Coastal Symphony of Georgia 2020
With a vibrant new season, inspired leadership, and six new board members, the Coastal Symphony of Georgia (CSG) continues to ensure that orchestral music thrives in the Golden Isles. The Symphony welcomes its 38th season of the best in classical music by presenting four concerts that will celebrate both old masters and fresh newcomers. “A good program must have
Michelle Merrill - CSG Music Director and Conductor
elements of familiarity, pieces that you know and love,” says Michelle Merrill, Music Director and Conductor, CSG. “A great program has music that stretches your mind, heart, and spirit.” Michelle calls it “music of relevance.”
Old masters will include Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Strauss, along with Beethoven in celebration of his 250th birthday. There will also be an enchanting waltz from 15-year-old Alma Deutscher, an evocative 20th Century piece from Lili Boulanger, and a Saint-Saëns cello concerto performed by guest artist, Christopher Adkins, principal cellist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.In addition to classical concerts on October 5 and November 9, 2020 and on January 25 and March 8, 2021, the Symphony will offer three SoundBites, two salons, and other special events. “You will be able to enjoy the full Symphony Experience,” says newly elected President, Marjorie Mathieu, retired Vice President of Operations at Southeast Georgia Health System.
Marjorie has resided in the Golden Isles for the past 17 years and is a longtime supporter of the Symphony and CSG Board Member. At SGHS, she was responsible for the construction of many of the major new buildings on the Brunswick campus, before overseeing the planning and development of the current Master Renovation and Expansion project. She is a member of St. William Catholic Church and sings with an acapella choral group, Ocean Harmony.
The Symphony’s New Leadership
New CSG Board President Marjorie Mathieu (seated, center) and new board members (from left) seated: Nathan Kohlhoff, Drew Holland; standing: Shonda Kohlhoff, Robert Boles, Dr. Paige Slack, Zena Martin
Marjorie and the CSG Board will be joined by six new members representing a broad range of expertise.
Robert S. Boles comes with extensive experience in advertising, corporate communications, television and film where he worked as a writer, director, and producer. Bob worked for major advertising agencies in the Midwest and Northeast before opening his own firm in 1995. Locally, he has directed plays at both The Island Players and Brunswick Actors’ Theater.
Drew Holland, a graduate of both Auburn University and the Graduate School of Banking at LSU, is Vice President, Commercial Lending at Southeastern Bank on St. Simons Island. He is active in the St. Simons Island Rotary Club. His musical background includes management of concerts and large-scale entertainment events while attending Auburn.
Dr. Paige Slack is the owner of Imber Medical Anti-Aging and Aesthetics Clinic on St. Simons Island and serves as Regional Medical Director for Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and West Virginia. Her lifelong love of symphonic music began when she set her childhood gymnastic routines to classical pieces. Her grandfather, who played the piano by ear, nurtured that love, and she frequented symphonic performances while at University of North Carolina Wilmington and Roehampton University of London.
Shonda Kohlhoff is a business consultant and talent development coach with more than 20 years of experience advising leadership in the international corporate arena from offices in Germany and South Korea, and now with Sandbox Consulting on St. Simons Island. She is trained in guitar, flute, and voice, and has long been closely connected to music and the arts.
Nathan Kohlhoff, CFA, is the CEO and founder of East Beach Wealth Solutions, LLC, a wealth management firm specializing in comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and financial behavioral coaching for high net worth individuals and families. He played in the Johns Hopkins Symphony Orchestra while a student there, and later served as concertmaster/first violin of a community orchestra in Munich.
Zena Martin, a small business owner with Rodan+Fields, has extensive global marketing experience as a strategic communications consultant and has lived and worked in London, Paris, New York City, and San Francisco. She is proficient in Spanish and French, is proud to be an American-British dual citizen, and is happy to be living closer to family on St. Simons Island.
As the 2020-2021 concert season commences, the Symphony Board is delighted to welcome these new members with their wealth of experience and personal talents.
Season tickets, which typically sell out over the summer, are available now on a first-come, first-served basis. Call the Symphony Box Office at 912.634.2006 or visit the Symphony website at coastalsymphonyofgeorgia.org.
