Fort Worth Arts Leaders Gather to Honor John Giordano at FWYO Finale Celebration

Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass joined fellow arts patrons, community leaders, and supporters of the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra (FWYO) for an evening of music and celebration at the FWYO's Finale Concert & Celebration honoring founding conductor John Giordano on May 3, 2026.

Presented by Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass and Mollie & Garland Lasater, the event brought together many familiar faces from Fort Worth's arts and philanthropic communities to celebrate Giordano's extraordinary legacy and the conclusion of another successful FWYO season. This year's gathering carried special significance as it was dedicated to the memory of Mollie Lasater, whose generosity and commitment to the arts left a lasting impact on countless organizations throughout the city.

Scroll through the gallery below to see more photos from the celebration!

Guests enjoyed a festive reception and fundraising raffle featuring a Los Cabos vacation package from Sanders Travel, a golf experience with tickets to the Charles Schwab Challenge, and a "Best of Fort Worth" package featuring local favorites.

The evening's program included a special award presentation by Jon Suder recognizing Giordano's decades of service to young musicians and the Fort Worth arts community and a performance by FWYO Jazz. During the concert, audience members also enjoyed a performance of Saint-Saëns' Cello Concerto No. 1 by sophomore cellist Elise Poling, winner of FWYO's 2026 concerto competition.

In a fitting finale, Giordano took to the podium himself to conduct the final movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4, earning a standing ovation and bringing the evening—and the season—to a triumphant close.

For additional coverage of the event and John Giordano's remarkable legacy, read the Fort Worth Report's feature on the evening.

Press Inquiries: Lauren Arie - larie@fwyo.org / 817-923-3121 x18

---

Thank You to our Sponsors!

Presenting Sponsors

Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass

Mollie & Garland Lasater*

*The FWYO is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Honorary Board Member Mollie Lasater. We are forever grateful for her leadership and support of all Fort Worth children.

Concert Patrons

Richard & Ann Gipson

Concert Supporters

Raffle Contributors

---

About FWYO:

Celebrating 60 years of extraordinary music education during the 2024-2025 season, the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra has won local, national, and international recognition as one of the finest youth orchestra programs in the United States. Through ten programs - including four major orchestras, two wind ensembles, a jazz band, Early Childhood Music, FWYO Suzuki School, and chamber programs - the FWYO delivers high-quality musical instruction to nearly 500 students ranging in age from four to eighteen years, representing communities throughout North Texas.

Founded by a community group headed by Betty Utter and under the direction of conductors Ezra Rachlin and John Giordano, the FWYO was founded to promote and inspire the continuing development of musical talent in qualified area youth through intensive education in classical orchestral rooted music and performance. The programs offer students the opportunity to further develop their talent as well as their leadership skills, self-discipline, confidence, and pride in personal achievement. Many of the nearly 20,000 alumni of the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra program have gone on to become members of major symphony orchestras, music educators, or leaders in their fields.

The Orchestra's accomplishments include international concert tours in Europe, Mexico, Canada, and the Far East; music festivals in Switzerland and Washington, D.C.; and numerous other concert appearances across Texas and the Southwest. Its most recent tour in 2024 was to Spain with performances in Barcelona, Valencia, and Cullera. The Youth Orchestra has also been honored to perform with artists such as Van Cliburn, Jose Feghali, Yakov Kasman, Tamàs Ungàr, and John Owings, and composers Morton Gould and Samuel Adler. In 2021, the FWYO also received 2nd in the Youth Orchestra Division of the prestigious American Prize and 3rd place in the 2024 American Prize. The Wind Ensemble also won 1st place in the American Prize Youth Band division in 2024.

Under the leadership of Music Director Dr. Germán Gutiérrez since 2000 and Executive Director Andrew Reynolds since 2021, the FWYO has become one of North Texas’ most prestigious performing arts organizations. In addition to its educational programs, the FWYO owns and operates historic Orchestra Hall, located in Foster Park, which has been home to numerous performing arts organizations since 1975