Letter from the Executive Director
Hey everyone,
Welcome to Samples of Soul! We’re so excited to have you here tonight. This show is all about celebrating the music that shaped generations and the young musicians who are shaping what’s next.
Soul music has always told stories like joy, struggle, love, and everything in between. Tonight, we honor that legacy while creating a little bit of history of our own. The Columbus Cultural Orchestra exists to make sure music education stays connected to culture that students get to learn, perform, and celebrate with music that’s alive, relevant, and rooted in the community around them.
So don’t hold back! Sing along, dance in your seat (or out of it), and cheer when something moves you. The energy you bring fuels the players on stage. This is a shared moment between all of us.
Thank you for being here and for supporting this work. Every ticket helps us keep programs like this running and pays our incredible students, teachers, and staff. You’re part of what makes it possible for this music and this community to keep growing.
Enjoy the show!
Megan Wetzel
Executive Director
Columbus Cultural Orchestra
The Orchestra:
Conducted by Stephen Spottswood
Violin I
Anna McCracken
Anaisha Sarda
Claudia Bowles
Robyn Jackson
Megan Wetzel
Nic Lacy
Violin II
Amiyah Mattox
Sarayu Gade
Alice Mitro
Kevin Hagans
Viola
Aaron Pearson
Myken Thomas
Chloe Moore
Arman Bhargava
Norman Cardwell
Cello
Elias Golla
Savannah Freeman
Duduca Taborda
Bass
Donovan Egelhoff
Megan Pantchev
Debut Students
Violin
Ani Dorohoff
Emerson Cole
Chase Williams
Viola
Addie Braxton
Cello
Xavier Daniel Dorelien
Gregory Adams
Bass
Taylor Mattox
Click here to buy your tickets to our gala! This Black Tie Affair will feature solo students and small ensembles for a fine dining experience. Help us raise money for next season so we can keep paying these amazing students you see on stage.
50/50 Raffle
Silent Auction Items
Special Merch
Wanna Join the Classical Crossover Crew? 🎶
We’re not your average orchestra. At the Columbus Cultural Orchestra (CCO), we teach strings with a hip hop heartbeat, blending classical training with the music students actually love, like R&B, jazz, hip hop, and original tracks they help create.
This is music education remixed:
✅ Learn violin, viola, cello, or bass from top-tier instructors
✅ Build skills in improv, composition, and GarageBand production
✅ Perform music by Black composers and legendary artists
✅ Get paid for rehearsals, concerts, and gigs
✅ Be part of a team where every voice matters
Debut Strings is for beginners and intermediate beginners.
Columbus Cultural Orchestra is for intermediate and advanced players.
Whether your child dreams of performing, composing, or just wants a creative outlet, they’ll gain confidence, discipline, and community that lasts a lifetime.
The Program
Superstar
Luther Vandross/Arr. Stephen Spottswood
Never Too Much
Luther Vandross/Arr. Stephen Spottswood
Birdland
The Weather Report/Arr. David Robinson III
Suit & Tie
Justin Timberlake, ft. Jay-Z/Arr. Stephen Spottswood
Rock With You
Michael Jackson/Arr. Stephen Spottswood
Cookin’ with Soul
Improvisation Piece, Beat by Stephen Spottswood
Intermission
Debut Performance
Pop Hits String Mix
Justin Bieber, Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott and Encanto/Arr. Stephen Spottswood
Hustle
Stephen Spottswood
Old School New School Opus
Tupac, Kanye West, Future, Tems, Drake/Arr. Stephen Spottswood
Saving All My Love for You
Whitney Houston/Arr. Stephen Spottswood
Encore if you clap loud enough! ;)
Special Thank You
Brian Kozicki - Lights and Sound
Ray Bruster - Videography
Tim Perdue - Photographer
All Our Parent Volunteers!
Audience Evaluation
🎤 We wanna hear from YOU! Tell us what hit right or what we could level up.
Filling out our audience evaluation form helps us keep the shows fresh, turn up the quality, and most importantly, secure those grants so we can keep bringing this fire to the stage.
🎯 Your feedback = better concerts + more opportunities for our musicians.
Thank you for being part of the Classical Crossover Crew. 💛🖤
Thank You To Our Sponsors
Support CCO
Thank you for your Donation
Agnes Cox
Cynthia Ruccia
Sharon Oppenheimer
Tricia Farbacher
Heather Spencer
Kelly McLennon
Ludia Dorelien
Cena Baker
Barbara Dukes
Eileen Crosbie
Carlos Philpott
Jihan Thomas
Deborah Price
Sharon Rice