Nashville, TN (July 6, 2016) – On September 10, the Nashville Symphony will celebrate 10 years in Schermerhorn Symphony Center with its 10th Anniversary Gala, a black-tie event engaging business community partners for an exclusive dinner and concert with Ben Folds and the Nashville Symphony.

 

“The Schermerhorn has helped to transform development south of Broadway, and Nashville’s corporate leaders fully understand the value of that development,” says Alan Valentine, President and CEO of the Nashville Symphony. “We wanted this event to tap into the energy of the SoBro neighborhood and to reflect the dynamic leadership of Nashville’s corporate community.”

 

Valentine and the Symphony Board have tapped two corporate executives to chair the event, Joelle Phillips, President of AT&T Tennessee, and Carol Yochem, President First Tennessee Bank in Middle Tennessee. “Our goal for this event was to connect with Nashville’s thriving corporate community while also continuing our tradition of event chairs who are personally committed to the Symphony. Joelle and Carol are a perfect fit — two corporate executives who are both dedicated to Nashville and to our city’s GRAMMY®-winning orchestra,” Valentine continued.

 

“I watched the Schermerhorn being constructed from my office on the 21st floor of the Bat Building,” said AT&T President, Joelle Phillips. “Just as the construction of the Bat Building shifted the center of Nashville’s downtown 10 years earlier, the Schermerhorn has driven downtown development.”

 

“Nashville looked very different a decade ago than it does today,” added Opening Gala Co-Chair & First Tennessee Bank Middle Tennessee President Carol Yochem. “Schermerhorn Symphony Center has played a direct role in spurring corporate development in the downtown area, from the rising Bridgestone-Firestone headquarters just across the street to our stunning new First Tennessee Park.”

 

Yochem added, “For business leaders, the Schermerhorn represents more than just a downtown landmark. Nashville’s corporate leaders understand the full value of investing in the arts, and the return on our investment is more evident than ever as we continue to watch Nashville’s profile grow around the globe.”

 

Opened in 2006, Schermerhorn Symphony Center hosts more than 150 performances annually. Internationally recognized for its superb acoustics, the venue is much more than a concert hall: The GRAMMY® Award-winning orchestra has recorded 15 of its CDs live at the Schermerhorn, and the building has also become a popular location for conferences, seminars and corporate meetings. Through free events such as Young People’s Concerts and Free Day of Music, the Schermerhorn also makes it possible for the Nashville Symphony’s education and community engagement programs to reach up to 80,000 people annually.

 

“The Nashville Symphony is equally dedicated to classic and contemporary masterpieces — celebrating the past and the future,” added Valentine. “Our choice of two women executives to chair this event was no accident. We are keenly aware of the power of women to drive innovation, and as two of many Nashville women occupying the C-suite today, Joelle Phillips and Carol Yochem perfectly embody this innovative spirit.”

 

“We are honored to serve in this role and mindful of many Nashville women who have been key contributors to the success of the Nashville Symphony,” said Yochem.

 

“We are delighted to be working with Ellen Martin and Julie Boehm, who chaired the opening Gala when the Schermerhorn was brand-new and who will serve this year as honorary co-chairs for the 10th Anniversary Gala,” said Phillips. “We are also so inspired by the work of Martha Ingram, whose commitment to the power of arts has transformed our city.”

 

Seating is limited for the 10th Anniversary Opening Gala. Tables of 10 are available for $10,000. Companies purchasing a table will be recognized as Opening Gala supporters. Proceeds from the 10th Anniversary Opening Gala will directly benefit the Nashville Symphony’s artistic and educational programming. For more information, visit NashvilleSymphony.org/OpeningGala or call 615.687.6621.