basement of the new mechanical plant. 

Throughout the project, the BSI team took care to infuse the new construction with history. In September 2023, a steel I-Beam bearing the names of campaign donors was installed in the southeast corner of the new lobby. Later, a time capsule with mementos collected by SLSO staff was added to the building. 

As the year concluded, the auditorium looked vastly changed, with the floor “cored” for new HVAC installation and the floor of the new Education and Learning Center poured.  

2024 began where 2023 ended: with a variety of construction activity across all spaces of Powell Hall. In the auditorium, a concert overpour of the floor helped to reshape the steepness of the space—just one of many changes to make the building more accessible to all. To date, most work supported structures that will go unseen by the public. By the end of February 2024, that changed as the cylindrical staircase in the new lobby began to take shape.  

In a striking change, February and March also saw the erection of scaffolding in the auditorium. As crews inspected the auditorium, the decision was made to paint all the walls and ceilings, as well as to retouch the gold leaf. This process would take the better part of a year to complete, with the entire auditorium needing floor-to-ceiling scaffolding. 

In April, a crane was on site to lift new cooling towers to the roof of the backstage expansion—one of many mechanical changes. Throughout spring and into summer, crews poured the concrete for all levels of the new lobby, dramatically changing the south façade of the venue, creating a new space to enter, gather, and share music. 

In mid-summer, the first exterior finishing touches began to appear. Sand-colored masonry was first installed at the Education and Learning Center, complementing the blond-colored bricks of the existing building. On the north side of the building, a new entrance on Delmar Blvd. was cut.  

While painting continued in the auditorium, teams created new rear walls on the orchestra floor level and progressed on other sound-proofing measures. As acoustic fortification continued, by September, a roof and exterior walls had begun to be added to the canted and curved new lobby. 

Much of the scaffolding used to fill the auditorium had been removed by November, revealing a refreshed interior. By the end of the year, painting had also been completed in the existing Wightman Foyer. As the interior progressed, crews began working on the floor of the auditorium in preparation for seat installation in 2025. 

As 2025 rolled in, many finishes in the backstage space became reality. New musicians’ lockers, percussion and timpani storage areas, and guest artist suites began to look finished.  

Elsewhere in the existing building, eyes turned to completing finishes. Early in the year, plaster work on the floors and walls and installation of handrails took priority. 

Framing for the most prominent feature of Powell Hall’s new lobby space was in place by February, bringing the Snøhetta-designed expansion one step closer to completion. The large, arched curtain wall—or non-structural glass exterior wall—will serve as the primary new entrance to the building, facing southwest toward Grand Blvd. and Samuel Shepherd Dr.  

In spring, crews transformed the former Box Office into a new café space, reframing the space to serve audience members in new ways.  

Every day, more than 150 crew members worked in all spaces to complete the project. In the new lobby, terrazzo floors were installed, bathroom fixtures added, two new elevators installed, and walls drywalled and painted.  

In the auditorium, the spring and summer saw the wood installed on the stage floor, the iconic red carpeting installed, new rear walls completed. By June, most of the seats, which are both larger and include more leg room, were added. 

Audiences will find a host of new amenities to make the concertgoing experience more comfortable. The new lobby will add gracious gathering space. More facilities—including restrooms, concession areas, and a coat check among others—will make the experience seamless. 

And for the musicians: a new backstage wing that will modernize amenities. Powell Hall was never built to accommodate an orchestra and its needs and therefore lacked amenities for a modern orchestra. The new wing will remedy these shortcomings. Musicians will enjoy a light-filled, spacious new lounge to unwind before or after rehearsals or concerts. A state-of-the-art music library will be relocated from the depths of the Powell Hall basement, carefully preserving the SLSO’s vast sheet music collection. New men’s, women’s, and gender-neutral dressing rooms will address a glaring inequity—Powell Hall didn’t have a women’s locker room. Twelve new practice spaces will provide musicians convenient options to hone their craft. And climate-controlled instrument storage facilities will be vastly improved—especially for percussion, timpani, and pianos. 

The forthcoming improvements, musicians say, will help attract the highest-caliber talent to St. Louis and retain them once here. 

Powell Hall holds a special place in the hearts of countless people in the community, as well as the orchestra’s musicians. A credit to the place of the SLSO in the community, the project has received outstanding support from many, who view the space as a nexus for community unity. That sentiment is shared by many SLSO musicians. 

“As our individual instruments are our voices, Powell Hall is the instrument and voice of the SLSO,” said Jelena Dirks, the SLSO’s Principal Oboist. “I am so excited to be going home and to be able to share that, becoming an even more welcoming and supportive focal point for the arts in St. Louis.”  

Cutting the ribbon to the new building in September 2025 ushers in a new chapter for the 145-year-old institution. 

Eric Dundon is the SLSO’s Public Relations Director. 

I’m a Saint Louisan, born and raised, only living elsewhere for a couple of years during college. Even then, I received my bachelor’s from St. Louis University and master’s from UMSL. Over my 35-year career, I served as a special educator in Normandy, Ferguson-Florissant, Hazelwood, and Parkway school districts. During the summers, I worked in juvenile detention facilities, summer school programs, or took classes for my own enhancement. After retiring, I spent eight more summers as a job coach for disabled teenagers. 

My first exposure to the SLSO was as a teenager when my father took me to Kiel Opera House. He believed his daughter needed to be exposed to the finer things in life. Dad knew nothing about classical music, but he knew what he liked. If he were still alive, I could tell him he liked Dvorak and Sibelius. I’ve always loved classical music; my favorite composers are Beethoven, Bruckner, and Brahms. I’m sharing this love with my grandchildren, Hudson and Hadley—though they prefer the concerts in conjunction with a movie! 

After retirement, a friend encouraged me to join the Symphony Volunteer Association, where I met many people with a contagious passion for supporting the SLSO. I’ve served as a committee chair and Vice President of Membership and the VP of Education and Community Programs, and now I’m the President of the SVA. I often tease, “never make eye contact or you’ll end up with a title!” But I truly don’t mind when I get to work alongside such a dedicated group, united by a mission to enrich lives through the power of music. 

I’ve been married to my husband, Charlie, for 50 years this October. We have one daughter, Monica. Charlie and I enjoy traveling with an affinity for cruising. Our trip to Cuba was a highlight; with its vintage cars and historic architecture, it felt like stepping into the 1950s. I’m also a railfan and enjoy train travel. For me, it’s all about the journey, not the destination. And when I’m home, you can usually find me at Powell Hall—that’s my favorite stop of all. 

Email: SVAPresident@slso.org 

I’m a native St. Louisan (Kirkwood High School, before you ask) though I’ve twice left town—once for college in Virginia and once to the Los Angeles area for work. My six years in California were in the middle of 35 years as an attorney with McDonnell Douglas/Boeing, from which I retired in 2019–and promptly became even more involved with the SVA! 

For me, friends are a defining feature of the SVA. My wife Janice and I first became involved with the SVA in 2010 through friends, and through the SVA, we’ve deepened many longstanding friendships and made new friends. There’s nothing better than working a long day and chatting with another volunteer to establish a lasting connection. 

Janice and I have been married for 44 years and have two daughters—Caroline, who lives here and has met many of you at SVA activities, and Madelaine, who lives with her husband in Long Beach. Travel, gardening, volunteering with several other local organizations, and occasional bursts of genealogy research keep me busy.  

Email: SVAEducationVP@slso.org 

I am thrilled to be joining the SVA Executive Team as VP of Philanthropy and Stewardship. I joined the SVA in 2018 after retiring from the Alzheimer’s Association. I have served as Vice Chair of Picture the Music and Powell Hall Opportunities and particularly enjoy volunteering for Education Concerts, Tiny Tunes, and Coffee Concerts.  

I moved from Southern California to Webster Groves in 2002 and love this community. In addition to the SVA, I also volunteer with the Missouri Botanical Garden. I have found the members of the SVA to be warm and welcoming, and I look forward to returning soon to Powell Hall. I know there will be many exciting times ahead. 

Email: SVAPandS@SLSO.org 

I was lucky to grow up in the small Iowa town of Clinton, where we had an excellent string teacher who started me on the cello in grade school and taught me all the way through high school. We had so many unique opportunities to play in various full orchestras and ensemble performances. I also sang in the church children’s/youth choirs. Looking back, I’m still amazed that our small community continues to support the Clinton Symphony Orchestra, which my parents regularly took my sister and me to as we got older. I often laugh when sharing that I am not sure where I first heard a certain classical piece, at the symphony or on Saturday morning cartoons. (Many of you know what I am talking about.) 

When I first moved to St. Louis, I was an SLSO subscriber and attended concerts regularly. However, as my family grew, I wasn’t able to attend as often. I rekindled my love of music and shared it with my daughters once they turned five, introducing them to live performances by taking them to the first half of SLSO concerts. At intermission, we’d leave and head to Union Station for ice cream. Today, both daughters carry that appreciation for music with them and share it with their own young families. 

My work as a nutritionist (Registered Dietitian) began at the University of Iowa and continued at Washington University School of Medicine after I moved to St. Louis. At the time, nephrology—the study of kidney disease—was a developing field, and dialysis was only available in a few places. I continued working with patients undergoing dialysis, those with transplants, and individuals with chronic kidney disease at WashU. My role involved direct patient care, coordinating clinical studies, and speaking across the country.  

After retirement, I eased into an increased role in a woman’s organization and added a garden club to my list.  

I am grateful to our new SVA president, Suzanne Seibel, whom I’ve know many years, for encouraging me to join the SVA. I have been thrilled to make new friends, facilitate bringing music to children, and have the opportunity to hear our orchestra play on a regular basis. I now think of the musicians and staff as friends. I look forward to helping SVA take on the expanded challenges the 2025/26 season in our sparkling “new” Powell Hall at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center will bring.  

Email: SVAMembershipVP@slso.org 

Hi, I’m Beth Rogers, the new SVA Secretary. My journey with the SVA began in 2019, thanks to friends who were already deeply involved. Since joining, I’ve had the pleasure of serving as Vice Chair and Chair of Picture the Music, and have been actively involved with the Education Concerts, Hospitality, and Discovery Committees. One of the great joys of volunteering has been watching young students experience the magic of music—whether they’re creating art inspired by what they hear, walking wide-eyed into Powell Hall for the first time, or performing with such enthusiasm during Education Concerts. The sentiment found on the SLSO website’s Volunteer page, “Come for the music, stay for the friendship,” perfectly describes my experience. 

Before my retirement in April, I enjoyed a career as a Marketing Executive, working with Nestlé Purina, Earth Grains, and as a Marketing Consultant. On the home front, I’m married to Jay Rogers, and we have two wonderful daughters, Meredith and Kathryn, as well as our loyal dog, Napa. When I’m not volunteering with the Symphony, Opera Theatre, or my church, you can usually find me outdoors gardening, hiking, snowshoeing, or doing Pilates. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, and I look forward to new travel adventures with Jay now that we’re both retired. 

I’m excited to serve on the Executive Board this year (new running shoes ready!). The upcoming opening of the renovated Powell Hall promises to be spectacular, and I look forward to working on the new opportunities this transformation will bring to both the SVA and the Symphony community. 

Email: SVASecretary@SLSO.org. 

Maureen Byrne is the SLSO’s Vice President, Education and Community Programs. We asked her to tell us a bit about her history and the goals she seeks to achieve in her new position. 

I’m not from St. Louis originally. I grew up in the Air Force, moving every two years across the US, with stints in Germany and Ireland. Every place had something special, and it was always fun to explore. 

My dad made sure we soaked up the arts and culture wherever we landed. In Dayton, Ohio, that meant season tickets to Saturday morning family concerts at the Dayton Philharmonic. I was pretty young, and from way up in the balcony, I was convinced the string bows had giant rubber bands. 

I grew up playing piano, and to this day my dad loves when I accompany him on old Tin Pan Alley songs. But I knew music wasn’t my career path—I earned a degree in International Marketing from Cal Poly Pomona and spent ten years working for ad agencies on the West Coast. It was my kids who pulled me back to music in a big way. 

When we moved to St. Louis in 2000, I was looking for a Suzuki violin teacher for my five-year-old son. At the time, the Community Music School was part of the SLSO, and that brand gave me immediate confidence. One phone call kicked off what’s now a 25-year connection with this incredible organization.                         

I’ll never forget hearing the SLSO for the first time. Shortly after moving here, I took my younger son to a family concert—the orchestra was playing Casey at the Bat—and I remember thinking, Wow, St. Louis has a damn fine orchestra! I got involved with my kids’ school music programs: helping teach beginning violin, organizing field trips to SLSO concerts, accompanying their school orchestras, even arranging music for them. Eventually my kids joined the Youth Orchestra, and I got to know the SLSO’s education team. One day they asked if I’d like to help out part time. I said, “Sure!” That was in 2010. 

I’ve seen firsthand the power of ensemble playing and singing, and I believe every child should have that chance. We’re lucky in St. Louis to have such a rich music landscape. Sure, we hear about school music programs being on the chopping block, but the truth is most of our public schools do offer music. One of the best things an organization like ours can do is shine a light on school bands, orchestras, and choirs, celebrate the incredible work of music teachers, and inspire kids to make music together.  

Looking ahead, I hope music education is never seen as an “extra,” but as essential to every child’s growth. I’d love to see a future where the question isn’t “Do you play an instrument?” but “What instrument do you play?”  And I hope no child ever sits in the balcony and thinks string bows have rubber bands. 

Our Coffee Concert leadership is heavily engaged in planning this season’s Coffee Concerts, working with SLSO staff. Here’s what they’ve accomplished so far: 

Dave Propper, Team Lead 
SVACoffeeConcerts@slso.org  

To say that the Education Hosts had a busy few weeks to end the season would be the classic case of understatement. Beginning the first week of March and stretching into the first days of April, more than 40 SVA volunteers assisted with 13 concerts over 7 dates at two venues. Whether confronted with the icy winds of March and/or tornado-threat days of April, all activities at the Sheldon and the Touhill proceeded smoothly as the younger children hopped, skipped, jumped, and shook (maracas eggs) their way through the Family and Tiny Tunes concerts.  A huge thank you to all our Education Hosts for helping the Education department connect with our region’s youth. We’ll see you in the fall. 

We are currently working with the SLSO Education department on plans for this season’s concerts for children. Stay tuned for details. 

For information about Education Hosts, please contact Team Co-Team Leads Elizabeth Crosby and Janis Foertmeyer (SVAEduAmbassadors@slso.org). 

The Re-imagining Committee of Rose Ingraham, Patty Kaplan, Sue Darcy, Mary Parks, Janice Seele, and Liz Halpin have been meeting with Sarah Ruddy to be ready to implement the Education department’s new plan for ETM. This year will be dedicated to a pilot program working with a small sample of schools/teachers. It will be conducted in one cycle providing a variety of submission formats using three prompts. 

SVAExpressthemusic@slso.org 

The Instrument Playground Committee, which has been on hiatus since the pandemic, is working with the SLSO Education department to re-imagine IP as we return to Powell Hall. 

Harry Moppins, Chair 
Christine Henry, Vice-Chair 
SVAInstrumentPlayground@slso.org 

Picture the Music had a very successful 2024/25 season! We received many excellent artistic contributions, which were displayed for the public in the Saint Louis Art Museum and The Magic House. The committee is currently preparing to start up again in the fall. 

Mike Darcy, Chair 
Sue Darcy, Vice-Chair 
SVAPicturethemusic@slso.org 

Tours of Powell Hall will resume after the opening of the newly renovated Powell Hall. Preliminary planning meetings were held with SLSO staff members in late winter and early spring to discuss past practices and potential logistics for upcoming tours. More details for volunteers will be available soon, as will information about training. Contact Powell Hall Tours Team Leader Becky Brown (SVATours@slso.org) for more information. 

The SVA Youth Orchestra team is excited to embark on a new chapter for the 2025/26 season. For the first time in its 50+ year history, the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra will rehearse in its own dedicated space at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center. This new space opens the door to exploring fresh ways to support the YO. 

We’re looking forward to the return of YO Music Director Samuel Hollister, as well as coordinating the SVA YO team’s support activities with the orchestra’s new manager, Alfredo DeLeon. Stay tuned for the next News & Notes for an introduction to Alfredo and how this enthusiastic new YO Manager plans to build on the successes of our St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. 

Stephanie Randall and Martha Duchild 
Youth Orchestra Team Leaders 
SVAYouthOrchestra@slso.org 

Cocktails and Conversation is an interactive Zoom event that began in 2021 during the pandemic as a way for the SVA members to stay connected. Five years later, we’re still going strong! All “conversations” are on Zoom from 5-6pm.   

We are very excited to present our 2025/26 line-up, so grab a pen and mark these dates on your calendar. 

Tuesday, October 14, 2025: Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin  
Yes, we said Leonard Slatkin! This will be an amazing opportunity for you to meet this internationally acclaimed Music Director who spent 27 years with the SLSO and 17 years as its conductor. We are so fortunate to have this special time with him, and we know you won’t want to miss this opening event.   

Tuesday, February 17, 2026: Hank Skolnick, SLSO Librarian since 2011   
You may not know that he is an accomplished bassoonist and has performed with many symphonies. He has been a faculty member at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp as well as a founder of two music publishing houses.    

Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Sarah Hogan Kaiser, Double Bass 
She graduated from Parkway South and is proud to be an alumnus of our own SLSO Youth Orchestra. Sarah has been a member of the SLSO since 2004. During the summer, she serves as the Principal Bass with the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder. She has a funny story about “the wave”—you’ll have to ask her! 

We hope you’re as excited as we are about our upcoming Cocktails and Conversation season! See you October 14. 

Marilyn Humiston 
Phyllis Traub 
C and C Team Leaders 

The Directory team (Ruben Sanchez & Liz Halpin) has been busy this summer recording all updates from changes in our Board and performing a cleanup to ensure we have the latest and most reliable information from all members as we gear up to support our beloved SLSO this season.  

The return to Powell Hall is keeping not only all SLSO employees busy but also many of us in the SVA to ensure that our patrons will have an outstanding experience coming back to our beautifully renovated Hall. The Directory is the SVA’s way to record not only all our members’ contact info but also their preferences for volunteering. It plays a pivotal role in helping our committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs know who to call for help with every activity. Maintaining contact information and committee preferences is yet another crucial way in which you can help. If you have recently moved, gotten a new phone number, changed your email address, or thought about trying new SVA volunteer activities, please send an email to SVADirectory@slso.org. We are eager to hear from you. 

With your contact information we also periodically update the online and printed versions of the SVA Directory. Liz Halpin’s expertise in editing and publishing makes this part of our work a breeze. We always try to have copies of the printed Directory in every SVA meeting available for those of you who prefer this option. Please let us know about any corrections needed. 

The Directory team works behind the scenes, making SVA communications possible. We are committed to supporting the SVA as they support the SLSO’s mission. 

We hope to see you all at Powell soon! 

Ruben Sanchez 
SVA Directory Team Lead 
SVADirectory@slso.org 

The Hospitality Committee kept busy last season providing treats to the SLSO musicians, singers, and staff, expressing appreciation for all that they do to bring phenomenal music to St. Louis and beyond. The committee is excited about new opportunities ahead with the reopening of Powell Hall at the new Jack C. Taylor Music Center. We are especially thrilled to welcome the musicians back for the 2025/26 season with a brunch in the new musicians’ lounge. The whole season will be a homecoming that the Hospitality Committee is ready to celebrate throughout the year. 

Janice Seele, co-Lead 
Marjorie Smith, co-Lead 
SVAHospitality@slso.org 

We hope everyone is enjoying the slower pace (at least in theory) of the summer season. Last quarter, we welcomed the following new members to the SVA: 

Donna Cranmer (joined in April 2025) 
Eleatha Surratt (joined in May 2025) 
Lindsay Brown (joined in May 2025) 
Judy Buck (joined in May 2025) 

If you see any of our new members at an event, please introduce yourself and welcome them to the SVA! 

Our return to Powell Hall will bring a significant increase in new (and very exciting) volunteer opportunities. For these initiatives to be a success, we need to make sure that we have plenty of active volunteers available to fill these critical roles. Please remember to share your positive experiences with the SVA with friends and family. Your testimonials are our strongest recruitment tool.  

If you have any ideas on how to recruit new SVA members, please contact us at SVANewandProspective@slso.org. We would love to hear from you. 

Elizabeth Hahn, Chair 
Connie Wepfer, Vice-Chair 
SVANewandProspective@slso.org 

Our final annual spring general membership meeting of the 2024/25 season took place at the St. Louis Woman’s Club on June 6 with approximately 90 registered members attending. Outgoing president Debbie Dillon thanked our host, Teri Steinberg. Other members of the committee who were present included Chairperson Kathryn Norwood, Terri Ciccolella, Penny Bari, Don and Meg Riechman, and Marilyn Humiston.  

Our featured guest musician was Peter Henderson, who began his tenure as Principal Keyboardist of the SLSO in 2023 and is currently Associate Professor of Music and Artist-in-Residence at Maryville University. Peter performed Edvard Grieg’s Three Lyric Pieces.  

As lunch was served, President and CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard shared updates on the progress of Powell Hall and the activities planned for opening weekend, September 26-28. Those include a luncheon on Friday, dinner on Saturday with a special celebration party for all attending patrons and musicians after the performance, and a lunch on Sunday. These activities, except for the Saturday evening performance party, require a ticket to attend.  

MH also thanked the SVA, especially SVA President Debbie Dillon, for their hard work during the hiatus from Powell Hall. Debbie recognized the SVA board and members for their dedication and help during the SLSO’s two seasons away from Powell Hall.  

The 2025-2027 board of the SVA was installed with Suzanne Seibel as the new President. Suzanne expressed her excitement about moving back to Powell Hall and how she was looking forward to working with the new board.  

Please Save the Date for our first Meetings and Events dinner on October 10 at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center. 

Terri Ciccolella, Chair 
Jean Kennedy, Vice-Chair 
SVAMembership@slso.org 

Kathryn Snodgrass continues to receive requests and sends cards in sympathy or with well wishes. Anyone in the SVA membership is encouraged to contact Kathryn at SVAEngagement@slso.org, requesting written recognition of a fellow volunteer’s needs or celebrations. 

Kathryn Snodgrass, Team Lead 
SVAEngagement@slso.org 

It’s never too late to sign up and volunteer for the Pick and Choose Committee, a fun and flexible opportunity for everyone! 

This is a great committee for individuals who may like a variety of volunteer experiences but without committing to definitive days or times. Opportunities may consist of assisting staff with one-time organizational or office tasks, such as mailings, or working directly with guests at special events, like the Holiday concerts.  

If volunteers are needed for a project or event, the Pick and Choose volunteers may be asked to lend a hand. The time commitment is dependent on each opportunity. If you are a new volunteer, this is an ideal way to get an introduction to the SVA, support orchestra members and staff, and most importantly make some new friendships. At this time, nothing definitive has been planned or asked, but with the return to Powell and the new season, there will be many opportunities.  

As a reminder, if you are working at a children’s event, you will need to complete a background check form. I would advise that everyone do this regardless, so that you are not limited in what opportunities may come your way. More information and details to come.  

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the committee, please reach out! 

Sharongay Pearline, Chair 
Judy Brown-Rowden, Vice-Chair 
SVAOneandDone@slso.org 

Unfortunately, Governor Kehoe has vetoed the $2 million line-item funding for the SLSO. This is very disappointing. The SLSO contributes so much to state education and culture. However, the governor did sign the $10.1 million funding for the Missouri Arts Council, from which the SLSO will receive funding. Our MO Day of Advocacy is tentatively set for February 4, 2026. This will be especially important given the lack of state funding in this year’s budget. We’ll need to do better next year. Please circle that date on your calendar. We hope to get a bus to Jefferson City next year. 

We appreciate your efforts on behalf of the SLSO. We’re always looking for new members of the SVA Advocacy Committee. Every voice counts. 

Paul Kravitz, Chair 
LaVerne Moseley, Vice-chair 
SVAAdvocacy@slso.org 

The Ambassador team is looking forward to being an integral part of the Powell Hall reopening in September.  We are working with SLSO staff to determine how they would like to use SVA volunteers in the refurbished hall.   

We will continue to staff the shuttle buses departing from Plaza Frontenac for all classical concerts. SLSO staff will add other concerts if they see enough demand to justify additional shuttles. There will be opportunities in Powell Hall to greet patrons, answer questions, and smile.  

SLSO is bringing back Surprise & Delight to give new patrons and donors a special token of appreciation when they enter the hall that our team will administer. The SVA desk is a new addition at the bottom of the grand staircase. We are working with SLSO staff and the SVA executive team to identify how the desk will be utilized.   

Ambassador leadership, Willard Moseley and Jim Moore, are excited to work with everyone on the Ambassador team to staff our expanded role in the refurbished hall. It is going to be epic! Off the charts! Fantastic! Mind Blowing! WOW! Enter your favorite adjective here ________! 

Jim Moore, Chair 
Willard Moseley, Vice-chair 
SVAAmbassador@slso.org 

At the recent membership meeting, we learned that the former Boutique will now be titled “Merchandise.” As we understand it, in the renovated Powell Hall, a limited amount of merchandise will be available and sold in three locations in Powell Hall.

There will be items to purchase immediately, and a larger array of SLSO-related items will be available for sale online. With three volunteers needed at every concert we could use additional volunteers to help! Please contact us to add your name to our roster of volunteers.

Christine Henry, Chair  
Karen Silsby, Vice Chair 
SVABoutique@slso.org 

Beverly Seigal Simowitz, beloved mother, grandmother, educator, and passionate advocate, passed away peacefully on May 16, 2025. Her life was marked by unwavering dedication to family, music, lifelong learning, and advocacy. 

Born in 1937, Beverly pursued higher education at Northwestern University before completing her studies at Washington University. She began what would become a lifelong commitment to education as a teacher in St. Louis. 

In the early 1960s, she was teaching in Arlington, Virginia, when she met Dr. Fredric Simowitz, the man who lived across the hall from her apartment. Their chance meeting blossomed into a profound love that would span more than five decades. They were married for 53 years until Fred’s passing in 2019. 

Together, Beverly and Fred raised two children, Lynn (David) Phillips and Mark. Beverly’s greatest joy was her children, and she was particularly dedicated to her son, Mark, who has developmental disabilities. As his fiercest advocate, she fought tirelessly to ensure he received every opportunity to succeed. Her advocacy extended beyond her family, as she campaigned at the state capitol for the rights of people with disabilities, helping to transform the educational landscape for disabled students throughout the St. Louis County school system. Her tenacity in standing up for what she believed in was legendary among those who knew her. 

While she set aside her formal teaching career to manage her husband’s medical practice, Beverly never stopped being an educator at heart. In the 1970s and early 1980s, she volunteered to teach music in Special School District classes that lacked dedicated music programs. Later, she became a docent for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, sharing her knowledge and passion for music with concertgoers of all ages.  

Music was a central passion in Beverly’s life. She and Fred were generous supporters of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, cherishing the time they spent attending concerts together. A highly accomplished pianist herself, Beverly possessed the extraordinary ability to play almost any piece by ear after hearing it just once or twice. She was a favorite “go-to” pianist in her community groups. 

Beverly was a proud member of Pioneers, a literature and research group for women who are lifelong learners. After joining in 1982, she researched and presented 20 papers over 20 years, and at the time of her passing, was one of the group’s longest-tenured members. 

Beverly is survived by her children, Mark and Lynn (David) Phillips, her granddaughter, Rachel Phillips, three brothers, Bruce (the late Leda) Seigal, Gary (Jacqueline) Seigal, and Steve (the late Alice) Seigal, her cherished cousin, Marlene Zafft, and numerous other cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. 

Those wishing to honor Beverly’s memory are encouraged to make donations to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra or the St. Louis ARC, two causes that remained close to her heart throughout her remarkable life. 

Ronald Selmer Moen died on May 12, 2025, surrounded by family in his home in Chesterfield, MO. We thank the wonderful team of Mercy Hospice for the compassionate care we received.  
 
Ron was born on September 15, 1939, in Larimore, ND to Selmer and Elsie Moen. He grew up on the family farm. He graduated from Larimore HS in 1957, from Concordia College in 1961, and Purdue University in 1963 (with a master’s in Clinical Psychology).  
 
In June 1964, Ron married Janet Amundson of Brooklyn, NY. They lived in Chicago, IL (three times), West Lafayette, IN, Moorhead, MN, Temple, TX (twice), Waco, TX, Kenilworth, IL, Frontenac, MO, and Chesterfield, MO.  
 
Ron is survived by his wife Jan, his sons Ronald, Mark (Suellen) of Glenview IL, and Jon Andrew (Sharon) of Saint Louis, MO, and three grandchildren AJ (Stacy) of Glen Ellyn, IL, Paul (Kaitlyn) of Naperville, IL, and Ellie of Nashville, TN; his sister Millie MacLeod of Plant City, FL, nieces Barb MacLeod of Delaware, OH, and Mary Huntington (Mark) of Lakeland, FL, and nephew Rob MacLeod of Austin, TX.  

 
Ron served as a school psychologist in Blue Island, IL, a psychologist in the  
Neuro-Psychiatric Institute in Fargo, ND, and a graduate school professor at both the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND, and Moorhead State University in Moorhead, MN.  
 
Ron was the Chief Psychologist and CEO of the Temple, TX Bell County Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center (MHMR), CEO of the Waco, TX Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center, and he wrote the mental health accreditation standards for the Joint Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH) in Chicago, IL.  
 
Ron was founding CEO of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) in Skokie, IL. He was CEO of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) in St. Louis, MO and founded their private AAO Insurance Company. He also served as executive secretary-treasurer of the AAO Foundation and was the CEO of the World Federation of Orthodontists (WFO). He was CEO for the American Dietetic Association (ADA) in Chicago, IL. In semi-retirement, Ron led the Washington DC office of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and was interim CEO for the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine  
(SAEM) in Chicago, IL.  
 
Ron served as president of Trinity Lutheran Church in Evanston, IL. He was a consensus builder—enabling volunteers and boards of directors to be the best they could be. He always intended to write a book entitled The Board Never Makes a Mistake, with a wink for a subtitle.  

 
He was well-respected for his leadership roles in his not-for-profit associations.  
Ron loved his entire family and the many good friends from all the places he lived.  
He was the first “outlaw” in the Amundson family, and that tradition continues two generations later.  
 
Ron loved Hawaii, especially art from Wyland. Hawaii was his favorite family vacation destination, where he and the boys loved scuba-diving. He made over 100 trips to Hawaii to accredit new ambulatory health care facilities on all the islands. He enjoyed the people and cultures of his world-wide travels.  

Ron loved good music, especially singing in his church choirs, listening to excellent organ, playing his trombone, attending the opera in many states, and attending all symphonies—especially the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.  

James Miali passed away unexpectedly on June 14 at the age of 81. He was born in Alhambra, California and moved to Webster Groves in 2002.  

Jim was a life Member of the PGA and a long-time golf professional at Westborough Country Club.  

He is survived by his wife Debbie Eldridge Miali, his daughter Tara Woodard, and grandsons Brennen, Jacob, and Caleb Woodard. A private inurnment was held on July 8 at Webster Groves Presbyterian Church. A Celebration of Life will be held at Westborough CC on September 8. 

Your General Board consists of the Executive Committee; Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs, who fall under one of the three VPs; and Team Leads, whose groups take on recurring tasks within certain committees. 

All these leaders are available, via their “official” SLSO emails, to welcome you into their committees/teams, answer questions, and generally provide resources to enrich your SVA experience.  All Execs, Chairs, and Team Leads have SLSO emails, as listed below.  Vice-Chairs do not have SLSO emails but are listed below for completeness. 

Leadership

Philanthropy & Stewardship

Education & Community Programs

Membership