Chorale Assn. Schedules Scottish Salute

Scottish tartan ties or full highland dress will be appropriate. So will dinner jackets when the Los Angeles Master Chorale Assn. stages its “A Calling of the Pipes” gala Saturday introducing John Currie from Edinburgh, Scotland, the music director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, in the Crystal Ballroom of the Biltmore.

It’s a Scottish salute for the man who’s making a hit in Los Angeles. Andre Previn is honorary chairman. Robinson’s Maureen Wright is co-chairman and Anna Mae Kass, co-chairman. Robert Willoughby Jones, Chorale executive director, and Marshall A. Rutter, chairman of the Chorale board of directors, are also involved at the top level. The evening begins with cocktails and a silent auction, then dinner and the Scottish Salute to Currie and dancing.

On the honorary committee are the Sheldon I. Ausmans, the Eaton W. Ballards, the Walter Berans, the Joseph Coulombes, Robert J. Feder, the Harry Wetzels, the Thomas Wachtells, the Richard R. Von Hagens, Ginny Mancini, Gerald R. Parsky, Peter Hemmings, Dorothy Kirsten French, Dan and Camilla Frost, the Richard Ferrys, the William Kieschnicks, the Meyer Luskins, David Ingalls, the Sidney Petersons, the Allen Questroms, the Robert Rifkinds, Howard Swan, Curtis Tamkin, and the ubiquitous Blanche Seaver.

The Master Chorale was launched in 1964 under the direction of the late Z. Wayne Griffin and Robert Wagner, who retired last season as music director laureate. Currie, internationally known for the Scottish National Orchestra Chorus and the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, is the successor. The Chorale’s own 23rd concert season at the Pavilion of the Music Center begins in November. The Chorale also serves as resident chorus for the new Music Center Opera.

Gordon Davidson directs “Ghetto” by Joshua Sobol when it opens Oct. 30 as part of the Mark Taper Forum’s 20th anniversary celebration.

Evelyn Golden wanted to do something a little different this year. So she and the Women’s Committee of the Palm Springs Desert Museum are bringing a little piece of New Orleans to Palm Springs on Nov. 16. “New Orlean’s Jazz and Jambalaya” will feature the renowned Preservation Hall Jazz Band for an exclusive engagement and a benefit concert and dinner. Naturally, Cajun and Creole cooking. Leslie Beghart is assistant co-chairman. The concert will be held in the Annenberg Theater. They’re expecting 450.

Paper butterflies on copper wires twitter from the invitations that free-spirits Larry and Maj Hagman have sent for their luncheon today “to meet our friend Barton.” The fete at their Malibu Colony Drive home honors Barton Lidice Benes, in town three weeks to open his show at the Feingarten Gallery, Oct. 28. Gail Feingarten and her escort, judge Matt Byrne, will be there, and so will a lot of other free spirits--Joan and Jack Quinn, Judge William and Merri Norris, Ivan Goff, Andy Williams, Stanley and Lynn Beyer (who also have a Malibu place), and Bob Mackie. In the past, Barton has been known to shred currency and encrust it in cement for his sculptures, collages and wall-pieces.

A side benefit of raising money is giving it away. ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation Inc. (Los Angeles Founder Chapter) has some fun planned for Nov. 17 in the Grand Hall of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center. Members will bestow most of the $310,000 they raised last year (through the founder group and the ARCS Auxiliary) for science scholarships upon 100 outstanding college scientists representing 11 Southland colleges and universities.

Founder chapter president Mrs. James E. Goerz and ARCS Auxiliary president Mrs. Thomas F. Grojean will present framed certificates to the students, and college officials will accept the scholarship monies for distribution to Caltech’s Marvin Goldberger, Harvey Mudd’s D. Kenneth Baker, Northrop’s B. J. Shell, Occidental’s Richard C. Gilman, Pepperdine’s David Davenport, Pomona’s David Alexander, Scripps Institution of Oceangraphy’s Edward A. Frieman, UCLA Brain Research Institute’s Carmine D. Clementel, and USC’s Leonard M. Silverman, Donald Keach and Robert E. Tranquada.

Mrs. Ralph Ruud is luncheon chairman. Also on the committee are Mrs. Thomas M. Malouf, Mrs. Donald E. Dickerson, Mrs. William J. Rea, Mrs. Woodrow W. Meier, Mrs. Sharon Black, Mrs. Edward H. Farmer, Mrs. Charles Mair, Mrs. Donald Tronstein, Mrs. Mike Hollander, Mrs. Charles T. Kierulff and Mrs. William D. Schulte.

Since its founding in 1958, ARCS founder chapter has raised more than $3 million for scholarships.

SAVE THE DATE: Whitney Houston will entertain for the American Cancer Society seventh annual Gala Tribute Dinner on Dec. 8 at the Century Plaza. Clive Davis, president of Arista Records Inc., will be honored.

The American Irish Foundation presents its Premiere Heritage Award to Carroll O’Connor Nov. 6 in the Beverly Hilton International Ballroom at its third annual dinner dance. Actress Constance Towers Gavin, wife of Ambassador John Gavin, is chairman. Jimmy Murphy and Grafton Tanquary are joining her as co-chairmen. Already, Gene Kelly, Ed McMahon and Gregory Peck have agreed to be honorary co-chairmen.

President John F. Kennedy and President Eamon de Valera of Ireland co-founded the organization. It supports social, cultural and educational needs in Ireland and the United States. The Southern California contingent in the last three years has contributed to the creation of a chair of American Studies at University College (Dublin), helped restore historic Marsh’s Library in Dublin, and supported construction of a new home for the Irish Ballet in Cork and a new club building for the Saints Youth Club in Twinbrook. It’s also provided resources to publish the “Irish Cultural Directory of Southern California.”

Lots of Irish supporters on the dinner committee: John Bowles, the Donley Bradys, Gerald F. Corrigan, John Cosgrove, Joseph C. Dunn, Richard G. Finnegan, Stafford R. Grady, Stephen C. Markham, Emmett C. McGaughey, the Michael McGinns, Michael Wayne, Edward F. Slattery, Jeraldine Glynn Saunders, Dr. Cornelius Pings, Mrs. Fred Nason and Dr. Franklin D. Murphy, the 1984 award recipient.

BASH: Sydney Pollack, Mark Rydell and Martin Landau, executive directors of the West Coast branch of the Actors Studio, and co-chairmen of the First Annual Benefit Bash, say their super-duper-do is Nov. 7 at Le Bouvier’s Saloon. It happens to coincide with the official opening of the Beverly Hills saloon.

Partner-chef Daniel Durand will supervise the gourmet dinner. He’s the Frenchman who was the chef for Annabel’s in San Francisco and is consultant chef for the Royal Viking Cruise Lines and is now a partner with JoAnne Meredith Le Bouvier and Rich Le Bouvier. Piper Heidsieck champagne and Mirassou Winery wines, courtesy Jordan Winery, will flow for the $150 per person benefit.

Burgess Meredith, Barbara Bain, Karl Malden, Walter Matthau, Tony Franciosa, Jane Fonda, Rod Steiger, Paul Winfield, Jon Voight and Darren McGavin have all promised support. Meredith will emcee.

Actors Studio West is the theater workshop devoted to the development of professional actors, directors and playwrights. It’s the West Coast branch of the famed Actors Studio in New York City.

PLAUDITS: To Sallie Tiernan Reynolds, recipient of the Ellen Browning Scripps Associates Award, the highest honor Scripps College gives for voluntary services (she’s a partner in the law firm of Gunderson, Reynolds and Gunderson of Laguna Hills). She’s served on the boards of Marlborough School Parent’s Assn., the Art Museum Council and was president of Las Madrinas. Coretta Scott King was the guest speaker . . . to Charles (Buddy) Rogers who will receive a Distinguished Achievement Award at Art Center College of Design at 8 p.m. Friday . . . to Steven Spielberg, who gets the Scopus Award from the American Friends of the Hebrew University at the 17th annual Scopus Award gala Dec. 14 at the Century Plaza. Richard Dreyfuss will be presiding chairman.

SIGNIFICANTS: For the first time in 52 years, the Racquet Club of Palm Springs, opened on Christmas Day in 1933 by actors Charles Farrell and Ralph Bellamy, is going public with its restaurant and lounge. Currently Hotel del Coronado owner M. Larry Lawrence owns the club. He’s renovating it with the original Farrell look--white lattice, green grass everywhere, low-rise bungalows, keeping the bamboo bar, where Gable and Lombard sipped cocktails during their honeymoon.

Nostalgically, the club is hosting a “52 Skiddoo” party to celebrate the 52nd season premiere. It’s Friday evening, with tickets ($25) required. Members in the legendary club today receive discounted guest room accommodations, priority in the dining room and “members only” privileges, but now the public can dine and dance.

THE AGENDA: The Art Museum Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Clarkson Potter Publishers of New York are teaming together for “California Cooking,” a benefit touting the book and its ideas for parties, picnics and celebrations. It’s Thursday evening in the Ahmanson Gallery Atrium of the museum. Somerset Caterers will borrow from the cookbook for cuisine. Tickets are $60. . . .

DOLLS Inc. (Dedicating Our Loyal Loving Service) plans a “Fiesta Mexicana” with recepcion y mercado (reception and market), almuerzo (luncheon), la ultima moda (fashions), premios (prizes) and fiesta (entertainment). It’s Wednesday in the Crystal Room of the Beverly Hills Hotel. Mrs. Harry Schulman is chairman; Mrs. Stanley Spero is president. . . .

Mrs. Dan Chandler presides when the Auxiliary of the Hospital of the Good Samaritan holds its fall luncheon Monday with Dr. Ralph C. Jung speaking on respiratory health.