They say that music is the universal language, and it spoke loud and clear Saturday night at the Colorado Symphony Ball at the Fillmore Auditorium.
The “Bach to Rock” theme returned with an added “battle of the bands” component that gleeful audience members got to vote on and dance to. While the contest between The Moderators and the DaVita Blues All Stars was competetive, it provided exciting entertainment that drew an unprecedented level of audience buy-in.
And buy-in they did, not just in twist and shouts, but in crucial monetary support for the Colorado Symphony. This year’s soiree was the most successful in the Ball’s 21-year history (early reports put the fundraising north of $1 million). And by no stretch of the imagination could this evening be considered boring.
There was Governor Hickenlooper (after receiving the Margaret Phipps Award) donning a wig and singing on stage with the Moderators. There was Mike Fries going out and buying a 2014 Mustang and raffling it off. There was Mary Rossick Kern bidding $5,000 in the live auction just to have her husband Jerry NOT wear the tin foil-like jacket he arrived in. And the jacket matched the color of Jerry’s Mercedes SL600, which he offered up for auction after pampering it for the last 15 years.
This isn’t your grandmother’s symphony. Well, maybe it is, but it’s hers along with the rest of the family, because the Colorado Symphony is an exciting, dynamic package for all ages and musical tastes.
We can’t wait to see what happens next year, because this one will be tough to top!
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- “MP,” “Yoko,” Lloyd Lewan, Suann and Brian Ambron
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- Susan Ellis with CSO and her husband Izzy Abbass, who every year makes it possible for many military service men and women to attend the CSO Ball
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- Sgt Benjamin Westrich and Traci Voelker
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- Parker Owens stands in front of a Mercedes, up for grabs later in the event
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- Rachel Ellis, Guy Adams, Jay and Kirsten Peaslee
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- Mary Poole and Paul Goodspeed
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- Linda Smith gets some creative body painting done
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- Cindy and Paul Franke
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- Mike and Karen Long
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- Katherine and CSM Esley Gustafson
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- Peter Jones and Michelle Houchens
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- Karen and John Kinzie, left, and Nancy Cochran
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- Sgt Bill and Shelly Hewitt
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- Al Zimecki, left, Lee Crump, Eric and Kate Rodrigues and Kay Zimecki
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- Jerry Kern, left, Debbie and Jim Shpall and Tony Accetta
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- Bill and Kim Myers
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- Roger Bowles and Susan Bowles, secretary of the board and CSO cello player
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- Martin and Melissa Rosenbaum, left, and Steve Farber
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- Natasha Paremski, who was a soloist recently with the CSO, and Mary Rossick Kern
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- Francie and Michael Gundzik, left, Jon Galvin and Wanda DeVargas
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- Janyce Wald, left, David and Neda Ghaemi (from Tiffany’s, who always hosts the kickoff party) and Bruce Wald
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- Bradley Joseph and Julie Rubsam
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- Polly Jessen and Edward Cordes
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- Rich Slivka, left, Sandy Evans, Terri Slivka and Dave Evans
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- Roxann and Paul Nocco, left, with Judy and Alan Wigod
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- Lindsay, Bob and Isabelle Deibel
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- Nicole Isenberg and Josh Hanfling
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- Dr. and Mrs. WG Rainer
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- Dianne Eddolls and Glenn Jones
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- Connie and Miles Carson
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- Ed Haselden, left, Mark Honnen and Hasan Salem
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- Linda Smith, left, Brenda Lueders and Cheri Schoolcraft
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- Katharine Honnen, left, Jenny Hopkins, Sheila Salem and Stephanie Katz
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- Michael and Carol Miller, left, with Lisa Roy Everette Freeman
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- Event Chairs Kent Thiry and Denise O’Leary, left, with Owen Leslie and Donna Acquilano
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- Charlie Hugo and Beth Matthews
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- Kris and LTC Malcolm Walker, left, Kayna Reed, LTC John Toth and LTC Kathryn Wirkus
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- Jim Shpall, left, Mike and Kelli Theis and Cole Finegan
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- Glenn Jones, left, Dianne Eddolls, and Christi and Michael James
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- BJ Dyer, Sandy and Evan Lasky
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- Jenni and Ed Haselden
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- Kenton Kuhn and Nancy Hopper
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- Dave and Sandy Evans, left, with Bruce and Debbie Payne
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- One of BJ Dyer’s beautiful centerpiece designs
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- Ed Greene returned as emcee
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- Ed Greene welcomes everyone
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- Mike Long of Arrow Electronics and Governor John Hickenlooper
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- Jillian Parker, Rich Kylberg, Karen and Mike Long and Governor John Hickenlooper
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- Members of the DaVita Blues All Stars
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- Mike Long of Arrow Electronics talks about why he is involved
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- Governor John Hickenlooper with Event Chairs Denise O’Leary and Kent Thiry
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- Jerry Kern and Mary Rossick Kern thank everyone for their support
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- Mary Rossick Kern reacts to one of Jerrys’ jokes
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- Governor John Hickenlooper on stage with Jerry Kern and Mary Rossick Kern
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- Governor Hickenlooper accepts the Margaret Phipps Award
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- Gary Corbett begins the live auction
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- Gary Corbett wratchets up bids
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- Jerry Kern and Gary Corbett
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- Guests listen to Gary Corbett introduce auction items
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- Governor John Hickenlooper talks with Kent Thiry
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- Keegan Gerhard introduces a live auction of dinner for eight prepared by him, Scott O’Neil and Yumi Hwang-Williams
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- Resident Conductor Scott O’Neil
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- Governor John Hickenlooper, left, Steve Farber and Kent Thiry
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- Jerry Kern in his Rolling Stones t-shirt, sans jacket
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- The auction began for Jerry’s jacket, and Mary Rossick Kern ended up bidding $5,000 just so her husband wouldn’t wear it anymore.
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- Ed Haselden, boots and all, gets ready for a Moderator’s set
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- CSO members on stage
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- Scott O’Neil directs the CSO
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- Julie Lucas, left, and Jean Galloway
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- Jack and Sue Pfeiffer cut a rug
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- Ed and Barbara Greene
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- Mike Fries and Ed Haselden and the Moderators Band
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- Wilma and Wellngton Webb are greeted on the dance floor by Jerry and Mary Rossick Kern
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- The DaVita Blues All Stars
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- DaVita Blues All Stars
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- DaVita Blues All Stars gets the audience rockin’
