Pioneer Angrily Leaves Laguna Chamber Society

Frieda Belinfante, a pioneering member of Orange County’s music community, has resigned as board member emeritus of the Laguna Beach Chamber Music Society. In a sharply worded letter of resignation, Belinfante charges that the organization spends too much money on administrative salaries and that its recent affiliation with the Orange County Philharmonic Society threatens the Laguna group’s future as a separate entity.

“It is my opinion that this is just the first step towards ‘melding’ our society with the Orange County Philharmonic Society and (that) the end result will be the demise of the Laguna Chamber Music Society,” said Belinfante, a conductor who created a professional orchestra in 1954 that evolved into the Philharmonic Society.

Her March 22 letter, a copy of which was sent to The Times, was addressed to Laguna board president Ray Hendrickson, who said Thursday that he had not received the letter but staunchly denied Belinfante’s charges.

Orange County Philharmonic Society Executive Director Erich A. Vollmer declined comment Thursday.

The two music organizations, which will jointly present six chamber concerts at the Irvine Barclay Theatre this fall and split costs evenly, announced the first-time cooperative venture in February. It has been described by officials of both societies as strictly a temporary measure to help the Chamber Music Society’s programs continue while its home--the Laguna Beach High School auditorium--is renovated in the fall.

Belinfante, a Laguna resident and longtime Chamber Music Society board member, argues that the decision to work with the Philharmonic Society next season was made by the Chamber Society’s executive committee without a vote by the full board or consultation with its members and supporters.

In addition, Belinfante charged that grants earmarked for the society’s school programs were lumped in with the group’s general fund and, under the direction of Hendrickson and the executive committee but without full board approval, have been used to increase salaries of its staff. These salaries now represent 41% of the society’s total budget, she said, exceeding the amount budgeted for paying artists.

“No vote was allowed to take place on bringing these excesses into line,” wrote Belinfante, 86, who added Thursday in a phone interview that five other board members recently resigned over similar concerns.

Hendrickson, however, said that the decision to team up with the Philharmonic Society was voted on by the full board after lengthy discussions that included benefactors and members. The notion of a permanent merger is “silly and preposterous,” he said.

He also denied that any funds have been improperly spent. He said that the Chamber Music Society, which was formed in 1959, had recently raised the salary of its executive director and public relations officer. “But this again was voted on by the board, so there’s nothing that’s been done without the full board approval.”

Hendrickson confirmed that other board members have resigned recently, saying only that he believes some of the resignations stemmed from disagreements about the society’s artistic and administrative direction. Some board members who resigned, he said, “want to keep the society small and unresponsive to the need to involve more young people and (communities) beyond Laguna Beach.”

Chamber Music Society treasurer Curt Blankenbiller, said administrative salaries make up less than 35% of the society’s budget. Artists’ fees make up another 45%, he said. The balance goes to direct costs and overhead of producing concerts, he said.

Hendrickson said he is saddened by Belinfante’s resignation. “She’s a very wonderful person and was a music teacher of mine,” he said.

Belinfante, who said she will be moving to Santa Fe, N.M., in May, was made board member emeritus--but retained her voting power--because of her pending move and “to allow her more freedom” on whether to attend meetings, Hendrickson said.