Have you ever wondered what goes into the creative process throughout music composition? How does a composer create a musical concept, and how does that concept become a full orchestral performance? The Mr. & Mrs. William J. Rushton IV Sound Investment Series gives patrons the opportunity to learn about the creative process of a world-class composer and musician, from the early ideas to the debut performance.
As a member of Sound Investment, you will contribute to the commissioning of an original composition and receive insider access to this season’s Sound Investment composer through exclusive events and experiences.
This Season’s Sound Investment Experience
The Orchestra is proud to introduce Alex Mansour as our 25/26 Sound Investment Composer! Birmingham Variations, Mansour’s commissioned piece, will serve as a companion for Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and Stravinsky’s Concerto in E-flat “Dumbarton Oaks” as part of ASO’s multi-season exploration of the Brandenburg concerti. The new work will premiere at our first Carver concert of the season on Thursday, November 13, 2025.
Alex Mansour is a composer, cellist, and jazz pianist from Los Angeles, California, and is passionate about writing for both the concert hall and the screen. Mansour has had works commissioned, performed, and awarded across the country, and he has recently scored the documentaries Radical Wolfe and SOMM: Cup of Salvation. Mansour is an active session musician in Los Angeles and has arranged and played for a wide range of performances, including the 2025 GRAMMY Awards.
Mansour has collaborated with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra before through Spark, the Sound Investment piece he composed during the pandemic that premiered virtually by the ASO. Mansour first met Music Director Carlos Izcaray through the American Youth Symphony when Mansour served as principal cellist. “Carlos is such a generous advocate for holistic musicianship,” Mansour says, “and I am such an admirer of his leadership and artistry.”
Benefits of your Sound Investment membership include;
- Meeting the Composer: This season's Sound Investment composer, Alex Mansour, will introduce the piece during a private salon event.
- Behind-the-Scenes Insights: Witness the piece come to life during the ASO's private morning rehearsal, and join us for a boxed lunch and conversation with the composer.
- World Premiere: Join our performance at the Carver Theater for the work's debut on Thursday, November 13 at 6:30 p.m.
- Acknowledgement: Receive printed credit as a commissioner in your bound copy of the score, recognizing your role in new music.
Sound Investment Membership is $500 per person or $1,000 per couple. Please confirm your membership for this year’s series by October 20, 2025.
To learn more about this opportunity, please contact Elizabeth Sturgeon at 205.314.6958 or at esturgeon@alabamasymphony.org.