Dementia patients serenaded by Phoenix Symphony made possible through donations

Taking a cue from the movie Alive Inside, volunteers were inspired and decided to donate money so musicians from the Phoenix Symphony could provide mini-concerts for dementia patients at Gardiner Home, the Hospice of the Valley’s inpatient home dedicated to dementia care.

Savor the Symphony is a Sellout Success for the Sixth Straight Year

The Phoenix Symphony’s signature Savor the Symphony Women’s Luncheon brought food and music together for a good cause on January 19, 2018 at Symphony Hall. During the widely anticipated event, 300 women from across the Valley enjoyed an exclusive sneak peek performance by Canadian trio The Tenors followed by a delicious lunch prepared by Chef Gio Osso, of Virtu and Nico.

The Phoenix Symphony Gala Returns, Celebrates 70 Years

After a 10-year hiatus, The Phoenix Symphony’s gala returned, just in time for its 70-year anniversary. The event welcomed more than 200 guests for an evening of activities and music on December 31 at the Arizona Biltmore. The event began with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a photo station and a raffle featuring a custom-designed necklace in […]

The Town is Abuzz with the Return of The Phoenix Symphony’s New Year’s Eve Gala

PHOENIX – In spectacular fashion, The Phoenix Symphony brought back the best event of the season after a ten-year hiatus with their 70th Anniversary Gala. More than 200 guests enjoyed a dazzling evening of festivities and music as they rang in the new year with The Phoenix Symphony on December 31 at the Arizona Biltmore. This once-in-a-lifetime […]

Troupe Vertigo puts new spin on Nutcracker

When Aloysia Gavre arrived for “A Cirque Nutcracker” rehearsals with her California-based Troupe Vertigo, she was overwhelmed with excitement. Now that it has made its world premiere at the Mesa Arts Center, the energy is palpable. “It’s exhilarating,” said Gavre, Troupe Vertigo’s artistic director and a performer. “This really gives the artists something new and […]

18 things to do around Phoenix during Christmas break

“A Cirque Nutcracker” Ballet Arizona’s stellar “Nutcracker” is a highlight of every season, but if you’re looking for a new twist on a holiday favorite, the Phoenix Symphony is hosting LA-based Troupe Vertigo for a Cirque du Soleil-style spectacle with highflying acrobats whizzing over the orchestra’s heads. MORE: ‘A Cirque Nutcracker’ gets world premiere at Mesa Arts […]

A Cirque Nutcracker gets world premiere at Mesa Arts Center

Every tradition needs an update now and then. Even “The Nutcracker,” every dance fan’s first ballet. First performed in 1892, Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece follows young Clara (or Masha or Marie) into a holiday dreamscape of dancing snowflakes, flowers and fairies, accompanied by the Nutcracker — a toy soldier come to life as a dashing prince. The […]

Taking the Nutcracker to New Heights

The Phoenix Symphony and Troupe Vertigo bring the world premier of A Cirque Nutcracker to the Mesa Arts Center

Festivals Showcase Phoenix Metro’s Arty Side

It seems the Cirque du Soleil can even take revered holiday classic and it make it their own: A Cirque Nutcracker, presented by Troupe Vertigo, will run through Dec. 24 at The Mesa Arts Center, One E. Main St. The performance will also feature The Phoenix Symphony, aerial artists, jugglers and contortionists. Tickets start at […]

A Cirque Nutcracker Debuts in Mesa This Holiday Season

This December The Phoenix Symphony and Troupe Vertigo will bring the world premier of A Cirque Nutcracker to Mesa Arts Center.   “This is an entirely new way to experience this holiday favorite,” said Phoenix Symphony president and CEO Jim Ward. “Clara’s journey has always been fantastical, but Troupe Vertigo takes it to a whole […]

Come celebrate New Year’s Eve and 70 years of music with The Phoenix Symphony The Anniversary Gala: 70 Never Sounded So Good

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 14, 2017 The Phoenix Symphony takes over McArthur Ballroom for a magical night of music, dancing, and merriment (PHOENIX) – Ring in the New Year with The Phoenix Symphony! One of the Valley’s cherished social events returns in celebration of the Symphony’s 70th Anniversary. On New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2017, The Anniversary […]

Principal Clarinet Alex Laing wins 2018 Sphinx Medal of Excellence and $50,000 career grant

PHOENIX—Principal Clarinet of The Phoenix Symphony Alex Laing has been announced as one of the 2018 recipients of the Sphinx Medals of Excellence by the Sphinx Organization, the national social justice and arts nonprofit dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. The additional winners were Mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges and Colombian-American […]

The Phoenix Symphony Names Seasoned Fundraising Pros as Chief Development Officer and Vice President of Development

PHOENIX-The Phoenix Symphony is pleased to announce the appointment of Ron Fredman as its new Chief Development Officer and Tammy Rocker as its new Vice President of Development.

“I am thrilled that Ron and Tammy will be joining our family at The Phoenix Symphony”, says Jim Ward, President and CEO of the Symphony. “Their fundraising experience will help to fuel our overall mission of feeding the soul of this community with quality music, bolstering the cultural economy for continued growth and helping to educate the next generation of a creative workforce.”

Ron Fredman joins the Symphony as the previous CDO at the Kansas City Ballet. He has enjoyed many years of success, including record-breaking seasons as chief fundraiser for the Kansas City Symphony and Houston Symphony. His background includes more than a decade as a national fundraising consultant, chiefly with Hartsook Companies, where he rose to Executive Vice President. He has guided cultural organizations, social services, youth groups, schools, religious institutions, healthcare, associations, and foundations, and is well known for beyond-the-horizon thinking, deceptively tough questions, nurtured expectations and enthusiastic partnerships.

An Arizona native, Tammy Rocker joins as the previous CDO for Circle the City, a nonprofit providing for the healthcare needs of those experiencing homelessness. She has over 20 years of experience as a nonprofit executive with a long record of success in fund development. Her passion for improving community health led her to a position with the American Heart Association, where she held numerous leadership roles over 12 years. In her tenure with AHA/ASA, Tammy demonstrated excellence in delivering measurable mission results, generating significant revenue, cultivating and engaging volunteers, stewarding major donors, developing innovative programs and initiatives, and recruiting and retaining top talent. She and her team have won an array of National and Affiliate awards.

AHCA Research Project Takes Personal Turn for Phoenix Symphony

The words symphony and saliva testing are not usually found in the same sentence. But through an innovative research project by Arizona State University (ASU) in conjunction with the Maravilla Care Center and the Phoenix Symphony, they do go together.   By bringing music—from Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” to classical compositions—to the Phoenix-based nursing care […]

Music, Mountains and Memory Event Supports The Phoenix Symphony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 27, 2017 Contact: Todd Vigil 480-227-5779 [email protected] PHOENIX, AZ. – On April 20, 2017, Sheila and Michael Zuieback and Julie Pace and her husband David Selden, hosted 150 guests at the Zuieback’s home with amazing views of the Camelback Mountains. The event was held in support of The Phoenix Symphony’s community […]

Earl Maneein heard on the Dillinger Escape Plans Dissociation opens heavy metal violin concerto

April 24, 2017   Earl Maneein, a violinist featured on the Dillinger Escape Plan’s Dissociation, premiered his heavy metal violin concerto Dependent Arising this past weekend in Phoenix, AZ. The unique metal-meets-classical piece was performed by Rachel Barton Pine and the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, as conducted by Tito Muñoz. Maneein also plays violin with Seven […]

Dependent Arising

April 15, 2017 EARL MANEEIN’S HEAVY METAL VIOLIN CONCERTO TO BE PREMIERED BY RACHEL BARTON PINE AND THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY On April 21 and 22, Rachel Barton Pine and The Phoenix Symphony, conducted by Tito Muñoz, will premiere DEPENDENT ARISING, a new violin concerto by New York City based composer and violinist Earl Maneein. The […]

Town council names April 20, 2017 Phoenix Symphony Day

April 14, 2017   The Paradise Valley Town Council presented a proclamation naming April 20, 2017, Phoenix Symphony Day, at its April 13 meeting. A large percentage of the audience and patrons of the Phoenix Symphony are residents of Paradise Valley, according to a summary statement, and some have opened their homes to performances by […]

Musically Engaging Students in Science

April 1, 2017   Musically Engaging Students in Science From fractions to electrical conductivity, music offers a path to increase student engagement and improve learning in science and math. At Canton Country Day School in Canton, Ohio, Brian Bortz, preK–5 science and fifth-grade math teacher, worked with music teacher Heather Cooper to create a fractions […]

Research Project Takes Personal Turn For Phoenix Symphony

The words symphony and saliva testing are not usually found in the same sentence. But through an innovative research project by Arizona State University (ASU) in conjunction with the Maravilla Care Center and the Phoenix Symphony, they do go together. By bringing music—from Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” to classical compositions—to the Phoenix-based nursing care center’s […]