Mehta Is Honor-Bound for O.C.

Ask maestro Zubin Mehta how it feels to receive an award at a guest-packed gala and he says: “It depends. If they honor you as a decoration to raise money, that’s one thing.

“If they honor you sincerely for what you have done, that’s another. It’s a good feeling.”

The much-honored Mehta will receive the coveted Golden Baton Award from the Orange County Philharmonic Society on April 25 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach.

More and more, charities are using the award ceremony as a gala centerpiece. Some, such as the Philharmonic Society and United Way of Orange County, use the award strictly to honor a special individual. Others, like the Orange County chapter of the American Red Cross, use it as a fund-raising tool that attracts activists to the organization.

“It’s our way of honoring someone who has done something special for the arts,” says Erich Vollmer, executive director of the Philharmonic Society. Since the Golden Baton award was established in 1982, the society has honored arts activists such as Henry Segerstrom and Donald Bren. “We’ve never used it as a fund-raiser,” says Vollmer. “It’s also a way of thanking donors who give $1,500 or more annually. They’re our guests. Honoring people gives an event focus, makes an evening more interesting.”

Merritt Johnson, president of United Way of Orange County, says people who receive the organization’s Alexis de Toqueville Award must have founded a successful, local nonprofit agency. “We recognize a person’s gift of themselves, not their ability to give money,” Johnson says. “We’ve found that honoring someone gives an event heart, touches those inner gears we all need to have touched.”

Says Red Cross director George Chitty: “Our Spirit Award was developed as a way to raise money and thank people who have made a major impact on the community.

“We use it primarily as a fund-raiser, but it’s an award money can’t buy. One of our requirements is that our winners must not have ever received an award.

“We’ve found that people who may not attend fund-raisers will come because they want to show their appreciation for the wonderful person we are recognizing.”

Mehta will receive his award at the Golden Baton gala after his performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Segerstrom Hall.

“We chose to honor Mehta this year because it’s our 30th anniversary season of presenting the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Orange County,” Vollmer says.

“And there is no other major classic artist who has more of an identity with Orange County than Zubin Mehta. He was the first music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic to come to Orange County with the orchestra.

“He came here over a period of 16 years. Maybe it doesn’t occur to anybody unless they stop and think, but something was being developed here over those years. I think Mehta helped develop the consciousness that has led to the fruition of the performing arts in Orange County.”

Mehta led the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Segerstrom Hall when the Performing Arts Center opened in 1986. His performance on April 25 marks his third appearance in Segerstrom Hall.

“Orange County has always been a very music-loving, faithful group, “ Mehta says. “But sometimes it was painful to play in the school auditoriums there.

“The stimulus was so negative. There was no atmosphere . . . no backstage facilities. Orange County has come a long way. It will be good to be back.”

Before Mehta conducts the world premiere of Jacob Druckman’s “Seraphic Games”--a work commissioned for the Los Angeles Philharmonic by the Philharmonic Society and the Edward Halvajian Family Foundation--gala guests will gather at the Spa at the Center for a champagne reception. Susan Beechner is gala chairwoman. Gala tickets, which include the reception, concert and post-concert festivities at the Four Seasons hotel are $250 per person.