$50,000 raised
Young Audiences of Houston honors its history while building the future
From left, Margaret Buescher, Adele Read, Susan Vaughan, Adrianna Read, TomRead, Will Read, Bernadine Hicks, Barry Moore, Susan Shenker, David Lake, MariamCasey, Beatrice Graham and Todd Frazier
Young Audiences of Houston (YAH) gets an A+ for sparking adults' curiosity, the same type exhibited by children engaged in one of its signature arts-in-education performances.
At its annual spring luncheon, storyteller Dan Gordon pulled out all the stops, teaching a lesson in teamwork and encouraging kid-like responses from YAH supporters. His lesson? Listen, learn and collaborate, reminding guests that speaking prematurely can get them in trouble.
During an event chaired by Margaret M. Buescher, the Coronado Club felt springy. Tables filled with colorful tulips, ladies in bright colors and gents in light suits brightened the ambiance. A violin duo courtesy of Mercury Baroque fiddled to Mozart and Bach with lively elegance.
It was during an office move when Todd Frazier, YAH executive director, located a box containing documents and records dating from the 1950s, chronicling the origins of Young Audiences of Houston as a strong voice for arts education. These were on display, paying nostalgic homage to the people that were instrumental in its inception and growth.
"Always an organist and never a bride," Frazier noted as he addressed the audience, speaking of honoree Adele Read, current president of the board of directors and active supporter since 1974. Standing next to the pictures of yesteryear and accompanied by her family, Read glowed with youthful vitality.
YAH founder Fredell Lack was also honored. At 90 years old, ill health kept Lack from attending, but her life, legacy and accomplishments were celebrated. Having studied at The Juilliard School and with world renowned musicians Nadia Boulanger, Isaac Stern and Yehudi Menuhin, Lack used her gift to begin this initiative.
This year, YAH presented 3,232 programs by a roster of 74 artists reaching 241,000 children and teachers at 285 venues.
Toasting to arts education were Michael Remson, David Lake, Ronnetta Fagan, Anita Wilson, Jana Phillips, Andrea Cody, Sharon Bryan, Gary W. Patterson, Patti and Jack Keplinger, Katherine Veletsos, Regina Rogers, Lee Lahourcade, Emily Crosswell, Nancy Willerson and Margaret Vaughan-Robinson.
The luncheon raised $50,000, earmarked to help subsidize the cost of outreach programs.
