Symphony guild to present designer classes

The Conway Symphony Orchestra Guild will sponsor Designer House 2016: A Touch of Class on Sept. 7-17, with a kickoff party set for Sept. 6. Planning the fundraiser for the Conway Symphony Orchestra are, seated, from left, guild members Margaret Palmer, treasurer, and Mary Mosley, president; and standing, from left, Julie Adkisson, Therese Williams and Lindsay Henderson.
The Conway Symphony Orchestra Guild will sponsor Designer House 2016: A Touch of Class on Sept. 7-17, with a kickoff party set for Sept. 6. Planning the fundraiser for the Conway Symphony Orchestra are, seated, from left, guild members Margaret Palmer, treasurer, and Mary Mosley, president; and standing, from left, Julie Adkisson, Therese Williams and Lindsay Henderson.

CONWAY — For the past several years, the Conway Symphony Orchestra Guild has sponsored a biennial “designer house” in the guild’s efforts to support the local symphony and its many outreach programs. This year’s offering is a little different.

The CSO Guild will not present a designer house per se this year, but a series of interactive classes with a variety of designers. Billed as Designer House 2016: A Touch of Class, the classes will take place Sept. 7-17 at several locations, with a Sippin’ Soiree kickoff party set for 5-7 p.m. Sept. 6. Tickets are $100 and allow the patron to attend the kickoff event, which will be at UCA Downtown, 1105 W. Oak St., and to register for two of the 15 designer classes. Those wishing to attend the kickoff event only may purchase a ticket for $30.

“This is a whole new animal for us,” said Julie Adkisson, co-chairwoman of the CSO Designer House Planning Committee, along with Lindsay Henderson. “It was Lindsay’s brainchild.”

Adkisson said the 2014 fundraising event featured not only a designer house at The Village at Hendrix, which was decorated by several designers, but also several culinary and design classes that were held at The Village Office.

“We had people tell us they had such fun at the classes last time that we thought we would offer just the classes this year,” Adkisson said. She said registration is required for all classes, and space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

A list of all classes is available online at conwaysymphony.org. Adkisson recommends checking the website frequently, as new information may be posted. Tickets may be purchased online or from any CSO or CSO Guild board member.

Therese Williams is co-chairwoman of the Sippin’ Soiree party, along with Jillian Johnson.

“It will be a drop-in event,” Williams said. “We will have a wine-tasting station and will have area restaurants that will provide food pairings to go along with the wine.

“Members of the orchestra will provide music, and members of the guild will be there to help and answer questions about its role in supporting the orchestra. We will also have ‘celebrity’ waiters, such as David Grimes, who is on the Conway City Council; Jeff Matthews, public relations coordinator at Conway Corp.; and Kim Williams, executive director of the Conway Downtown

Partnership.”

Henderson said that by offering the kickoff party as a drop-in event, the guild hopes to encourage patrons “to stay downtown and eat dinner at one of our many restaurants.”

Among the designer class offerings are the following:

• Local Designers on E-Commerce: The Inked Elephant and Sarahndipity Designs, 10 a.m. Sept. 7, presented by Sarah and Joey at the Conway home of Charlotte and Charlie Nabholz;

• The Wonderful World of Architects and Architecture, 7 p.m. Sept. 7, presented by local architect Steve Hurd at his Conway home;

• Olive Oil 101, 7 p.m. Sept. 8, presented by Lynn Cypert at the Natural State Olive Oil and Spice Co. in Conway;

• Landscape, 1:30 p.m. Sept. 9, presented by Barry Williams at the Conway office of Crafton Tull;

• Refresh Remix Restyle, 7 p.m. Sept. 9, presented by Chris Olsen at the University of Central Arkansas President’s Home in Conway;

• Enjoying the Seasons With Local Food, 2 p.m. Sept. 10, presented by Kim Doughty at the Conway home of Jenny and

Michael Jackson;

• Glamping Camp, 6 p.m. Sept. 12, presented by Patti Stobaugh and friends at a place to be announced;

• Interiors by Tom Chandler, 10 a.m. Sept. 13, presented by Tom Chandler, Tom Chandler and Associates, at the UCA President’s Home;

• UnCorked Winetasting, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 13, presented by Lorri Hambuchen at a place to be announced;

• Re-Form Renovation, 2 p.m. Sept. 14, presented by Lance Johnston at his Conway studio;

• Spirits and Whiskey Tasting, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 14, presented by Kelly Gee of Rock Town Distillery, at a place to be announced;

• A Traditional Christmas, 10 a.m., Sept. 15, presented by Andrea Champlin, at a place to be announced;

• Knife Skills and Gadgets Galore at the Kitchen Store, 7 p.m. Sept. 15, presented by Chef Bernard of Zwilling J.A. Henckels LLC, at the Kitchen Store and More in Conway;

• Gilded Holidays with Jayson Cain, 7 p.m. Sept. 15, presented by Jayson Cain at Jayson Cain Design in Little Rock; and

• Untapped: Craft Brews, presented by Jess McMullen of Flyway Brewing at a date and location to be announced.

“Every penny we raise goes to support the Conway Symphony Orchestra and its musical, educational and outreach programs,” said Mary Mosley, CSO Guild president. “We want to ‘keep the music playing’ — that is the guild’s motto.”

Mosley said the CSO Guild has other fundraisers as well, including All That Jazz, which has taken place in alternating years with the Designer House, and the sale of a cookbook. She said the guild donated approximately $15,000 to the orchestra last year.

Upcoming events supported by the CSO Guild include the annual Nutcracker Sweets, at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and at 2 p.m. Dec. 4 before the CSO holiday concert, A Christmas Double Feature; and the CSO Family Concert, The Planets, set for 7:30 p.m. March 11. Both concerts will be presented at the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas.

Mosley said the guild is always looking for new members. Membership fees are $30. More information on how to join or support the CSO Guild is available on the CSO website.

“The CSO Guild is the heart and soul of the orchestra,” said Israel Getzov, CSO music director and conductor. “Their work has been a major factor in our growth and success.

“The guild’s enthusiasm is contagious. They truly are CSO’s ‘super fans.’”

For more information on Designer House 2016: A Touch of Class, call Mosley at (501) 329-9138 or Margaret Palmer, guild treasurer, at (501) 626-5931.

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