Lisa Manning and Mary Morgan Ketchel have spent many years giving graciously of their time to our community.
Now, this altruistic duo is chairing the Symphony Fashion Show (alongside Executive Chair Sandra Lipman). Featuring the Fall 2023 collection from designer Brandon Maxwell, the highly anticipated annual fashion event, presented by Gus Mayer, will take place Tuesday, April 25, at The Schermerhorn Symphony Center with actress-singer-author Kristen Chenoweth set to take the mic as special guest emcee.
The event’s chairs are multi-hyphenates in their own ways. Manning currently serves on the Board of the White House Historical Association and has recently served as President of the Board at Cheekwood where her leadership skills navigated the organization through the early days of the pandemic. She can often be found in her own beautiful backyard attempting to propagate something unusual or tending to the bees—both of which bring her abundant joy.
Ketchel is a native of Nashville and an alum of the Harpeth Hall School. She has a background in political fundraising and event management. She started her career in the Washington DC office of Senator Bill Frist where she met her now-husband Paul. They have been married for 21 years and have two children, Jack and Chase.
Nashville Lifestyles: What made you want to chair the Symphony Fashion Show?
Lisa Manning: Co-chairing the Symphony Fashion Show is a creative and festive way to support one of Nashville’s treasures. I was humbled to be asked. Also, I am so enjoying working with my co-chair!
Mary Morgan Ketchel: People visit the Schermerhorn Symphony Center to experience its acoustical excellence and unique architecture. The building itself is an iconic symbol of Nashville’s musical prominence. The Nashville Symphony is a gift to our community, and it is certainly an honor to support our symphony as a co-chair of this event.
NL: How are the funds raised from the event utilized?
Ketchel: The Symphony Fashion Show funds important education and community engagement programming throughout the year in Middle Tennessee. Annually, the Nashville Symphony reaches over 100,000 children and adults.
Manning: In 18 years, the event has raised approximately four million dollars for the Nashville Symphony.
NL: Why is it important to support the Nashville Symphony?
Manning: A symphony enhances the quality of a city. Our symphony has music for everyone! It offers classical music, pops, big-screen movies set to music, contemporary artists playing with the symphony, and more. It offers music education for young, gifted students of diverse ethnic backgrounds through the Accelerando program, helping students pursue music in college and beyond. Our symphony building is architecturally recognized as one of only a few in the world with acoustic components delivering the highest quality music. It elevates our city.
Ketchel: As a little girl growing up in Music City it was a special treat to attend symphony performances. As well, I enjoyed hearing the symphony play with the Nashville Ballet. I remember attending the opening of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center with my family. I recognize that I benefited from decades of hometown support for our Nashville Symphony.
NL: What inspires you to use your time, talents, and treasure as a volunteer?
Manning: I am sure everyone who volunteers would agree it gives you joy to work with others to elevate the quality of our hometown.
Ketchel: Raising my children here in Nashville, I have had numerous opportunities to take them to symphony performances, to Nashville Ballet’s Nutcracker, to children’s events and exhibits at Cheekwood, Oz, and the Frist! These visits have been a special part of their education, as it was mine. It is my hope that their children have the same opportunities. We are so fortunate to have everyday access to world-class arts in our hometown. Nashville’s nonprofits are the gems of our city.