Event Chairs David and Vanessa Cain, Ross Perot President & CEO Michelle Miller Burns and Gary Burns, Marena Gault and Dallas Symphony Association Chair of the Board of Governors Roger Gault (Credit Tamytha Cameron)

On Saturday, October 4, 2025, Dallas’ music lovers gathered at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s 2025 Symphony Gala. This year’s glittering event celebrated the DSO’s 125th anniversary. More than 400 distinguished guests enjoyed an unforgettable evening that included cocktails, dinner and a live auction. An additional 800 guests joined the celebration at the Gala concert and after-party.

The 2025 Symphony Gala was generously supported by the Eugene McDermott Foundation in loving memory of Morton H. Meyerson, 125th Anniversary Gala Sponsor; Capital One, Gala Concert Sponsor; Hall Group, Dinner Sponsor; Avondale Dealerships, Automotive Sponsor; JW Marriott Dallas Arts District, Preferred Hotel Partner; and Charles Schwab Bank, Preview Party Sponsor.

The annual Symphony Gala is one of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s largest annual fundraisers, benefitting the DSO’s life-changing education and community outreach initiatives, allowing the DSO to continue inspiring and changing lives through musical excellence. The DSO touches the lives of more than 200,000 North Texas residents each year.

Vanessa and David Cain served as the 2025 Symphony Gala Chairs along with Honorary Co-Chairs Erin Mathews and Ruth Ruhl and Host Committee Chairs Dr. Courtney and Andrew Nall. DSO supporters and notables in attendance included Allison and Brett Brodnax, Calvert Collins-Bratton and Vince Bratton, Grace Cook, Marena and Roger Gault, Howard and Fanchon Hallam, Kristin and James Hallam, Kim and Greg Hext, Mary and Eric Laub, James and Margo Keyes, Myrna and Robert Schlegel, Lisa and Bob Segert, Andy Smith and Paul von Wupperfeld, Paul Stewart, Venise and Larry Stuart, Herb and Donna Weitzman, Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Moreno, Dallas City Council Members Paul Ridley (District 14) and Zarin Gracey (District 3).

Guests arrived in the main lobby of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, which David Kimmel Design had transformed into a lush, futuristic garden, complete with shimmering water features and ethereal mist — the perfect setting for a champagne reception. The Dallas Symphony Chorus entertained with a medley of songs from the Meyerson’s radial staircase.

Honorary Co-Chairs Erin Mathews and Ruth Ruhl welcomed guests for dinner and introduced auctioneer Charlie Caulkins from Sotheby’s, who led the night’s spirited live auction. Highlights from the auction included a Napa Wine Country Getaway, a Porsche track experience in Atlanta and a luxury stay at Four Seasons in Vail, Colorado and the Mandarin Oriental Ritz in Madrid, all generously donated by sponsors.

Capital One Head of Navigator Products Annie Fallows presented Young Strings student Elias Gonzalez with the first-ever Capital One Outstanding Student Award, which includes a $5,000 scholarship for Gonzalez to invest in his musical future. Designed to support continued artistic growth, juniors and seniors in the DSO’s Young Strings and Young Musicians programs were encouraged to apply for this award. The funds can be used toward the purchase of a new instrument, enrollment in a summer program or masterclass, college-related expenses and more.

After dinner, guests moved into the Eugene McDermott Concert Hall and were welcomed by Ross Perot President & CEO Michelle Miller Burns, Dallas Symphony Association Chair of the Board of Governors Roger Gault and Gala Chairs Vanessa and David Cain.

“Tonight is more than a celebration; it is about gratitude,” said Burns. “To each of you here: thank you. Your generosity makes it possible for us to inspire and change lives through music, from the concert stage to classrooms to neighborhoods across Dallas and North Texas. Together, we are ensuring that the transformative power of music reaches every corner of our community.” Burns also recognized the Eugene McDermott Foundation as 125th Anniversary Gala Sponsor. Their support was given in loving memory of Morton H. Meyerson.

Gault added, “I would like to take a moment to thank the extraordinary musicians of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Your artistry, dedication and passion are at the heart of everything we celebrate tonight.” He also recognized the work done by the DSO’s community and education teams and acknowledged the current students of the DSO’s education programs in attendance: “Thank you for the hours of practice, the courage to learn an instrument, and the future you represent.”

Closing out the evening’s remarks were Gala Chairs Vanessa and David Cain, who noted their love of the DSO’s free programs such as the Parks Concerts. “Each summer, these free performances bring music directly into neighborhoods and welcome families across our city. Seeing children dancing on the lawn to the sound of a live symphony is a reminder of how truly powerful and joyful music is.” Vanessa Cain then asked guests to mark their calendars for next year’s Symphony Gala, which will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2026, and will be led by Chairs Allison and Brett Brodnax. The Cains then welcomed Music Director Fabio Luisi (Louise W. & Edmund J. Kahn Music Directorship) and the musicians of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra to the stage.

The evening’s concert with the DSO was led by Luisi and featured Artist-in-Residence Leonidas Kavakos. The program included Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s Overture to Egmont. The Beethoven work was a special nod to the DSO’s history; the legendary Georg Solti conducted the piece on his first subscription concert as DSO Music Director in 1961. Between the works, Music Director Fabio Luisi addressed the audience, thanked them for their support and shared his thoughts on the magic of music. “A concert may feature the same music,” said Luisi, “but every performance is a new, magical experience. That magic happens in the combination of us, the orchestra, and you, the audience. We are playing for you and with you.”

After the performance, guests returned to the Meyerson lobby, which had been magically transformed once again, into a whimsical, futuristic “soiree in the celestial garden” for an after-party experience where guests enjoyed savories, desserts and dancing to live music performed by Groove Sinfonico with DSO trumpet Elmer Churampi.

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ABOUT THE DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Fabio Luisi (Louise W. & Edmund J. Kahn Music Directorship), presents more than 100 concerts each year at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, one of the world’s finest concert halls. Tracing its origins to a concert with 40 musicians conducted by Hans Kreissig in 1900, the DSO has become the most prominent performing arts organization in the Southwest and is a cornerstone of the 118-acre Dallas Arts District, the largest urban arts district in the nation. Through its acclaimed recordings and international touring, the DSO shares its artistry with audiences around the globe, extending its impact beyond Dallas.

The DSO is committed to its mission of inspiring and changing lives through musical excellence and serves more than 200,000 adults and children each year through performances, educational programs and community initiatives. The DSO’s education programs plant the seed for musical study and appreciation as well as success in academics and social development. The Young Strings and Kim Noltemy Young Musicians programs provide access to free music lessons and instruments for hundreds of students each year, and the Cecil and Ida Green Youth Concerts welcome more than 10,000 Dallas-area students to the Meyerson each season. For nearly three decades, the DSO has presented classical music to thousands through the annual summer Parks Concerts Series. DSO Cares offers performances in hospitals, senior living facilities and other organizations across North Texas, bringing the healing power of music to those who need it most.

The DSO is supported, in part, by funds from the Office of Arts & Culture, City of Dallas. For more information, visit dallassymphony.org or follow @dallassymphony on social media.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala Celebrates 125th Anniversary Season