The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild had the honor of presenting 39 young women on Saturday, November 1, in the Von Braun Center North Hall at the 51st Symphony Ball. Over 875 patrons, guests, friends and family attended the formal presentation and enjoyed a beautifully traditional evening of “Isn’t It Romantic,” focusing on a glamorous, Hollywood style theme. This year’s Ball was chaired by Pamela Noller Gann.
Seated (left to right): Alexandra Ferguson, Bailey Geiger, Rachel Givens, Grace Greco, Lauren Hammond, Allie Hergert, Alexandra Herring
Standing (left to right): Carol Ann Kelly, Anna Katherine Kimbrough, Emily Knowling, Anna Lee Lawson, Brinn Loftin, Emily Mantooth
Seated (left to right): Cecilia Masucci, Katherine McCown, Caroline McCrary, Allie Murphree, Kalli Scherlis, Cara Sharpe, Madison Sheible
Standing (left to right): Alice Stallworth, Darby Steinberger, Harper Stephens, Emily Sutphin, Brooke Taylor, Allison Vann
Seated (left to right): Spencer Anglin, Lindsay Birchfield, Merrill Boles, Emily Brown, Lillie Brown, McCarley Buchanan, Eleanor Burke
Standing (left to right: Beth Byers, Sanders Clayton, Callie Cole, Emily Cragon, Elizabeth, Earles, Caroline Easterling
The Von Braun Center North Hall was transformed into an elegant formal setting of chic sophistication. As guests entered the carpeted North Hall foyer, a luminous glow set the tone. They were met with exquisite topiaries of white and blush roses and white hydrangeas. The arrangements were set in tall, ornate footed nickel silver compotes on tables dressed with champagne linens. The North Hall was draped in sheer white fabric panels. A cornice of red velvet and gold braid was suspended over the stage, draped with white curtains, and skirted in boxwood, white roses and hydrangeas. The Debutantes were presented as they emerged, carrying nosegays of the white debutante rose, “Fair Sonnet.” Floral designer for the Symphony Ball was Carl Casiday of Sheffield.
An invocation was delivered by Trey Bentley; and Jerry Nutt, Emeritus Member of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Association Board of Trustees, served as Announcer for the Ball. The Symphony Orchestra strings and trumpets provided the perfect music during the cocktail hour, followed by the debutante presentation and a waltz with the debutantes and their fathers. The Craig Duncan Orchestra never sounded better as everyone danced the night away.
Guests enjoyed a formal dinner of heirloom tomato salad, followed by bleu cheese crusted beef tenderloin, duchess potatoes, haricot vert with julienne vegetables, and “Chocolate Trilogy,” a triple-layered chocolate mousse with a chocolate cookie crust for dessert.
Following are the 2014 Symphony Ball debutantes, their parents, presenters and escorts.
Spencer Anne Anglin, daughter of Mrs. Julie Jackson Anglin and Mr. Gary Spencer Anglin, presented by her father and escorted by Samuel Eliah McCutchen.
Lindsay Walker Birchfield, daughter of Mrs. Douglas Edward Brown and Mr. Thomas Harold Birchfield II, presented by her father and escorted by William Hollis Gilbert.
Susan Merrill Boles, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Duffy Boles, Jr., presented by her father and escorted by Richard Eugene Markwalter III.
Emily Walker Brown, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Michael David Brown, presented by her father and escorted by Adam Farris Beasley.
Lillian Atwood Brown, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Atwood Brown, presented by her father and escorted by Henry Edward Crosby III.
Michelle McCarley Buchanan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Vandiver Buchanan, presented by her father and escorted by Troy Robert McMichens.
Eleanor Compton Burke, daughter of Mrs.Compton Burke and Mr. John Anthony Burke, presented by her uncle, Mr. Jerome Paul Compton, Jr., and escorted by Midshipman William Joseph Campbell.
Elizabeth Jane Byers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Elbert Byers, presented by her father and escorted by Matthew Harold Brown.
Frances Lane Sanders Clayton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Wesley Clayton, presented by her father and escorted by Austin Woodward Howard.
Callie Abigail Cole, daughter of Mrs. Cynthia Smith Cole and Mr. Kenneth Bridges Cole, Jr., presented by her father and escorted by Drake Edward Vaccaro.
Emily Jane Cragon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Dibrell Cragon, Jr., presented by her father and escorted by Joseph Wright Hicks.
Elizabeth Reneau Earles, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Patrick Earles, presented by her father and escorted by Lee Stephens Godwin.
Caroline Leigh Easterling, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Keith Easterling, presented by her father and escorted by Bailey Hamilton Lockhart.
Miriam Alexandra Ferguson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Byron Williams Ferguson III, presented by her father and escorted by Conner Gresham Jones.
Bailey Elizabeth Geiger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wade Charles Geiger, presented by her father and escorted by Cole Holland Watt Milberger.
Rachel Thomas Givens, daughter of Mrs. Tammi Mischelle Thomas and Mr. Daniel Morris Givens, presented by her stepfather, Mr. Gary Philip Smith, and escorted by Christopher Andrew Dillon.
Grace Nicole Greco, daughter of The Doctors Cara Grady and John Joseph Greco, presented by her father and escorted by John Sarpkaya.
Lauren Nicole Hammond, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Douglas Glen Hammond, presented by her father and escorted by Jared Evan Rivers.
Allie Culver Hergert, daughter of Mrs. Leila Culver Hergert and Mr. Paul Donald Hergert, presented by her father and escorted by Connor Jesse May.
Alexandra Jean Herring, daughter of Mrs. James Wilson Drake and Mr. Jeffrey Gene Herring, presented by her father and escorted by Gunner Joseph Scarano.
Carol Ann Kelly, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Todd Kelly, presented by her father and escorted by Nicholas Alexander Light.
Anna Katherine Kimbrough, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hal Reuben Kimbrough, presented by her father and escorted by Kyle Fulton Yokley.
Emily Claire Knowling, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Robert John Knowling, presented by her father and escorted by Brantley James Scoggins.
Anna Lee Lawson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Sims Lawson, presented by her father and escorted by Jonathon Alan Prozan.
Talley Brinn Loftin, daughter of Mrs. Roney Loftin and Mr. Gordon Bartley Loftin III, presented by her father and escorted by Austin Tyler Lurie.
Emily Grace Mantooth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Kevin Mantooth, presented by her father and escorted by William Thomas Keene.
Cecilia Alexandra Masucci, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Joseph Masucci, Jr., presented by her father and escorted by James Ruble Thomas, Jr.
Katherine Jeanne McCown, daughter of The Reverend and Mrs. William Russell McCown, presented by her father and escorted by Clayton Michael Tucker.
Emma Caroline McCrary, daughter of Mrs. Myra Ponder McCrary and Mr. Roy Thorson McCrary, Jr., presented by her father and escorted by Tyler Lively Charlton.
Allison Elizabeth Murphree, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Steven Willard Murphree, presented by her father and escorted by Michael Keenan Reiney, Jr.
Kalli Ilyssa Scherlis, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Morris Lee Scherlis, presented by her father and escorted by James Wilson Caudle.
Cara Joyce Sharpe, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Bruce Sharpe, presented by her father and escorted by David Gates Gentry.
Madison Laine Sheible, daughter of Mrs. Robert Marvin Broadway, Jr., and Mr. Daniel Gregory Sheible, presented by her stepfather, Mr. Robert Marvin Broadway, Jr., and escorted by Joshua Dale Wilson.
Alice Lawson Stallworth, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. David Kern Stallworth, presented by her father and escorted by William Warren Rhett.
Darby Hunter Steinberger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Eric Steinberger, presented by her father and escorted by Peyton Scott Bailey.
Harper Louise Stephens, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Holman Harold Stephens, presented by her father and escorted by Jesse Rogers Westerhouse.
Emily Ann Sutphin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Neil Walker Sutphin, presented by her father and escorted by John David Wachs.
Brooke McKenzie Taylor, daughter of Mrs. Curran Taylor and Mr. Herbert Montgomery Taylor, Jr., presented by her father and escorted by Nathaniel Walton Fleming.
Allison Anne Vann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Thompson Vann, presented by her father and escorted by Houston Franklin Lee.
Serving as marshals were Henry Donald Beck IV, John Wilson Booth, Kevin Graves Butler, James Daniel Cash, Robert Christopher Chappell, Daniel Guy Kaylor, Peter Loftis Lowe III, Christopher Andre Morard, and Jackson Tyler Tucker.
The 2014 Ball Advisors were Michael Patrick Ahearn, Sr.; Philip Wind Bentley III; Ernest Wayne Bonner; Henry Edward Crosby, Jr.; Anthony Alan Gann; David Vance Lucas; Ricky Lamar Peek; John Randolph Roper; The Honorable Mark Selby Russell; and James Kevin Webber.
Seated (left to right): Trey and Samantha Bentley, Tony and Pam Gann (Ball Chair), Moss and Leslie Crosby
Standing (left to right): Charlie and Wayne Bonner, Michele and David Lucas, Barbie and Ricky Peek, Lori and Kevin Webber, April and Mark Russell
Committee members included Stacey Gardner, advisor and 2013 Ball Chairman; Beth Wise, Guild President; Betsy Lowe, Debutante Presentation; Carole Jones and Amelia Summerville, Arrangements; Ivy Albert, Ball Secretary; Sallie Ennis and Lee Anne Smith, Debutante Tables; Michele Lucas, Samantha Bentley, Lori Webber, and Barbie Peek, Decorations; Nancy Richardson, Finance; Susan Todd and Paige Prozan, Food and Beverage; Carole Hamm, Honorarium; Nancy Colin and Donna Rush, Invitations; Kim Johnson and Wendy Tucker, Marshals and Escorts; April Russell and Cathy Scholl, Photography; Charlie Bonner, Programs; Pennie Keene, Karen Higgins, and Janet Kaylor, Properties and Take Down; Sharon Gartrell and Kim Wright, Publicity; Donna Shergy and Linda Akenhead, Reservations; Susan Fredrickson, Scrapbook; Joanna May and Lori Gregory, Debutante Project; Debbie Overcash and Brenda Milberger, Debutantes and Dads.
The Symphony Guild sponsors the debutante program annually as a fundraiser for the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.
Young women invited to debut at the Symphony Ball are college sophomores with a history of community involvement.
Since its inception, the event has raised more than $2.5 million to support orchestral music for the community.