Cleveland Orchestra Gala Raises Record $2 Million

The Cleveland Orchestra raised $2 million for its education programs and community engagement initiatives during its annual Gala, The Celebration, on Saturday, October 1 at its home, Severance Music Center. The evening also capped the first week of the beginning of the Orchestra's 105th season of concerts, which runs from September to May.

These initiatives reach more than 100,000 people each year and are designed to inspire, engage, and empower people of all ages and backgrounds through music with accessible and inclusive learning opportunities in schools, in the community and in our concert halls.

"Saturday's event felt even more special as we all gathered to celebrate the Orchestra and its community for the first time since our last Gala in 2019," said Cleveland Orchestra President and CEO André Gremillet. "This year's event brought together an impressive level of support, raising an unprecedented $2 million."

More than 300 guests gathered at Severance Music Center to enjoy an evening of dinner, drinks, and, of course, music from The Cleveland Orchestra, which recently returned from a three-week Europe Tour and began its season with concerts on September 29 and September 30.

Music Director Franz Welser-Möst, who begins his 21st season this year, led performances of Carl Maria von Weber's Overture to Oberon, Josef Strauss' Perlen der Liebe and Franz Liszt's Les preludes. The night featured the Orchestra's Daniel R. Lewis Composer Fellow Allison Loggins-Hull's solo Homeland, performed by principal flute Joshua Smith. The evening opened with a prelude musical performance by members of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. Guests were treated to a postlude quartet made up of alumni from the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, who all currently attend the Cleveland Institute of Music.

"We are honored to celebrate with Music Director Franz Welser-Möst, whose commitment and passion for music education is creating a profound and lasting impact on lives throughout our community. Under his leadership and through the dedicated work of our entire organization, the Orchestra continues to serve our neighbors as a resource for robust music education programs and entertainment, as well as a source of pride and inspiration. All of this is made possible by the generosity of our Northeast Ohio community, which transforms and will sustain this institution for the benefit of future generations," said Nancy W. McCann and Russell Trusso, 2022 Gala Chairs.

Guests enjoyed cocktails before sitting down in the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall for a three-course dinner, catered by Spice Catering Co.