The Family of Marion Mills Sponsor a Dream
Just before Christmas, the ESO received a moving letter from Jim Sutherland, owner and manager of Rabbit Hill Ski Area in Edmonton. Jim, his mother Daurel, and his siblings Francis and Patti, decided that as a family they would donate $3,000 to the ESO, and so Sponsor the Dream of a musician to travel to New York and perform at Carnegie Hall.
The motivation for their decision? The memory of Mrs. Marion K. Mills, Jim’s grandmother. Mrs. Mills was a passionate community member who was a driving force behind the creation of the Edmonton Symphony Society in 1952, and served as its Founding President. The ESO is able to celebrate its 60th anniversary season this year in great part thanks to the dedication of Mrs. Mills and other community volunteers in the early 1950s.
“As a young child I clearly remember my grandmother’s enthusiasm for classical music and the ESO,” Jim wrote to the ESO. “Instilling in her family a love of music is definitely a large part of the legacy she left us.”
Their support realized the dream of ESO musician Richard Caldwell. A member of the first violin section since 1973, Richard is thrilled to be sponsored by Marion Mills’ family. In his words, “Playing at Carnegie Hall is the pinnacle of every musician’s career. You may only get to do this once in your life.” Born in Detroit, it will be Richard’s first time in New York City. Richard plans to take the opportunity on his trip to pay his respects at the Ground Zero site in Manhattan. And the trip will also fulfill another dream –getting to see Yankee Stadium!
Jim Sutherland is proud of the contribution the ESO has made to our community. “My Grandmother would have sponsored the entire trip to Carnegie Hall if she could have!” he writes. “We extend to the ESO our best wishes for its continuing successes.”
The ESO wishes to thank Jim Sutherland and his family, and all our Dream Sponsors and Carnegie Fund donors, for making this trip to Carnegie Hall possible.
Tune in to CKUA (94.9 FM in Edmonton) for a rebroadcast on Mark Antonelli’s Classic Examples.
