Patrons Meet Musicians at Post-Concert Dinner : The Scene

Black-tie dinner at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Tuesday following the Pacific Symphony’s opening-night concert. “Here they come,” said a waitress wielding glasses of bubbly as the first clutch of patrons hit the lobby shortly after 10 p.m. There they were, in black and white and sequins all over. Grouped outside the ballroom doors for half an hour (while staff broke down a lecture setup and wheeled in white-clothed dinner tables--CPAs out, VIPs in), the 250 guests chatted it up with orchestra members and posed for souvenir photographs.

The Buzz

Talk like a musician. The party was a chance for donors to elbow-rub, brain-pick and otherwise enjoy the company of the players, including guest conductor Lawrence Foster, music director of the Monte Carlo Philharmonic. As Judi Larson put it, “I’ve been looking at these people through binoculars for 10 years--it’s fun to finally see them up close.” Just the kind of fun the symphony is cashing in on: This season marks the beginning of an “Orchestra Member Sponsorship Program,” which means that for fees ranging from $2,500 to $10,000, big-time patrons can bond themselves to a player (and get invited to parties like the one on Tuesday night). So far, 31 corporate and private sponsors have signed up, including Christa and Gerry Long, who chose violinist Norman Hughes. Posed together for a picture--the first time they had met--Christa joked that Hughes would be required to provide all kinds of services now. “Did you know we like to be serenaded in the morning?” she chirped. Edward Beckerly plunked down $5,000 for sponsorship rights to harpist Mindy Ball because, he said, “it gives (me) a more personal identification with the orchestra.”

Dress Mode

A tux for him, a fancy dress (no gowns) for her. As always, black was big: black velvet, black satin, black etc. And sequins, as always. (Has there ever been a sequin-less county do?) In what may be the first recorded case of sequin gridlock, Christa Long and Joyce Cathcart crunched shoulders and stuck together (giggling) as they inched through the swarm at the check-in desk.

Who Was There

Louis Spisto, symphony executive director. board chairwoman Marcy Mulville, who with husband Maurice popped for the top-ticket sponsorship ($10,000 for concertmaster Endre Granat). Dennis Fratt and guest Debra Schulze. Fratt, who owns a dental HMO based in Newport Beach, sponsored first violinist Armen Garabedian. New board member Warren Bauer, and his wife, Linda. Rudy and Linda Montejano. Jeffrey and Janice Slavin. George and Anne Shopick.

The Food

Dinner of chicken, rice and vegetables, served as symphony board president Randy Johnson thanked the assembled somebodies and introduced a few of the orchestra sponsors, who were seated with their sponsorees.

Overheard

“Roof! Roof! Roof! Roof!” Viola player Rick Gerding and bassist Steve Edelman (a la Arsenio Hall’s studio fans) chanted at Johnson’s mention of viola sponsoree Bob Becker.