2026 Ellen Kelley Volunteer of the Year – Ann Kennedy Tornyos

The Ellen Kelley Volunteer of the Year Award is given in recognition of outstanding service to the Houston Symphony League. This year’s honoree is Ann Tornyos. Ann and her late husband, Karl Tornyos, moved to Houston from New Orleans in June 2005 and began attending the Houston Symphony’s Classical Series.

Her first exposure to the Houston Symphony League was the B# Brunch series. In 2014, Ann became Corresponding Secretary for the League and in 2015 served as Chair of the Crafts Committee, which provided educational activities for the Family Concerts and the holiday Magical Musical Morning.

In 2017, she was honored to receive the Ardyce Tostengard Crystal Cello Award along with her Craft Committee co-chair, Kristin Turnak. In 2022, as a member of the Executive Committee, Ann served on the By-Laws Committee that updated the League’s By-laws. She served as Parliamentarian in 2022-23 and Recording Secretary in 2023-24 while also being jointly responsible for the crafts for the Family Concerts.

Ann contributed to the Ima Hogg Competitions with food and funds. She participated in the funding of the Steinway grand piano for the Symphony and supported the Musician’s and Staff Luncheons, and she is a member of the Symphony’s Legacy Society. She regularly works the Family Concerts and is always positioned at the popular Crafts table. She has also been an avid supporter of the League’s project to support a Symphony orchestra member.

Ann has served the HSL with courage, purpose, and heart, and through her HSL work, is helping to shape the next generation of perhaps lifelong artists and certainly lifelong audiences.