Atlanta Symphony Captures American Splendor

Students from the Talent Development Program and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra will perform as part of the evening's festivities.

A long-time Atlanta Symphony Orchestra patron and a board member since 1990, Mrs. Hill was instrumental in founding the Talent Development Program — now entering its 15th Anniversary season — which has become a model for other orchestras across the country. Established in 1993, the TDP identifies and supports talented, young African-American and Latino students who desire to pursue classical music.

The TDP prepares its students for conservatory-level music study by providing instruction and mentoring by Atlanta Symphony musicians, performance opportunities and complimentary admission to Atlanta Symphony concerts, and through the Azira G. Hill Scholarship Fund, provides financial assistance to attend leading summer music study programs. Annually the TDP includes 25 students, most of whom remain in the Program through high school graduation. In 2007, bassist Eric Thompson was the first TDP graduate to join a professional orchestra.

As a valued ASO supporter, Delta Air Lines returns as the leading Phoenix sponsor of the Symphony Ball, which benefits the Orchestra's Learning Community education and community engagement programs.

One of Atlanta's most anticipated events of the year, the evening will begin in the height of grandeur at the InterContinental Hotel Buckhead. Kim Vasil of Tony Conway's A Legendary Event will recreate the unparalleled luxury of an outdoor garden straight from the pages of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. This scene of American Splendor will serve as the backdrop for a cocktail reception, after which guests will then be escorted to a ballroom transformed into a lush, early 20th Century drawing room for a performance by the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and students from the Talent Development Program.

After a dinner of blue-ribbon delicacies inspired by the rich tradition of American culinary arts, patrons will have the opportunity to bid on luxury items in a live auction. The evening will conclude with dancing.

Prior to the Ball, a Patron Party will take place on Tuesday, October 6, 2008. Guests will enjoy hors d'oeuvres from A Legendary Event and a special preview of live auction items.

Proceeds from the 2008 Atlanta Symphony Ball will benefit the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's Learning Community programs, including the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Talent Development Program. These two initiatives have created a lasting impact by creating professional opportunities for a diverse group of young Atlanta-area musicians. Proceeds will also support several ambitious community engagement partnerships with local institutions that have enabled ASO musicians to regularly reach and teach area children about the value and joy of music. -- www.atlantasymphony.org