The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild had the honor of presenting 35 young women on Saturday, October 29, in the Von Braun Center North Hall at the 53rd Symphony Ball. Over 920 patrons, guests, friends and family attended the formal presentation and enjoyed “An Evening to Remember.” This year’s Ball was chaired by Linda Akenhead.

The Von Braun Center North Hall was transformed into a colorful vision of shades of lavenders, purples, and greens.  Guests entered the North Hall through curtains of white with purple fabric accents.  Two Greek urns flanked the entrance into the North Hall, and they were filled with large trees and hanging luminaries.  Silver roses surrounded the base of each tree.

Inside the North Hall, the walls were draped with white curtains with panels of slate accents.  Tables were covered with both tablecloths of lavender with white lattice and eggplant.  The containers on each table were either a silver love cup or crystal compote bowl.  Beautiful arrangements of pink lilies, purple stock, eggplant calla lilies, hydrangeas, and roses of Ocean Song Lavender, Nautical Lavender, Moody Blues and Cool Water Purple filled each container.

A canopy surrounded with aubergine velvet framed the stage.  Soft sheer curtains hung from the canopy.  Two large Grecian urns flanked the stage and were filled with large trees from which pink orchids hung from the branches.   The room was awash with a blush glow of light.  As they were presented, Debutantes carried bouquets of the debutante rose, Queen of the Night.  Floral designer was Carl Casiday of Lola’s, Sheffield Alabama.

An invocation was delivered by Richard Van Valkenburgh, Jr.; and Jerry Nutt, Emeritus Member of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Association Board of Trustees and current Director of Development for the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, 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 from Nashville never sounded better as everyone danced the night away.

Guests enjoyed a formal dinner of sliced pear salad with mixed greens, fig balsamic marinated grilled peaches, feta cheese, and fig dressing; chili rubbed filet of beef served with Chimichurri; chicken breast stuffed with asparagus, roasted red pepper, Gouda with Béchamel Sauce; Dauphinoise potatoes; roasted zucchini; yellow squash; broccoli; and red velvet cheesecake.

Following are the 2016 Symphony Ball Debutantes, their parents, presenters and escorts:

Sarah Margaret Averbuch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Owen Averbuch, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Michael James Holmes.

Bailey Alexandra Bentley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Thomson Bentley, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Steven Ross Owens.

Ann Christian Brown, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Damian Brown, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Duane Scot Augustson II.

Maria Catherine Caprio, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Mark Caprio, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Joshua Michael Crumbley.

Susan Michelle Caudle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Dale Caudle, junior, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Griffin Patterson Peek.

Olivia Brenda Costanza, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Russell Costanza, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Andrew Thompson Dendy.

Harriet Rhett Crosby, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Edward Crosby, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Fisher Vance Lucas.

Caroline Pollard Curran, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Francis Curran, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Andrew Reames Sullivan.

Emily Adair Evans, daughter of Mrs. Robert Hess Campbell, junior, and Mr. John Sadler Evans, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Hall Blake Bryant IV.

Bailey Elizabeth Gardner, daughter of The Doctors Gardner, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Andrew Seth Ferrara.

Elise Marie Greco, daughter of The Doctors Greco, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. William Webster Brown.

Kathryn Diane Griffin, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. William Joseph Griffin, junior, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. James Lucian Batson IV.

Kate Noble Wheeler Hall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bradford Darius Hall, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Grant Bernard Ginsburg.

Mary McClure Hardin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Gray Hardin, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Jackson Franklin Harbarger.

Lily Madeleine Hendrix, daughter of Ms. Ashley Reese Wells and Mr. Jerry Alan Hendrix, presented by her uncle, Mr. James Carter Wells, and escorted by Mr. James Michael Wall.

Elizabeth Anne Jones, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Jefferson Jones, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Kyle Marshall Haulenbeek.

Julianna Ellen Kendall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Wesley Kendall, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Christopher Gregg Wright.

Abby Elaine Knowling, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Robert John Knowling, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. John Martens Boerner.

Madeline Beatty Kofskey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Michael Kofskey, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Hunter Franklin Beck.

Amanda Katherine Malone, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas Malone III, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. George Sage Lyons III.

Sarah Abbott Martinson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Abbott McWhorter Martinson, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. William Austin Scoggins.

Hannah Caroline Martz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Garrett Martz, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Samuel Lee Andrew Marshall.

Susanne Hames McCrary, daughter of Ms. Myra Ponder McCrary and Mr. Roy Thorson McCrary, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Jeffery Charles McKinney.

Peyton Ann Mickle, daughter of Ms. Kayla Bradford Mickle and Mr. Patrick Dodd Mickle, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Colton Anthony Green.

Karen Tindall Morring, 19, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raymon Huston Morring, junior, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Andrew Neill Luther.

Sarah Elizabeth Moshier, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Warren Moshier, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Owen Louis Averbuch.

Lauren Alexandra Neighbors, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James William Neighbors, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Charles Joseph Flynn.

Patton Lee Park, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce McEachin Park, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. John Reed McMullan.

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Shoemake, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jason Kyle Shoemake, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Robert Wallace Murray.

Megan Ann Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bart Karter Smith, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Ethan Frederick Abston.

Carolanne Sterling Spearman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bryson Spearman, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Luke Carlton Beasley.

Hannah Leigh Splawn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Helton Splawn, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Daniel Joseph Perez.

Millicent Leigh Steed, daughter of Ms. Cobb Steed and Mr. Jacob Chad Steed, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Chase Justin Lovell.

Mary Charles Stewart, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Palmer Stewart, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. John Nichols Webb.

Caroline Emily Wilson, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Peter Strautins Wilson, presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Bryan Parker Laue.

Serving as marshals were Dane William Block; Jacob Dukes Bourland; Shelby Bragg Christian; William Harris Christian; Chad Nathan Caudle; Seth Thomas Couch; Robert Carter Lockwood, junior; Eli Andrew Reynolds; John Ryan Scoggins; Ian Matthew Taylor; Justin Michael Teets; Ryan Franklin Trimble; and Robert Harland Walker,  junior.

The 2016 Ball Advisors were Dr. John Byron Cox, Daniel Glenn Halcomb, Warne Stahler Heath, Byrd Roy Latham, Dr. Douglas Leonard Patz, John Randolph Roper, Dr. Steven Patrick Decland Smith, John Bowman Switzer, Michael Kenan Timberlake, and Larry Allen Thomas.

Committee members included Nancy Colin, Advisor and 2015 Ball Chairman; Ivy Albert, Guild President; Sarah Gessler, Debutante Presentation; Amelia Summerville and Theresa Taylor, Coordinators (VBC); Marie Newberry, Ball Secretary; Josie Craig and Pam Gann, Debutante Dance Coordinators; Lori Gregory, Bobsy Ingram, Elaine Pollard, and Joanna May, Debutante Project; Cheryl Bence, Dana Town, and Joyce Griffin, Debutante Tables; Anne Compton Burke and Debbie Washburn, Decorations; Beth Wise, Finance; Donna Rush, Sarah Hereford, and Susan Fredrickson, Food and Beverage; Jane Hill and Alison Junen, Debutante Honor Fund; Susan Anderson, Margaret Vann, Linda Maccubbin, and Heather Baumbach, Invitations; Karen Morris and Jamie Saunders, Marshals and Escorts; Rosemary Latham, Ann Myers, and Ashley Walker, Photography; Brenda Milberger and Karen Kimbrough, Programs; Pennie Keene, Karen Higgins, and Lisa Cole, Properties and Take Down; Sharon Gartrell, Jennifer Lapidus, and Janet Skidmore, Publicity; Paige Prozan, Susan Todd, and Wendy Tucker, Reservations; Karen Ferguson, Scrapbook.

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.

Over 2.8 million dollars from all the past Balls have gone to the Symphony Orchestra.

For more information, email hsogcommunications@gmail.com

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