The Crowd: Sand and oranges add to symphony’s gala
The party theme was quintessential Orange County. The Pacific Symphony’s 25th anniversary gala, a tribute to music director Carl St.Clair and a major nod to the unique O.C. lifestyle, attracted 400 dedicated symphony advocates May 16 for a very special evening at Hotel Irvine.
It was chaired with over-the-top style and creativity by Lynn Freeman and Ellie Gordon. Guests arrived in black tie and were instructed to remove shoes and put on flip-flops as cocktails were served on the sand in classic beach party fashion.
Sunglasses, Frisbees and beach towels were distributed while lifeguards patrolled as the crowd got reasonably comfortable in their symphony sequins. A local surf group played homage to the ‘60s sounds of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys.
Leaving the pop-up beach, donors entered the massive Hotel Irvine ballroom following the intoxicating aroma of orange blossoms. Freeman and Gordon and committee imported a veritable orange grove, which surrounded the cavernous space. It was simply enchanting. The next stop for the crush was exploring a massive silent auction in the grove.
The aroma no doubt encouraged bidding, which along with the live auction, the fund-a-dream, and underwriting support brought the total raised for the gala to more than $1.6 million, surpassing the organizers funding goal and making the 25th event a banner year.
No doubt the success owes in large part to the celebration of maestro St.Clair’s 25 years with the symphony. The conductor was lauded throughout the evening with glowing tributes from close friends, fellow musicians and community personalities.
Video “love” came from the famous including Andre Watts, Yo Yo Ma and Philip Glass. Among the local distinguished who offered praise were major symphony advocate John Evans and symphony President John Forsyte, delivering an elegant (as always) address recounting St.Clair’s legendary career in the O.C.
The maestro responded with an emotional speech and heartfelt thanks for the support of the O.C. community. In a touch of class, St.Clair presented conducting batons to past symphony board chairs in attendance. A member of the Pacific Symphony youth orchestra Justin Koga joined his teacher, Lazlo Mezo, a cellist with PSO, on stage performing a movement from Barriere’s “Sonata X” for two cellos as the audience cheered for St.Clair and then listened attentively to the young talent before them.
Dinner service was a feast for the senses as well as the palate. A portion of the ballroom had been transformed to create the sensation of dining in an orange grove at night. Lighting designers executed a dim purple glow on a surrounding backdrop to give the feeling of a moonlit O.C. sky. This too was a nod to O.C. history, and in particular the intrinsic role in the early years of the Irvine Co. and the growing and exporting of oranges.
Spotted in the high-brow crowd were O.C. standouts Pat and Bill Podlich, Amy and Steve Littlefield, Diane and Rodney Sawyer, Joyce and Ron Hanson, Marcia and John Cashion, Valarie and Barry Hon and the philanthropic Zhao family. Also front and center for the symphony were Charlie Zhang, Valerie and Hans Imhof, David Tsvong, Betty Tu and the most generous John and Mary Tu.
Not only did John Tu provide his dance orchestra, JT & Friends, as he had done year after year, but he and Mary offered a $350,000 match for all contributions raised in the fund-a-dream segment of symphony support.
Gala co-Chair Freeman said, “This evening has had many amazing moments, but for me the highlight was listening to our orchestra perform a portion of the fourth movement of Beethoven’s ‘Ninth Symphony,’ including the inspirational ‘Ode to Joy’ as never before performed. It was breathtaking.”
As a dessert of chocolate banana dome with caramel coulis was served, John Tu and his musicians turned up the volume on the party, bringing the crowd to the dance floor with Tu’s own rendition of the Beach Boy’s “Surfin USA.”
Guests danced the night away in the orange grove, marking 25 incredible years of music in Orange County.
THE CROWD runs Fridays. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.
