Dallas Symphony Orchestra Announces 2024 Gala Leadership
Patrick Means and Laura Harris-Means will serve as Co-Chairs
The DSO’s annual gala is Saturday, September 28, 2024, at 8:00 p.m.
The black-tie event features a performance by the DSO and Guest Artist Lang Lang (piano) conducted by Music Director Fabio Luisi (Louise W. & Edmund J. Kahn Music Directorship)
Gala Concert Sponsor, Capital One
DALLAS, TX (March 1, 2024) – The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) welcomes Co-Chairs Patrick Means and Laura Harris-Means, who will serve in leadership roles for the first time at the DSO’s 2024 Gala. The Gala is one of the DSO’s largest annual fundraising events, benefiting the orchestra’s education and community outreach initiatives. The black-tie event will feature a cocktail reception, elegant, seated dinner and Gala Concert performed by the DSO, followed by the Gala After-Party Experience with savories, desserts and dancing.
“Very few things connect people from all walks of life the way music does. Just as important is the impact learning to play an instrument has on our youth. Playing the violin as an adolescent taught me to read music and introduced me to some of the most important and influential composers of all time,” said Patrick Means. “It is an honor to serve as co-chair alongside my wife, Laura Harris-Means for the 2024 Dallas Symphony Orchestra Gala to support their commitment to educational programs and community outreach initiatives.”
Patrick Means is a Vice President and Branch Manager for Charles Schwab and has served on the DSO’s Board of Governors since 2023. Laura Harris-Means is a three-time Emmy Award and Associated Press award-winning journalist who can be seen co-anchoring NBC 5 Today’s weekday morning broadcasts. The pair, both enthusiastic supporters of the arts, had one of their first dates at the DSO and were married at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in December 2023.
“It is my honor to co-chair the annual Dallas Symphony Orchestra gala with my husband, Patrick. As the biggest fundraiser of the year, it helps to fund the many programs the DSO offers in the community,” said Harris-Means. “As a former violinist, I understand the value of the arts and a musical education; but it’s not lost on me that it can be a financial burden for families. Thanks to the DSO’s community programs, the next great musician may be discovered right here in Dallas, in large part through generous support of the gala.”
The Gala concert will feature Music Director Fabio Luisi and the DSO with special guest pianist Lang Lang in his first appearance with the orchestra since the 2016 DSO Gala. The legendary pianist will perform Rachmaninoff’s expressively virtuosic Second Piano Concerto.
“The DSO Gala is always an incredible evening of music and celebration and the perfect way to kick off the upcoming concert season,” said Kim Noltemy, Ross Perot President & CEO of the Dallas Symphony. “We are thrilled that Patrick and Laura will lead the charge this year, and we look forward to working with them in this capacity.”
Full-evening Gala tickets start at $1,500 each and include the pre-concert reception, dinner, premium concert hall seating and the After-Party Experience. For information about full Gala tickets, table purchases and Gala sponsorships, call Denton Bricker, Director of Events and Volunteer Services at 214.871.4011 or email Gala@DalSym.com.
Concert and After-Party Experience tickets, which do not include the pre-concert reception or dinner, start at $80 and are available for purchase at dallassymphony.org or 214.849.4376.
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ABOUT THE DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Fabio Luisi, presents more than 150 orchestra concerts each year at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, one of the world’s top-rated concert halls. As the largest performing arts organization in the Southwest, the DSO is committed to inspiring the broadest possible audience with distinctive classical programs, inventive pops concerts and innovative multi-media presentations. As part of its commitment to the community, the orchestra reaches more than 243,000 adults and children annually through performances, educational programs and community outreach initiatives. The orchestra offers more than 200 chamber concerts in neighborhoods throughout Dallas each year, as well as music lessons to more than 1200 students as part of its Young Strings and Young Musicians programs.The DSO has a tradition dating back to 1900 and is a cornerstone of the unique, 118-acre Arts District in Downtown Dallas that is home to multiple performing arts venues, museums and parks – the largest district of its kind in the nation. The DSO is supported, in part, by funds from the Office of Arts & Culture, City of Dallas. For more information, visit dallassymphony.org.
ABOUT LAURA HARRIS-MEANS
Laura Harris-Means is a three-time Emmy Award and Associated Press award-winning journalist who joined the NBC 5 team in September 2018. She can be seen co-anchoring NBC 5 Today weekday mornings from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. Some highlights of Laura’s career at NBC 5 include covering the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2021. You can also expect to see Laura at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris this July. She also helped start the childhood literacy initiative at NBC 5 Reading With You. It’s an innovative program encouraging elementary-aged children to read at least one book a week throughout the summer to help combat summer learning loss, often referred to as the “summer slide.” She came to Dallas-Fort Worth from the ABC affiliate in Tampa, Florida. Some highlights of Laura’s career at ABC Action News included covering President Barack Obama’s visit to Cuba in 2016 and covering the Tampa Bay Rays while they played the Cuban National Team in Havana. She also covered Pope Francis’ historic visit to Cuba in 2015. On the political side, Laura’s extensively covered both the Republican National Convention from Cleveland, Ohio, as well as the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in 2016. She is a board member for New Friends New Life in Dallas, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a graduate of Georgia Southern University, Summa cum Laude and a Division I soccer player for four years. Laura and her husband Patrick call Dallas home and enjoy all things sports with their 5-year-old Jonathan.
ABOUT PATRICK MEANS
Patrick Means is a Vice President and Branch Manager for Charles Schwab. Patrick has more than 20 years of experience varied across distinct aspects of leadership, personal financial planning and investing. He is responsible for maintaining an elevated level of excellence at his branch with a team of investment professionals who partner with their clients to understand their goals, create a personalized plan, and provide investing guidance. In addition, Patrick is a columnist for Schwab’s Money Talk column on personal finance. The bi-weekly column offers insights to help investors move their financial life forward. He is the former host of Modern Wealth Strategies on Schwab Live Daily, Schwab’s medium for daily live-streaming interviews and market analysis and has appeared as a guest on Market Overtime on the Schwab Network.
Patrick is enthusiastic about giving back and supporting the community. He currently serves on the Board of Governors for the Dallas Symphony Association and Oak Cliff Boys & Girls Club in Dallas County. He is also an active volunteer for I am a Golfer Foundation. Patrick received his Master of Business Administration degree from Monmouth University and an undergraduate degree in economics from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Patrick holds the Certified Wealth Strategist designation and has completed Executive Education at SMU’s Cox Business School. He holds FINRA Series 7, 9, 10, and 66 registrations.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Chelsey Norris, Director of Communications
c.norris@dalsym.com | 214.871.4063