We are hoping that you will join us in our big event to be held in spring 2025!

"Evening in Vienna"

on March 15th, 2025

YOU can support our Albany Symphony by choosing one or more of the following ways to underwrite this unique Vanguard fundraising event.  We need your responses here by September 15th, 2024.  For more information, contact Maureen Geis at 518-225-1140.

Emperor's Table (8 tickets & reception) - $10,000


Imperial Court (6 tickets & reception) - $5,000-$9,999


Sponsor (4 tickets & reception) - $2,000-$4,999


Honorary Committee (2 tickets & reception) - $500-$1,999


Waltzing Partners (2 tickets & reception) - $250


 

Vanguard has had a wonderfully successful year! 

Our Shrimp Boil at June Farms in June was enjoyed by so many.  We also  repeated our “Sparkle and Shine” evening that was full of fun and surprises.

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What Is Vanguard?

Since 1963, Vanguard has been a fundraising and support group for the Albany Symphony Orchestra. While we work with the ASO staff and members on major fundraising events like the ASO Gala, we also help the ASO staff with office work and children’s programs, we prepare food for musicians and much more.

We organize stimulating, informative and enjoyable fundraising trips to various regional venues for members and the public. This past year included a lovely cruise down the Mohawk River complete with a guided tour about its history and architecture.

We enjoy creating our own fundraising events at local points of interest and beautiful private homes. A second Shrimp Boil, a third Jazz Brunch, both at June Farms, a Sunday Salon of classical music and a delightful trip to the Apple Barrel Cafe in Schoharie County are some of the great opportunities we organized for meeting old friends and making new ones this year.

One of our ongoing operations includes collecting gently used instruments to donate to local school music programs.

The instruments collected are donated to eight local school districts that lack sufficient instruments for hundreds of students whose families cannot afford to purchase them. These donations allow these eager children to study music in depth and play in their schools’ bands and orchestras. Donations are tax deductible. Close to 900 have been collected to date.

For further information, contact Jill Rifkin, Chair, (518) 439-1843 Instruments for Students, Vanguard, Inc.

Maybe YOU can help us!  Write to our email or call the ASO office for more Vanguard information.

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Vanguard members volunteering at the MVP arena welcome desk for the Albany Symphony last October! Vanguard is always available to assist the Symphony at events! This was special, a Movie Music Play-In for musicians of all ages!

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Click on the EVENTS tab above to purchase your tickets for Vanguard’s third
JAZZ BRUNCH at JUNE FARMS

 NOW is the time to put this on your calendar for
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2024
You don’t want to miss this fabulous Jazz Brunch fundraiser to benefit the

ALBANY SYMPHONY!

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Vanguard wants to thank all of our wonderful members and friends who joined us at the Diamond Centre at Glennpeter Jewelers on Thursday, July 18th!
We enjoyed a fabulous evening of cheer, food, silent auction bidding, wine “pulling,” and even a gift certificate tree!  We are grateful, too, for Glennpeter Jewelers for providing the perfect venue for this great fundraising event!

WHAT? You missed it?

Don't let that happen next year!

Watch this space for a calendar date to BE THERE!

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Our delicious Shrimp Boil dinner at June Farms was held on June 2, 2024!

If you weren’t there, WE MISSED YOUMaybe NEXT YEAR!

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Enjoying lunch at Druthers after our delightful and informative Mohawk River Cruise last July!

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Do you have an interest in helping Vanguard preserve our archives?  We can use your help.

Contact Carol Whittaker at cwhittaker@albany.edu