‘A Symphony of Art’ fundraiser for Albany orchestra features fine art auction

ALBANY — The musical arts are turning to the visual arts for a boost Thursday when the Albany Symphony Orchestra conducts its primary fall fundraiser, an auction of works by some well-known Southwest Georgia artists.

Lisa Davis, one of the co-chairs for the event with Jim LeVaughn and Fred Sharpe, said Thursday that the mixture of music and visual arts is a natural.

“Really,” she said, “all of the arts, whether visual or music, kind of go together.”

Called “A Symphony of Art,” the fundraiser is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Doublegate Country Club and will feature an auction of more than 75 works. The first hour will be a silent auction and hors d’oeuvres, followed by a live auction at 7 p.m. A cash bar will be available, too.

“We’re doing this Symphony of Art for the fall fundraiser,” Davis said last week in an interview at the Albany Area Arts Council on North Jackson Street, where some of the auction items were on display. “We have a lot of outreach going on this year, outreach in the schools and in the regular season.”

While a handful of pieces were still being confirmed, the lineup of paintings, sculptures, photographs, glass work, pottery and other media “is going to be pretty substantial,” Davis said. “We even have a basket-weaver.”

The event has a double benefit, the organizers note. While most of the artists are well-known, there are some who are emerging on the scene. The one connection is the Southwest Georgia region.

“We want this to showcase local artists, Southwest Georgia artists,” LeVaughn said. “A lot of these artists are known throughout the South. Many of them have exhibited in various cities throughout the region.”

“It’s more than 75 offerings,” Davis added. “We’ve gotten a phenomenal response from the artists and from the community. … We got very few responses of ‘I’m not interested in that.’”

For those whose walls are already filled with art or who don’t have a spot for a piece of sculpture, there also are plans to have some other experiences such as dinners, workshops and getaways available for bid at the auction.

“We’re trying to arrange in the live auction for some surprise items,” Davis said.

While there will be pieces by many established artists, part of the fun of art collecting also is spotting work by emerging artists.

“We have a lot of new artists who are working to get their names out and their work to be seen,” Davis said.

LeVaughn said that was a theme among the emerging artists who are participating.

“Most of the younger ones said it’s for the exposure,” he said. “Also, a lot of these (participating artists) have had their work displayed here at the (Albany Area) Arts Council.”

Donated works have also come from artists at Albany State University, Darton State College, Georgia Southwestern State University and Deerfield-Windsor School.

Tickets for the event are $50 each, and Davis said ticket sales “have been reasonably well so far.” Tickets can be purchased online at albanysymphony.org or by contacting the symphony office at (229) 430-8933.

Sponsors of the event are Bucky Leach, certified financial planner, manager of Heritage Assets at Renasant Bank in Albany, and McCleskey Cotton Co. of Bronwood.

The fundraiser is part of the symphony’s efforts to get funding for concerts before performances. The ASO’s Sunday afternoon ensemble “The Sunday Symphony in Stained Glass” concert series starts at 4 p.m. Oct. 23 with the Peachtree String Quartet performing at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Albany.

The full symphony performs its first of three concerts this season on Nov. 12 when it presents “A Salute to America” at the Albany Municipal Auditorium, which will include a salute to America’s armed forces. Pianist Kadisha Onalbayeve will join the symphony for Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” and the Kazakh String Quartet — the national string quartet of Kazakhstan — will perform with the ASO that night as well, prior to the quartet’s debut at Carnegie Hall. The concerts start at 7:30 p.m. after pre-concert notes at 6:30 p.m.

The symphony will perform “German Romantics” Feb.11 and “A French Excursion” on March 25, both at the auditorium. Chix with Stix will be guest ensemble performing April 30 at First United Methodist Church of Albany.

The list of donors/artists for A Symphony of Art include Deirdre Allegood, of Albany; Meg Anderson, of Parrott; Bucky Bowles, of Fortson; Rhonda Brooks, of Albany; Sara Broughton, of Catula; Bob Christian, of Savannah; Joe Clift, of Dawson; Kern Cunningham, of Albany; Alton and Cathy Darby, of Leesburg; Sarah Davis, of Lexington, Ky.; Barbara DeLung, of Albany; Brandy Dew, of Albany; Bill Devine, of Albany; Doug and Lisa Devine, of Albany; Susan Dolan, of Columbus; Dot Dowling, of Albany; Brandi Fickel, of Albany; Patrick Foster, of Albany; Betsy Fowler, of Albany; Donna Gray, of Albany; Carole Hall Gum, of Albany; Debbie Hambley, of Albany; Travis Hart, of Forsyth.

Also, Steve Hinton, of Albany; Irvin Howard, of Albany; Allyson Jones, of Albany; Catherine Booker Jones, of Birmingham, Ala.; Rob Jones, of Albany; Alton Kirby, of Albany; Karen Kirkland, of Albany; Cindy Kyzar, of Albany; Henrietta Ladson, of Albany; David Lanier, of Albany; Lisa Lanier, of Albany; Jimmy Lindsey, of Albany; Michael Mallard, of Albany; Scott Marini, of Albany; Rob Matre, of Atlanta; Dolly McDaniel, of Albany; Mitch Mercer, of Albany; Vic Miller, of Albany; Bob Parker, of Albany; Steve Penley, of Atlanta.

Also, Beth Pennington, of Albany; Ray Pierotti, of Shellman; Janice Rentz, of Albany; Mandy Roach, of Carrollton; Josh Rosen, of Albany; Patricia Simpson, of Albany; Bob Sleep, of Albany; Abby Bellard and Tim Stafford, of Albany; Mary Sumners, of Albany; Derek Taylor, of Albany; Vicki Tucker, of Cordele; Betty Utz, of Albany; Jane Vaughn, of Bronwood; Chazz Williams, of Albany; Pam Woody, of Leesburg; and Keaton Wynn, of Americus.

Season tickets to the symphony are $70, general admission, and $150, reserved seating, with single concert tickets at $25, adult; $10, student. The Conductor’s Circle social at the Albany Area Arts Council next to the auditorium is $55, season; $20, single reception. Admission to each of the Stained Glass concerts is $20, adult; $10, student. Those tickets also may be purchased online at albanysymphony.org or by contacting the symphony office at (229) 430-8933.