From portraits to events to marketing materials - we did it all in 2023!

The Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra has been providing the Fox Valley Region with live symphonic music and educational opportunities since 1966. The organization’s mission is to enrich and nurture the human spirit through inclusive symphonic music and education with a vision to build bridges of accessibility to orchestral music to make a positive impact on the lives of everyone in our community. Since my first project with FVSO in 2017, I have gotten to see this organization’s inspirational talent and passion first hand.

In 2023, I photographed the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra in six different capacities ranging from conductor headshots, to opening season concert coverage - and a number of shoots in-between. Let’s take a dive on the various ways Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra partnered with Graham Images in 2023.

Sinfonia

The primary fundraising event for Fox Valley Symphony since 2015, Sinfonia invites community members of the Fox Valley the opportunity to pick up an orchestral instrument for the first time and play in their first concert in order to raise money for the organization. This year’s Sinfonia theme was, Sinfina Travels the World. As part of the marketing for the event, Graham Images created promotional images for various marketing materials. I have been helping with Sinfonia marketing for a number of years and it is an annual opportunity for me to lean into a lighter comedy style of photography to make images that further the theme and that attract participation in the event.

Dr. Kevin Sütterlin Headshots

Dr. Kevin F.E. Sütterlin is an internationally sought-after conductor and professor. Dr.Sütterlin has been the music director for Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra since 2019 and in his short tenure has been a great leader in guiding FVSO to some award winning performances. In April it was time for updated portraits for Dr.Sütterlin. The goal for the headshots was to strike a balance of Kevin’s professional presence and the essence of the Fox Valley. We ended up taking photos at three different locations, also getting environmental wide images and tighter headshots to provide options. A few favorites from the project:

Youth Orchestra Conductor Portraits

With a new school year brings a new season for the Fox Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra, and with a new season, new headshots of key leadership were needed.

Fox Valley Symphony Youth Orchestra Program (YO) provides young people with quality ensemble music education, ensemble performance opportunities with high standards, and encourages personal discipline and dedication, advancing the critical links among music study, academic achievement, growth, and development.

The YO has three different programs for varying skill and experience levels and a lead conductor for each, as well as an Executive Director leading the organization.

Adam Brown is the Fox Valley Symphony Philharmonia conductor, currently teaches orchestra at Green Bay East High School and beginning instrumental music at several Green Bay elementary schools.

Greg Austin is the conductor of Concert Orchestra and former longtime conductor of Philharmonia, currently teaches orchestra at Kaleidoscope Academy as well as Edison and Franklin Elementary Schools in the Appleton Area School District.

Luis Fernandez is the newest conductor to YO being named the conductors of the Fox Valley Symphony Youth Orchestra in July of this year. Dr. Fernandez was born in Caracas, Venezuela, where he began violin and orchestra studies through the El Sistema music program.

Rachel Richards is the Youth Orchestras Executive Director. She joined the FVSO team in August of 2022 and leads the Youth program of Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra: Philharmonia, Concert, and Youth Orchestra.

FVSO Fall Concert

On November 11, the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra hosted their Heroes Concert at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. It was a packed crowd with lots of musical talent to photograph!

Youth Symphony Orchestra

In November, the three Youth Symphony Orchestras had their Fall concerts. Throughout each of the concerts, I was able to get a close up photo of each member of the orchestra thanks to the venue's generous balcony set up. There is so much talent in each of these student groups, congrats to all!

Thank you to the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra for giving me the opportunity to photograph the variety of passion and talent that lives here in the Fox Valley. If you haven’t already, check out the Orchestra’s concert schedule and plan to attend one of their concerts - they are an experience I hope everyone has the opportunity to hear.