May 2020 Guild Newsletter

Philharmonic Guild President Hope Mena

Outgoing President welcomes newly elected board of directors

As you can see from the above picture, I am wearing my chic COVID 19 outfit courtesy of my daughter. We returned home to Colorado earlier this month and I am now catching up on all that has gone on in my absence. I hope that all our members are well and maintaining social distancing which the CDC says is the answers to ending the spread of this virus.

The votes are in and the new board has been elected. Let me take a moment to introduce you to our very strong incoming board of directors.

The position of president will be filled by two powerhouses: Joy Maples and Lisa Kennan. Both women bring different strengths to the table and intend to combine them and be a force during this next year, which will prove to be challenging, as we still do not know what the future holds and when the "all clear" will be given to allow us to meet together safely and enjoy one another's company and the joy of live music.

Lisa Keenan is the grant manager at UCHealth, and served as co-chair for UCHealth’s very successful annual gala last year. Joy Maples owns a public relations company and plays the upright bass in a variety of ensembles around Colorado Springs.

Justin Burns will take the position as treasurer. Justin is a lifelong Coloradoan and a Farmers Insurance agent.

Voted in to two year terms as a director at large: Jessica Erling, Robyn Hamilton, Deron Hickman, JJ Kaelin, Mary Koepp, and Dee Shaver.

Jessica Erling is a nurse consultant for law firms specializing in Medical Malpractice Defense.

Robyn Hamilton and her husband Grant Langdon own Reunion Homes, a house construction company in Colorado Springs. Robyn has served on the Guild Board since 2018 as chair of the Peachy Party and co-chair of the Guild’s Membership Committee.

Deron Hickman is vice president of investments for Wells Fargo and serves on the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony’s board of directors. Deron has very successfully managed the Youth Scholarship Committee and will continue to do so into the next season.

JJ Kaelin is the current president of St. Peter Catholic Church Parish Council. She is also the former president of Newborn Hope.

Mary Koepp is a longtime Guild member and has served on a variety of boards in Colorado Springs lending her energy and expertise to the Colorado Springs community.

Dee Shaver is a personal Banker at Kirkpatrick Bank.

Leslie Castle is nominated for an additional one year term as director at large. Leslie is a personal stylist and served as co-chair for the CSP Guild Membership Committee last year.

The remaining positions on the board are as follows:

Janis Cross, MBA, is a financial planner at Raymond James Wealth Management and will continue to serve as vice president of the CSP Guild.

Dawn Conley continues in the role of secretary. An active member of the community, she enjoys art and music and being a part of the Guild.

We are delighted to welcome back Andrew Will to his second of a two-year term as director at large for the CS Philharmonic Guild. Andrew Will is a hospitality industry professional and community advocate.

We are sorry to see Jim Montgomery, and Kim Gunderson leave the board, but thank them for their service to the Colorado Springs community.

My tenure has come to an end. I enjoyed my time as president of the Guild and look forward to being involved in other ways moving forward. I also plan to spend more quality time in my garden this summer.

Most sincerely,
Hope Mena
Guild Board President

A once in a lifetime opportunity to see all nine symphonies. A musical jubilee for Beethoven’s 250th. Over five successive nights, the Philharmonic will perform all nine symphonies. You’ll hear – and understand – Beethoven as never before, as the concerts build to their climax: the towering Ninth Symphony. Get tickets.

Enjoy reading past "e" newsletters here.

We have been producing our online "e" newsletter since August 2019. We do hope you are enjoying the newsletter. Catch up on past issues here. If there is something that you want included or something you would like to see us cover, please let us know here.

The Colorado Springs Philharmonic Guild donated $40,000 to the Colorado Springs Philharmonic in support of the Take a Stand Recovery and Musician Relief campaign.

“We are proud to be part of the Take a Stand Campaign. In the midst of COVID -19 crisis our music community was hit particularly hard and the Guild is glad to be able to contribute $40,000. We wish it could have been more, but we had to cancel our major fundraiser this year due to the virus,” said Hope Mena, President of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Guild.
The Colorado Springs Philharmonic Guild is an important auxiliary group that holds a variety of fundraising events every year in support of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and is the largest single volunteer contributor to the non-profit. Fundraising by the Guild from the 2019-20 Concert Season was earmarked for the Take a Stand Campaign.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Take a Stand fundraising campaign aims to raise $344,000 to offset payroll costs for musicians through July 31 due to canceled concerts. Funds raised will help extend the Philharmonic’s future while standing by musicians, who at this time are struggling to make ends meet.

“This gift from the Philharmonic Guild is a lifeline and a ringing endorsement of our beloved orchestra,” said Nathan Newbrough, President and CEO of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. “We are grateful, one and all, for our dear friends in the Philharmonic Guild. With their support, we are more determined than ever to face the challenges of this crisis.”

The Colorado Springs Philharmonic is the pre-eminent symphony orchestra in Southern Colorado Springs and relies on the generosity of its patrons and ticket sales to more than 40 performances in a single season.

“The near- and long-term impacts of the Covid-19 crisis are taking their toll, however we’re resilient. Thanks to our wonderful patrons we are able to stand firm,” said Newbrough. “We are staying true to our ticketholders – exchanging their unused tickets for vouchers – and standing behind our contracted musicians, who are receiving their base salary through the end of the concert season, even though concerts are canceled. We can only do this with the steadfast support of our audience and friends, who believe so passionately in the importance of a great Philharmonic for our community.”

For more information about the Philharmonic, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Guild, and the Take a Stand campaign call (719) 575-9632 or visit csphilharmonic.org. Visit csphilharmonic.org/stand to donate now.

Your listing in the CSP Guild Directory

We would like you to take a moment to review your listing in the membership directory. Please make sure that your contact information is correct and up to date. If you have changes, please email us here.

Is your Guild membership current? can Renew your membership online.

Check out the latest news at the Colorado Springs Philharmonic here.

The Guild board of directors meet in June

The incoming Colorado Springs Philharmonic Board of Directors will meet at the end of June for its annual planning retreat. Do you have a program, idea or suggestion for the directors? We would love to hear from you. Email us here with your feedback.