The packed ballroom inside the Omni Fort Worth Hotel buzzed with anticipation as auctioneer Joey Quigley prepared to kick off the live auction at the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Gala.
Dozens of attendees gripped their paddles while they waited for the first item 鈥� a private dinner and concert with Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra musicians 鈥� to be called.
The Feb. 21 gala raised funds for the orchestra鈥檚 Adventures in Music program, an educational initiative that provides concerts and classroom curriculum to more than 20,000 students throughout North Texas.
鈥淲ho will open the bid at $1,000?鈥� Quigley asked the 522 guests inside the Omni.
The first paddle shot up in the air. And then another. Multiple bidders faced off until the private dinner sold for $8,000.
Over the next half hour, several other luxury items were auctioned off and individual donations were made until a record-breaking $1,175,150 was raised for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.
Last year鈥檚 gala at The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel .
For music director Robert Spano, the packed downtown ballroom proved that everyone, like him, believes in the power of music.
鈥淚t鈥檚 worth reminding ourselves how important our work is. It鈥檚 not a luxury. It鈥檚 not icing on the cake. It鈥檚 the cake itself,鈥� he told guests at the gala. 鈥淭he work that we do at the symphony is a critical and important part of the cultural life of Fort Worth. Without a cultural life, there is no life worth having.鈥�
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra has been a fabric of the city鈥檚 arts community since 1912. In recent years, Spano and the nonprofit鈥檚 president Keith Cerny have worked to elevate the orchestra鈥檚 visual and contextual elements through their concept.
This year鈥檚 gala kicked off with a concert at Bass Performance Hall starring Grammy Award-winning violinist Gil Shaham. Guests were then shuttled to the Omni for dinner.
Honorary gala chairman Mercedes T. Bass wrote in the event鈥檚 program that philanthropic support helps strengthen the organization鈥檚 presence as one of the 鈥渃ultural gems of the state.鈥�
Bass has served as the chair of the symphony orchestra鈥檚 board for several years and has frequently been coined as its 鈥渂iggest fan.鈥� In 2024, she to the nonprofit.
鈥淲e know the importance of music education extends beyond teaching musical skills; it encourages creative expression, builds discipline and confidence, and nurtures leadership abilities,鈥� she wrote.
Following the auction, a party band took the stage with a cover of 鈥淐elebration鈥� by Kool & The Gang. Guests hit the floor where they danced the night away.
Disclosure: Fort Worth Report board director Marianne Auld serves as chairman of the executive committee for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Board director David Porter鈥檚 wife, Dana Porter, also serves on the committee.
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or .
The Fort Worth Report鈥檚 arts and culture coverage is supported in part by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation and the Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .
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