Graham Concert Association announces 75th season
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The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will be returning to Graham Memorial Auditorium on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, as part of the Graham Concert Association’s 75th season. Board members said the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra returns to Graham nearly every year as a part of the Graham Concert Association. (Leader file photo)
The Graham Concert Association announced their line up for their 75th season which will include the return of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra on Feb. 18.
According to information obtained from a 1944 edition of The Graham Leader provided by Dorman Holub, the Graham Concert Association held their first concert on Nov. 15, 1944 with Czech pianist Rudolf Firkušný as the inaugural performer. According to GCA board member and former president Carter Pettit, other first performances include Rose Bampton, Patricia Travers and Fox Hole Ballet. He added he believes for the first 25 years of the association it was classically orientated.
“I think it is pretty unique that a town this size has had a concert association at all number one,” Pettit said. “Secondly, for 75 years is absolutely remarkable(…)I’m not sure that other than the big cities that (other associations) could say 75 years.”
Pettit wanted to thank many people who he said were key figures for the Graham Concert Association.
“While many, many individuals have played an integral part in the 75 years of the Graham Concert Association, these are a few of the notable individuals who were a ‘guiding force’: Opal Fultz, Jean Bettis, Alwana Vaughan, Rubyetta Cain, Barbara Antle, Virgina Street and Alice Marie Bradshaw,” Pettit wrote in an email.
GCA 2019-2020 program chairman Brendan Weatherman said the GCA started meeting and discussing the 75th year in May and wrapped up in July. Pettit added they were behind this year in booking the season due to a late change in chairmans.
“We brought back some acts that had done well maybe five years ago or that we knew people would like,” Weatherman said. “… We have continually acts that reach back out to us that want to come back here.”
All performances will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday evenings at the Graham Memorial Auditorium, 628 Third St.
“Tuesday seems to be a good night for a lot of these groups,” Pettit said. “They are either in between, on their way to the next gig, they got a couple of days off, they have a long weekend that sort of thing.”
The season will begin with a Sept. 17 show from Gary P. Nunn. According to his website, Nunn is a founding father of the 1970s’ progressive country music movement In Austin.
For the rest of the story, see the Saturday, Aug. 10 edition of The Graham Leader.
