The Fred Dettwiller Grand Lobby Dedicated During 2024/25 Season Kick-Off
Article and Photos Courtesy of the Nashville Symphony
September 23, 2024 – Nashville Symphony and CEO Alan D. Valentine are excited to announce the renaming of Schermerhorn Symphony Center’s main lobby, to the Fred Dettwiller Grand Lobby. This naming will recognize the legacy of community activist and longtime Nashville Symphony supporter, Fred Dettwiller, in perpetuity and has been made possible through a generous gift from the Dettwiller Foundation. The naming ceremony took place on Friday, September 13, and leaders from the Dettwiller Foundation, Nashville Symphony board members, staff, and supporters were in attendance.
“We are thrilled that the Dettwiller Foundation has chosen to honor Fred’s extraordinary commitment to the Nashville Symphony with this transformational gift,” said Alan D. Valentine, President and CEO of the Nashville Symphony. “Fred deeply loved the orchestra, and we loved him in return. His involvement with the Symphony brought him immense joy, and we dearly miss seeing him at concerts. The naming of the Fred Dettwiller Grand Lobby is a fitting tribute to his legacy and memory, and we are profoundly grateful to the Dettwiller Foundation for this generous and thoughtful gift.”
Born in Memphis, Dettwiller was among the first to graduate from Vanderbilt University’s philosophy program. After funding his first business at 23, he led Tennessee’s largest beer distributing business, earning recognition as the Nashville Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO.
As a civic leader, Dettwiller chaired the Metropolitan Nashville Convention Center Commission, which helped bring Bridgestone Arena to life, and held leadership roles with the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, the Tennessee State University Foundation, and Tennesseans for Better Schools. Dettwiller was also devoted to the Episcopal Church, serving as a Deacon and priest, eventually becoming Canon for Special Projects for the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee.
ABOUT THE NASHVILLE SYMPHONY
Led by Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero, the Nashville Symphony inspires and engages a diverse and growing community with extraordinary live orchestral music experiences. Since its founding in 1946, the Nashville Symphony has been celebrated for its dedication to contemporary American orchestral music, innovative programming across multiple genres, and a prolific recording schedule that has produced 14 GRAMMY® Awards and 27 nominations. Reaching almost 550,000 Middle Tennesseans annually through more than 500 concerts, educational programs, and community engagement events, the Nashville Symphony also connects with nearly 13 million people worldwide through recordings, broadcasts, and streaming.
The Nashville Symphony is a nonprofit organization supported by individuals, corporations, and foundations. To learn more about educational initiatives, visit nashvillesymphony.org/education. For additional information or to donate, please visit nashvillesymphony.org.
Fred Dettwiller’s advocacy for the Nashville Symphony spanned decades. His support included numerous mission-driven initiatives, such as the annual Symphony Ball, the “A Time for Greatness” campaign that funded the building of Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and the Violins of Hope project, which showcased historic instruments owned and played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. He also provided funding to purchase state-of-the-art timpani for the Nashville Symphony.
