The Crowd: Philharmonic Society’s gala at Newport Beach Country Club a first-class affair
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What a night! Broadway came to Orange County at the invitation of the Philharmonic Society for dinner, fundraising and a little night music in the handsome Pacific view ballroom of Newport Beach Country Club.
Headliner Audra McDonald, six-time Tony Award winner, joining pianist and music director-conductor Andy Einhorn for an intimate post-dinner performance transported the O.C. crowd right back to the Big Apple as if it were an evening at Café Carlyle.
Philharmonic Society Gala co-chairs Deirdre Smith and Marlene Nielsen billed the elegant party “Illuminating Dreams Through Music.” They succeeded. The April 24 formal gathering of dedicated local support for music education in Orange County schools raised funds for its “Strike Up the Band” grant program. Since 2013, the fund has supported 88 schools to the tune of more than $733,500, which has made possible the purchase of new instruments and music materials for the students.
Additionally, the gala supports the Society’s wide range of youth music education programs that offer performance opportunities for students from elementary school through high school.
Standing tall with financial and emotional investment in the cause were gala committee members Kay Burns, Lauren and Cor Claus, Margaret Gates, Elizabeth Henry and Bruce Ibbertson, Kari Kerr, and Elaine and Carl Neuss. Also front and center with support, Marcia Kay and Ronald Radelet, Karen and Philip Ridout, Gail and Robert Sebring, Ruth and David Seigle, Linda Silverman and Ercil Brown.
Since 1956, the Philharmonic Society’s youth music education programs have provided opportunities for some 6.7 million students across 28 districts, 418 O.C. schools, many of which are Title I schools. Without this support many youth would not have access to music education.
Spotted in the dinner crowd were generous donors Marie-France Lefebvre, Sharon McNally, Carolyn and Bill Klein, Valerie and Hans Imhof, Mirella Reznick, Tehmina Jesrai, and Elizabeth and Bart Asner, congratulating Philharmonic Society President and Artistic Director Tommy Phillips.
A lively cocktail reception on the terrace of Newport Beach Country Club overlooking the golf course and evening lights from the towers of Fashion Island was followed by a multi-course formal dinner featuring a duet of pan seared filet mignon and roasted Chilean sea bass. A “mini” dessert assortment had the crowd sharing and table-hopping before Miss McDonald capped the evening with her splendid performance. The red berry opera cake was a winner and certainly assisted the auctioneer in encouraging even larger bids to enable the purchase of more instruments for youth in O.C. schools.
Congratulations to co-chairs Deirdre Smith and Marlene Nielsen producing one of the first class social-charitable evenings on the Orange Coast.
