70 Years of Glamour: Jewel Ball Shines Bright for Music Education
Women’s Symphony League of Austin hosts a glittering weekend to benefit over 50,000 Central Texas students
The Women’s Symphony League of Austin (WSL) marked a major milestone with its 70th Anniversary Jewel Ball Weekend, a two-day series of events that brought together Austin’s arts, business and philanthropic communities in support of music education.
Held Sept. 19–20, the weekend included the sold-out “Cheers to 70!” Fashion Luncheon and the Jewel Ball at the Palmer Events Center. Together, the events raised funds for the Austin Symphony Orchestra’s education programs, which reach more than 50,000 K–12 students each year across Central Texas.
Supporting the symphony
Jewel Ball co-chairs Elizabeth Doughtie and Tricia Moose, along with a 50-person volunteer committee, welcomed more than 850 guests to Saturday’s “Platinum Jubilee” celebration. The event included a formal presentation of the Royal Court and Junior Royalty, then shifted to dinner, dancing, and entertainment by Matchmaker Band. Guests also enjoyed casino games, auctions and a photo booth.
“We’re honored to continue this long-standing tradition that supports the Austin Symphony Orchestra,” Doughtie said. “The families who participate in the Royal Court play an important role in keeping music and the arts alive in our community.”
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Since 2002, the Jewel Ball has raised more than $5 million for the ASO, making WSL the Symphony’s largest annual donor. The funding supports music programs in schools throughout the region, including the bilingual “Tuneful Tales / Cuentos melódicos” in partnership with Austin Public Libraries.
Spotlighting young ambassadors of the arts
On Friday, guests at the “Cheers to 70!” luncheon enjoyed a fashion show produced by Sue Webber Productions and a conversation with Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, a British interior designer, author and daughter of the 11th Duke of Marlborough. Spencer-Churchill shared insights on heritage and design during an onstage interview.
The Jewel Ball also honored young women from across Texas selected to represent their communities as members of the Visiting Jewel Court. This year’s group included representatives from Dallas, Lubbock and Waco, along with a Diamond Queen and two princesses from Austin.
The annual event highlights WSL’s decades-long partnership with the ASO and reinforces the organization’s commitment to arts education in Central Texas.