In Tuesday’s (4/21) Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tenn.; subscription required), Jon Sparks writes about an exhibition set to open this week at a Memphis gallery, at which a painting is being auctioned with the proceeds to benefit the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. “ ‘Everybody knows those first four notes,’ artist Milisa Valliere says of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, which inspired her painting ‘Fate Knocking at the Door.’ ‘I knew I had to nail it.’ … Husband Roland Valliere has been president and CEO of the MSO since November. He’s working to keep the symphony afloat as it faces an uncertain future because of money woes. There’s been a whirlwind of fundraising activity since the MSO’s situation was publicly reported in January. Donors large and small have contributed, and much of the effort to gather support has come from the orchestra’s musicians. The Vallieres also wanted to help and decided that one of Milisa’s pieces would be auctioned with all proceeds going to the MSO…. [Beethoven’s Fifth] is a favorite of MSO music director Mei-Ann Chen. She conducted it with the MSO during her 2009 audition for the top job here.… It’s going to be performed again during the Masterworks concerts on May 3 and 4.” The article notes that bidding on the painting is underway and continues through May 4.
Posted April 23, 2014
