• 2024-11-21

The Crowd: Fall gala season decidedly underway in O.C.

<h4><a href="https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/opinion/story/2021-10-29/the-crowd-fall-gala-season-decidedly-underway-in-o-c" target="_blank">The Crowd: Fall gala season decidedly underway in O.C.</a></h4> <em>Daily Pilot</em> (10/29/21)<br /> <br /> The fall social season on the Orange Coast came alive with Pacific Symphony’s Opening Night Celebration, this year billed as “A Notable Gathering.” Chaired by the incomparable <strong>Judy Whitmore</strong>, a businesswoman, philanthropist and talented performer as well, the big event honored Segerstrom family members <strong>Sally Segerstrom, Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Susie</strong> and <strong>Steve Perry,</strong> and <strong>Rae</strong> and <strong>Ted Segerstrom</strong>. This long-standing dedication to the symphony is an homage to the influence of their late mother Jeanette Segerstrom, whose passion for classical music was installed in her children.<br /> <br /> Fittingly, opening night of the 2021-22 season sponsored by the Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation Classical Series, featured “Emanuel Ax plays Mozart.” Some 200 patrons raised $300,000 to benefit the symphony’s artistic, education, and community engagement programs. Welcoming the dedicated assemblage were symphony president and chief executive <strong>John Forsyte</strong>, joining Music Director <strong>Carl St. Clair</strong> in praising the crowd for decades of support.<br /> <br /> In particular, Forsyte lauded the Segerstrom Family Foundation. “Tonight, we celebrate the 21st anniversary of the naming of the Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation Classical Series. Their magnificent investment ensures this series features world class artists like Emanuel Ax, large orchestral works like Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony and to commission new music such as that from an important American composer, Wayne Oquin.”<br /> <br /> Also honored on opening night was special guest<strong> Simon Woods</strong>, president and CEO of the League of American Orchestras. The evening chair Judy Whitmore attending with husband <strong>Wes Whitmore</strong>, expressed the shared mood of the symphony crowd best, “Tonight’s theme for the evening, ‘A Notable Gathering,’ honors not only the Symphony’s return to the concert hall, but also our resilience during the pandemic. We acknowledge, with gratitude, our remarkable Pacific Symphony family that made it possible.”<br /> &nbsp;