Fort Smith Symphony guests treated to All-American performance (Updated with more photos)
by January 31, 2009 8:39 pm 104 views
Prior to the Jan. 31 Fort Smith Symphony performance of “Everybuddy’s All-American,” a symphony fundraising dinner was held at The Town Club of Fort Smith.
Mark Rumsey, CEO of Zero Mountain Inc., one of the symphony’s more active and consistent sponsors, made a brief presentation to the dinner guests about why he supports the symphony.
According to information from the symphony, Rumsey planned to “share how support of the Symphony benefits our entire region for the Arts and contributes to artistic and cultural enrichment and economic development.”
Following the fundraiser dinner, the guests made their way to the Arkansas Best Performing Arts Center at the Fort Smith Convention Center for the symphony’s presentation of “Everbuddy’s All-American.”
The guest artist for the performance was Buddy Wachter, a critically-acclaimed four-string banjoist who played a variety of patriotic music with the orchestra. The program included performances of “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Oklahoma!” and “God Bless America.”
The concert was sponsored by Zero Mountain, and the guest artist was sponsored by Beall Barclay & Company.
About 75 symphony guests gathered for the fundraising dinner, and were also guests at an after-concert reception for Symphony Conductor John Jeter and Wachter.
Sandy Sanders (left), Millie and George McGill and Harpist Holly Dickinson
Mark Rumsey (left), Jim Slade and Vicki Rumsey
Bennie Westphal (left) and Jim Hadley
Tony Leraris (right) and Sherri Fant
Rumsey (left) and U.S. Federal Judge Robert Dawson
Donnie Pendergraft (left) and Lynn Snider
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The pre-concert dinner crowd.
Dinner guests gather for cocktails before the meal is served.
Marilyn Patterson (left), Conductor John Jeter and wife, Karen Jeter
Buddy Wachter (left), Bennie and Landy Westphal
Jeter and Rob Ratley