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Celebrating Retiring Usher Antoinette Marie DuBiel

January 30, 2025

Celebrating Antoinette Marie DuBiel After 30 Years of Service

Antoinette Marie DuBiel has witnessed thirty years' worth of our performances during her time as an usher for The Philadelphia Orchestra. After decades of dedicated service in both the Academy of Music and Marian Anderson Hall, Antoinette is finally hanging up her red jacket.

On Friday, staff, volunteers, and donors gathered in the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts to wish Antoinette a happy retirement. The dress code? Antoinette's favorite color, purple!

When asked what she'll miss most about Antoinette, Director of Audience Experience, Lindsay Berckman, said, "Antoinette is comfort. She is home. You see her and you know you're in the right place: you're at a Philadelphia Orchestra performance and you belong here."

From Left to Right: Former Academy of Music Head Usher, Cornell Wood, Antoinette Marie DuBiel, and House Manager, Thomas Kerrigan

Looking back at her many years of service, Antoinette said, "My favorite part was always seeing the people in the audience enjoying The Philadelphia Orchestra's marvelous music."

Antoinette's own love of music began when she learned to play the piano. Her passion for the instrument was so profound that she earned a degree in performance from Chestnut Hill College. When Antoinette was interviewed by Peter Dobrin of The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2014, she shared,

“The opportunity to usher presented itself. My husband was there, my daughter was there [both as ushers], and I took the baton and ran with it. I love music, and I was always there anyway, so I said I would try it. Now I'm an antique.” 

Purple decorations from Antoinette's celebration

Throughout her many years of volunteering, Antoinette has observed shifts in the culture of Orchestra attendees. Twenty years ago, she stated that she often saw patrons dressed in formal attire, whereas nowadays there's more flexibility for patrons to dress in whatever's most comfortable for them.

However, one thing that she says has remained unchanged is the audience’s devotion to The Philadelphia Orchestra and its music.

Marian Anderson Hall

Pete Checchia

Antoinette is comfort. She is home.

Lindsay Berckman, Director of Audience Experience

If you’re inspired by Antoinette and would like to volunteer with us, click here to learn how you can get involved.

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Read Peter Dobrin's 2014 interview with Antoinette.