The Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra recently presented a concert at Indiana State University Tilson Auditorium honoring the contributions of former music director Ramon Meyer, former concertmaster Bob Billups, and his wife, former principal cellist Marilyn Billups. The November concert also honored Indiana State University’s pivotal role in the orchestra’s founding in 1926, which followed a meeting of faculty members in the ISU Department of Music who would go on to spearhead efforts to form the orchestra. Ramon Meyer and Bob Billups are also former ISU music faculty members. Performing at the concert, led by current Artistic Director David Bowden, were former THSO Associate Concertmaster Benjamin Hoffman and his sister, cellist Natania Hoffman. The program featured Brahms’s Concerto for Violin and Cello, the same work performed by the orchestra in 1979, with Bob and Marilyn Billups as soloists and led by Ramon Meyer, then in his first season as the THSO’s music director. A reception with Indiana State University President Deborah Curtis followed the concert.
Caption: Current and former Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra musicians reunited for a recent concert. From left: Former THSO Associate Concertmaster Benjamin Hoffman; cellist Natania Hoffman; ISU President Deborah Curtis; former THSO conductor Ramon Meyer; current THSO Artistic Director David Bowden. Photo by Mark Gibson.
