‘Thanks’ Is Music to the Ears of Volunteers

They’ve accepted with pleasure, thank you.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic will inaugurate its 75th anniversary season Wednesday with an invitational concert for volunteers at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center.

“It’s a thank-you gift,” says gala chair Nancy Wayte.

Almost 1,850 Philharmonic volunteers were offered two tickets apiece for the concert featuring Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony conducted by Philharmonic music director Esa-Pekka Salonen. The original volunteer Women’s Committee of the Philharmonic, one of 18 Philharmonic Affiliates, has existed 70 years.

Of the crowd, more than 400 opted to pay $250 for the post-concert dinner and cabaret at the Inter-Continental Hotel on Bunker Hill.

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ON TOP: Los Angeles Master Chorale devotees were almost atop the world Sunday at Dennis A. Tito’s mountain mansion above Sunset in Pacific Palisades. They were heralding the chorale’s 30th season, opening Oct. 10, and the Venetian Fantasy Ball on Nov. 13. The ball, chaired by Elizabeth Hirsch, is a tribute to chorale founding members Anne and Harrison Price.

Top supporters of the reception included Joyce and Fred Hameetman. They clustered around Maestro Paul Salamunovich and Prego’s hors d’oeuvres, with chorale movers and shakers including Ted McAniff (chorale president), Helen Pashgian, Mark Foster and Donna Mariash.

Newlyweds Tim and Victoria Griffin invited a young crowd. Griffin and her co-chairwoman Jennifer Schultz (escorted by Stewart Reeves) head the chorale’s new Junior Society. More in the crowd: Pam and Shannon Clyne, Roberta and Carl Deutsch and Timi and Gordon Freshman, who held gift bags of Venice Biscotti as they waited for car valets.

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PRETTY PARTY: The ginkgoes and liquidambars were twinkling with lights at one of the prettiest parties this season--the Children’s Chain of Childrens Hospital black-tie dinner-dance headed by Nancy McCullough at Stewart and Patty Smith’s San Marino home.

Chain chairman Cuchi Clark, much too young to be recovering from recent coronary bypass surgery, was there on the arm of husband Alan. She even had a dance with her surgeon, Dr. Robert Kass.

Dining around candles and biscuit boxes filled with flowers was a young crowd--Ray McCullough, Kate and James Klawiter, Gary and Laurie Griff (who are moving to Portland), Terry and Valerie Holberton, Joan and Pierce Graves, Spike and Debby Booth, Lynda and Blaine Fetter, Melinda and Donn Conner and Ann and John Bookout.

Dancing or bidding in the lively auction: Tom and Christy Morris, Wendy and Mike Warren, Collette and Frank Schweitzer, Mindy and Bruce Byers, Natalie and Phil Davis, Jamie and Carolyn Bennett, Julie and Stephen Russell, Cheryl and Bob Baker and Lynn and Doug Brengel.

More: The chairman’s parents, Nancy and Dick Call, and her husband’s parents, Frank and Inga McCullough, were there.

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HIGHLIGHTS: June Ebensteiner delivered a little prayer as her toast at the Hospice of the Canyon dinner party Sunday evening at the Bistro Garden at Coldwater.

“Please, God, keep the hospice and all hospices unique in their love and caring for the terminally ill patient . . . and, also, God, keep the wolves away.”

Ebensteiner’s twin, Fran White-sides, was there making people see double. (The two were the Toni twins in 1949). Supporters watching the Saks Fifth Avenue show (which included a coyote fur)helped keep the wolves away. Among them: Jim and Doreen McElvany, Gene and Jackie Autry, Paul Ebensteiner, Jane and Herbert Boeckmann, Shel and Sandy Ausman and designer Maruscha.

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ESCALATION: Mayor Richard Riordan and his friend Nancy Daly joined Sheldon and Shelby Sloan at this year’s Beastly Ball for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Assn. Their table became foster parents to a penguin on a bid of $4,250. They also came up with a pledge of $6,250 for zoo scholarships. Sheila Allen, bidding $16,500 on a condor trip, was a major assist, helping chair Sue Keck boost the gross to $411,000 . . . .

Kelly Day, Joanna Carson and Mary Hart were all giggles at the fun reception they hosted at the Bistro Garden for chum Georgette Mosbacher and her new book, “Feminine Force.” The white-suited Mosbacher, red hair slicked smooth and red lips lined to perfection, had hugs for most. Prominent in the crowd: Don and Dorothy Koll from Newport Beach, Anne Jeffreys, Dody and Otis Booth, Kate Jackson, Brad Freeman escorting Allison Giannini (great-great-niece of A.P. Giannini--founder of Bank of America) and Rock and Marna Schnabel.

Rick and Fabienne Guerin later headed for the Elton John concert at the Beverly Wilshire, and Bob and Kelly Day were off to Monterey for the dedication of a dormitory at Robert Louis Stevenson School honoring his mother, the late Willametta Keck Day.

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KEEPING UP: Thalians honor Jimmy Stewart at a ball chaired by Dodo Gayle on Saturday at the Century Plaza . . . California historian Kevin Starr addresses Friends of Banning Park on Tuesday at the Jonathan Club . . . The Downtown Women’s Center has a 15th birthday party Sunday . . . The Pasadena Junior League hosted champagne for the opening of the new Port O’Call Pasadena with company President and CEO Jim Ellis and wife Gail welcoming Kit Shenk, league president . . . .

Bulgari of Beverly Hills hosts cocktails this evening at the Peninsula Hotel to introduce its new manager, Bonnie Kyle . . . Harriet and Bill Plunkett gave a dinner party in their garden . . . Don and Arletta Tronstein invited friends for “B-B-Q and Two Steppin’ ” . . . Barbara and Frank Jameson introduced artist Marjorie Elizabeth Pesek to friends Sunday afternoon . . . Sally Brant entertained for members of Los Amigos Del Pueblo . . . Jeanne and Bob DeKruif of San Marino hosted a fiesta for CARES, the child and family program at Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center.

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Two “great-great’s” crept into the description last week of Prince Michael of Kent. He is the grandson of King George V.