Shreveport Symphony Orchestra

08/28/2026

Meet the Staff 💼

Carson Alvarez serves as Marketing & Development Coordinator and Production Coordinator for the Shreveport Symphony. Since joining the SSO, he has worked across many areas of the organization, helping bring concerts and programs from the planning stages to the stage itself while connecting audiences, donors, sponsors, and community partners with the orchestra.

As Marketing & Development Coordinator, Carson manages relationships with donors, sponsors, and community partners while helping lead the SSO’s fundraising and marketing efforts. He plans and executes annual fund campaigns, coordinates fundraising and donor appreciation events, and researches and writes grant proposals to support the organization’s programs and initiatives. Carson also develops social media and email campaigns, writes press releases, supports public relations efforts, and helps promote concerts, fundraising campaigns, and special events across the organization’s print and digital platforms.

In the role of Production Coordinator, he works closely with the Director of Operations to coordinate production needs throughout the season and serves as a point of contact for guest artists, helping facilitate communication between artists and the SSO from the initial planning stages through each performance.

Carson earned a B.A. in Music with a concentration in Vocal Performance from Centenary College of Louisiana, where he studied voice with Dr. Janani Sridhar and piano with Dr. Gay Grosz. Carson began working with the Shreveport Symphony in 2024 as Production Coordinator before stepping into the Marketing & Development Coordinator role in May 2025.

Outside of the SSO, Carson teaches music classes at Stage Center’s School of Performing Arts and serves on the Board of Directors for Company Repertory Theatre, continuing to work in the local performing arts community.

🌟FUN FACT: Before calling the Shreveport-Bossier area home, he spent four years living in England with his family while his dad was stationed there with the air force!

08/27/2026

Meet the Staff 💼

Brett Andrews serves as Director of Operations and section cellist of Shreveport Symphony, principal cellist of the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra. Brett is also a founding member of Dynamix String Quartet, and an original member of the Ark-La-Tex String Quartet performing Fever’s Candlelight Concerts in Shreveport, Monroe, and Longview. He also co-founded Carrefour Chamber Music Project, a Shreveport-based group of musicians grounded in building community within the Shreveport-Bossier City area through chamber music.

After beginning his cello studies in Kilgore, TX, he became an inaugural member of the Honor Orchestra of America at age 15. After receiving his Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from Northwestern State University of Louisiana studying with Paul Christopher, he began instructing courses in Fine Arts. He also formerly directed the string programs at Parkway High School and Elm Grove Middle School in Bossier City, Louisiana from 2012-2015, as well as Southfield School from 2022-2025, during which time he also served as cello instructor for the Centenary Suzuki School.

Brett began his administrative career with Shreveport Symphony in 2018, shortly after returning to Louisiana following his Doctor of Arts studies at University of Northern Colorado, and has expanded his duties to help the organization present effective, inspired, and enjoyable concert experiences. From engaging venues, musicians, and guest artists, to managing chamber, signature, and educational concerts, he strives to ensure every person who visits and supports our local symphony never leaves an event underwhelmed.

As a cello soloist, he has performed with Texarkana Symphony Orchestra, Marshall Symphony Orchestra, the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra, and placed second in the 2012 LMTA Young Artists Competition. Brett was a finalist in the 2015 Rocky Mountain Concerto Competition and the 2016 University of Northern Colorado Symphony Concerto Competition.

🌟FUN FACT: Brett was awarded Gladewater Opry's 1993 Junior Male Vocalist of the Year at the age of 6, their youngest award winner ever!

08/26/2026

Hear from Music Director Michael Butterman and CEO Todd Simmons as they preview our March 20 concert and share what makes this program one to experience live!

Featuring pianist Claire Huangci, the evening pairs Beethoven's powerful lyrical Piano Concerto Op. 61a with the driving rhythms and exhilarating energy of his Symphony No. 7.

Don't miss your chance at an evening of Beethoven's Brilliance, brought to life by your Shreveport Symphony.

🎟 Get your tickets now at the link in the comments!

Take a crash course in the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra's upcoming...

08/21/2026

Meet the Staff 💼

Michele Gunn, a native Houstonian, began playing violin when she was four years old and viola when she was 10. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in viola performance from Baylor University and her Master of Music degree, also in viola performance, from Rice University. Michele also studied at Boston Conservatory, where she performed in the Honor String Quartet and was an Assistant Performance Librarian. She has attended the Aspen Music Festival and the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, where she later served on the faculty.

Michele now lives in Shreveport, and enjoys performing in several orchestras in the region, including the Shreveport, Texarkana, and Tulsa Symphonies. She is also and active chamber music performer and freelance musician. Michele began playing with the Shreveport Symphony in 2011 and became a core member of the viola section during the 21-22 Season. During the summers of 2022-2024, she was a member of the orchestra at Utah Festival Opera. Since the summer of 2025, she has been Concertmaster at Opera in the Ozarks in Eureka Springs, AR.

In addition to being a core member of the Shreveport Symphony, Michele has been SSO's Music Librarian since the 21-22 Season and Community Engagement Coordinator since the 23-24 Season. Much of her work takes place behind the scenes and includes: procuring, marking, and distributing music for all SSO performances; coordinating musicians for all SSO-on-the-Go, Music Mentors, and Senior Symphony performances; and reaching out to teachers and community leaders to line up performances at schools, libraries, and other community centers. Michele draws on her past experiences helping orchestra librarians and coordinating musicians for gigs, and mentorship from the SSO's former librarian, Crozet Duplantier, as she navigates both of these positions.

🌟FUN FACT: Michele's friends know that if they have something that needs to be assembled, they should give her a call. She's put together most of the furniture in her house, a couple of bicycles, countless items in friends' homes, and she loves doing it!

08/20/2026

Meet the Staff 💼

Next up, help us welcome our new Box Office Manager, Kendall Jackson!

Kendall is stepping into the role at an exciting time as we kick off a new season at the SSO, and we're thrilled to have her on board! She'll be helping our patrons with everything from ticket and subscription sales to answering questions and making sure your experience with the SSO starts off on the right note.

Kendall graduated from Louisiana State University Shreveport in December 2024 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, focusing on graphic design. While at LSUS, she created graphics for a campaign supporting a local nonprofit organization and later worked in the Continuing Education Department, designing graphics for educational programs and marketing campaigns.

We're so excited to have Kendall joining the SSO team! Be sure to say hello next time you stop by the Box Office! 🎵

🌟FUN FACT: In here spare time, Kendall enjoys designing characters and writing lore for them!

08/18/2026

Watch Maestro Michael Butterman and CEO Todd Simmons as they discuss our February 20 concert, Carnival of the Animals, featuring acclaimed piano duo Alessio Bax & Lucille Chung.

From the brilliance of Mozart’s "Paris" Symphony to Poulenc’s dazzling Concerto for Two Pianos, this concert is filled with charm, virtuosity, and musical storytelling. You’ll also hear Fauré’s graceful Pavane and Saint-Saëns’ beloved Carnival of the Animals, a playful favorite for audiences of all ages.

Watch their conversation to get a preview of what’s in store, then join us on February 20 for an evening of music you won’t want to miss!

Take a crash course on Shreveport Symphony Orchestra's upcoming Feb...

08/17/2026

Embark on the ultimate musical experience at Infinity Rising: The Music of Journey! 🎸🎵

Experience the iconic hits of Journey like never before as the legendary band’s music is brought to life alongside your Shreveport Symphony. From “Don’t Stop Believin’” to “Faithfully,” hear the songs you know and love with the pour and excitement of a full symphony orchestra.

Get ready to rock, sing along, and experience Journey in a whole new way!

🎟️ Get your tickets NOW at the link in the comments!

08/14/2026

Mark your calendars and raise a glass🍻🎵

Craft Music is back! Our concert series returns this year in partnership with Great Raft Brewing, bringing great music, good company, and plenty of chances to enjoy the symphony in a relaxed setting.

Best of all, your support of these events directly supports the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra and help keeps inspiring music in our community.

The full schedule is here! Choose one night, or make it all five 😉Start planning your Craft Music lineup now!

Reserve your spot by paying what you wish, even if its $0

08/12/2026

Meet the Staff 💼

Next up is a very special, and definitely bittersweet, spotlight on a familiar face and truly beloved member of the SSO family: our Box Office Manager, Diane Rodgers! ❤️

If you've ever called our office, purchased a ticket, renewed a subscription, or stopped by the box office at the RiverView Theater, chances are you've had the pleasure of talking with Diane. For the past five season, she has been the friendly voice and familiar face behind so much of what makes the SSO run smoothly.

From managing single-ticket and subscription sales to building and maintaining our ticketing software, coordinating our ushers, keeping the office running, and lending her talents to marketing and development, Diane has worn many hats—and she has done it all with dedication, kindness, and a wonderful sense of humor.

Before joining the Shreveport Symphony, Diane worked at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium (and, thankfully, she says she never saw a ghost while she was there! 👻 ). She also spent 12 years in banking as a loan officer before finding her way to the SSO.

And now, after five wonderful seasons with us, Diane is retiring! 🎉 She and her husband are moving to Boise, Idaho, where she’s looking forward to more time for travel, adventure, and enjoying all that this next chapter has to offer.

🌟FUN FACT: Diane and her husband are motorcycle enthusiasts, and she loves riding shotgun as the two of them head out on random rides and adventures. We have a feeling there will be plenty more of those in retirement!

While we're excited for Diane and all the adventures ahead, we're going to miss her more than words can say. Her warmth, humor, hard work, and genuine care for our patrons have made her such an important part of the Shreveport Symphony family.

Diane, thank you for everything you've given to the SSO and to the thousands of people you've helped along the way. You will always be a part of our Symphony family, and we hope you know just how much you will be missed.

Wishing you and your husband safe travels, wonderful adventures, and a very happy retirement! We love you, Diane!❤️

08/11/2026

From Interstellar to Alien Vs. Predator, your Shreveport Symphony is bringing the unforgettable music of Sci-Fi's biggest films to life on the concert stage!

Maestro Michael Butterman and CEO Todd Simmons sat down to talk about what you can expect at our January 23 concert, from the music you know and love to the cinematic experience of hearing it performed live.

Step into the world of Sci-Fi and get your tickets for a concert that is out of this world!

Take a crash course on Shreveport Symphony Orchestra's upcoming Jan...