Independent Arts News Reporting Princeton Symphony Orchestra Gala 2026 A Touch of Brass
Reported Friday, April 24, 2025.
Pictured Above: Seasoned auctioneer and Princeton Symphony Orchestra Trustee Pete Taft kept the live auction moving at the Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s Touch of Brass Gala. Photo Credit: T. Kevin Birch.
NEWSROOM POST: PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
Princeton, NJ – The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO)’s 2026 Gala – A Touch of Brass – held Saturday, April 11 at Jasna Polana, spotlighted the importance of live music and the orchestra’s PSO BRAVO! in-school education programs. Both are close to the heart of this year’s Honorary Gala Chair and PSO Trustee, Sue Howard.
Ms. Howard said, “The gala was an especially joyous experience, because this year the attendees had the opportunity to see firsthand the fun and exciting ways that the PSO BRAVO! program engages schoolchildren throughout the region each year.”
Leading up to the quintet’s performance, guests attired in tuxedos and fashionable gowns enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres and cocktails in Jasna’s grand lobby and parlor to lively music provided by pianist Ian Howells. A brass fanfare signaled the guests to descend a graceful stairway into the conservatory dining room for a gourmet meal accompanied by fine wine. Awaiting them were ivory-clad tables adorned with multi-hued floral arrangements of blue delph, thistle, blue hydrangea, and tweedia surrounded by tea lights which glowed as the sun set outside the atrium’s windows.
Winners of the on-site Radiant Raffle took home a distinctive Tiffany & Co. crystal decanter with four old-fashioned glasses and a cocktail spoon, a Herno jacket from Hiltons Princeton, and an exquisite Mahjong set. Guests vied for limited sign-up slots on Party Boards throughout the night for additional social occasions, and sought to out-bid one another during a thrilling live auction moderated by communications consultant and PSO Trustee Pete Taft. On auction were magnums of South African Wine and exclusive vacation stays in St. Lucia and Napa Valley.
Following an entertaining presentation by the PSO BRAVO! Brass Quintet, Taft led the paddle raise to encourage attendees to make donations in support of the orchestra’s PSO BRAVO! education programs. All funds raised throughout the evening benefit the PSO’s music, education, and community programs, as well as the Princeton Festival.
Tasked with bringing a “touch of brass” to this year’s Gala and coordinating the overall event were Honorary Co-Chair Sue Howard and Gala Co-Chairs Erin Forrey and Catherine Hilton, plus an enthusiastic Gala Committee. Ms. Forrey said,“Inspired by the bold primary palette of PSO Bravo, we embraced a vibrant floral color scheme designed to catch the eye and delight children of all ages.” Ms. Hilton added, “We are so thankful to all those who attended to support the PSO’s mission to leverage the power of live music and uplift the human experience in the community.”
The Princeton Symphony Orchestra provides classical, chamber, and pops concerts and over 100 PSO BRAVO! performances and events each year which engage students at every age level. The education programs are presented free of charge to schools and throughout the Central Jersey’s communities. Its Princeton Festival is New Jersey’s premier performing arts festival held each year in June. For more information on how to support the PSO, visit princetonsymphony.org/support.
Pictured Above: Warm lighting and colorful floral arrangements created an inviting atmosphere at The Touch of Brass Princeton Symphony Orchestra Gala held April 11 at Jasna Polana. Photo Credit: T. Kevin Birch.
ABOUT THE PRINCETON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is a cultural centerpiece of the Princeton community and one of New Jersey’s finest music organizations, a position established through performances of beloved masterworks, innovative music by living composers, and an extensive network of educational programs offered to area students free of charge. Led by Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov, the PSO presents orchestral, pops, and chamber music programs of the highest artistic quality, supported by lectures and related events that supplement the concert experience. Its flagship summer program the Princeton Festival brings an array of performing arts and artists to Princeton during multiple weeks in June. Through PSO BRAVO!, the orchestra produces wide-reaching and impactful education programs in partnership with local schools and arts organizations that culminate in students attending a live orchestral performance. The PSO receives considerable support from the Princeton community and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, regularly garnering NJSCA’s highest honor. Recognition of engaging residencies and concerts has come from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the PSO’s commitment to new music has been acknowledged with an ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming and a Copland Fund Award. The only independent, professional orchestra to make its home in Princeton, the PSO performs at historic Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University.
Find the PSO online at www.princetonsymphony.org; on facebook at www.facebook.com/princetonsymphony; on “X” at www.twitter.com/psomusic and on flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/princetonsymphony.
