October 7, 2024

More than two dozen classic and unique cars were on display at the Classics at Brantwyn, a fundraiser for the Kennett Symphony Orchestra Sunday. A parade of classic cars, emceed by orchestra board member Dave Ventura, included a 1932 Hupmobile, a 1934 Chrysler Airflow Town Sedan, a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr, as well as the aforementioned Packards, Porsches and Jaguars.

The event was on Sunday, Oct. 6 at the Brantwyn Estate in Wilmington.

While cars were the attraction, along with buffet brunch, the event was about and for the Kennett Symphony.

Music Director Michael Hall addressed the audience before the parade of cars saying, “Your support is so important for us to do what we love to do, and that is make music.”

He went on to speak briefly about the upcoming season that starts this coming Sunday, Oct. 13, with. a performance at the Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center in West Chester followed three weeks later with the annual Reimagined Concert at Mendenhall Inn on Nov. 3. Later in the season there will be performances at Longwood Gardens, the Chester County History Center, the Kennett Library, and at Winterthur. The Reimagined Concert is one of his favorites.

He said the Reimagined Concerts are shorter and designed for people who want to come to a concert but have not been to one because they don’t have any knowledge of that music and feel intimidated.

“We always want to say…it’s most important that you come and enjoy the music. In this Reimagined Concert experience, we have video and pictures of the composer we’ll be talking about that day. We play one symphony. It’s a short concert. You get food, you get drinks at the Mendenhall. So, it’s a very relaxed atmosphere. We love that. This year we’re presenting Haydn’s Farwell Symphony. And why it’s called Farwell, I won’t tell you now. You’ll have to come and see.”

And he said how much he appreciates the supporters who came out to Brantwyn, paying $90 per person.

“Your presence here really gives us a lot of hope and encouragement for the future of this wonderful art form,” he said.

As previously reported, the symphony gets one-third of its funds from ticket sales, another third from sponsorships and donations, and another third from fundraising events. The Classics at Brantwyn accounts for part of the fundraising, usually about $25,000.

There were no immediate figures from this year’s event but, according to board member Colin Hanna, “The event was a resounding success! It was sold out, both for cars and attendees. The weather and the venue were absolutely perfect, and the parade of cars was impressive and intriguing. Whether car buffs, classical music lovers, or both, all came away with great feelings.”