Symphonix Spring Newsletter 2010: Explore Expand Exchange

EXPLORE… the music

The Black and White Ball ® - The Party of the Year!

Join Symphonix at The Black & White Ball Bash Beyond the Ball

On Saturday, May 22, The Black & White Ball returns featuring performances by Tony Bennett and k.d. lang in concert at Davies Symphony Hall. Spanning three historic War Memorial Buildings, two custom-designed tents, six stages, and twelve bands – including Kool & The Gang – this is a party you won't want to miss.

Start your evening at 6:30 p.m. with Symphonix at the War Memorial Opera House for a sparkling wine arrival reception (Platinum and Premium Bash Beyond the Ball ticketholders only), then continue on to Davies Symphony Hall for VIP seating at the Tony Bennett and k.d. lang headline concert at 8 p.m. (all Bash Beyond the Ball ticketholders have access to the headline performance).

At the close of the headline concert, Bash guests will proceed to the Green Room of the Veteran's Building for a chic dinner and after party, complete with a private DJ, bars, and a bird's-eye view of the festivities on Van Ness Avenue and the Midnight Surprise.  Guests will also enjoy premier local bands across six venues throughout the War Memorial Performing Arts Complex, including:

Kool & The Gang
Tiempo Libre
Faith Evans
Jimmy Dorsey
Moonalice
Royal Crown Revue
Candela
Papa Doo Run Run
Foreverland
Zepparella
Wonderbread 5 

While listening to great music, dining on the Bay Area's best food and cocktails, and dancing on Van Ness Avenue, you will also be supporting the 23,000 San Francisco school children who benefit from the San Francisco Symphony's nationally recognized education program Adventures in Music (AIM).  AIM provides music education to every student in grades 1 through 5 in the San Francisco Unified School District, free of charge. 

Order your tickets here. You may also call (415) 503-5500 or visit sfsymphony.org/bwball for additional information or to purchase tickets.

 

Chairman Patricia Sprincin
Bash Beyond the Ball Chairmen Gwyneth J. Borden & Bob Perun
Bash Beyond the Ball Committee
Kimberly Ayres
Xavier Berrera
John Bickford
Marina Costabile
Christina Deeb
Michael Downing
Roberta Economidis
Lisa Edwards & Samuel Leichman
Ralf Floerke
Carrie & John Goodman
Eric A. Graber
Kelly Ann Grimes & Barry Shotts
Ali Grosslight
Hala Hijazi
Kathryn Pellegrini Inglin & Damian Inglin
Manjula Jeyapalan & Patrick Noone
Bill Lenihan & Nicole Ancelovici-Lenihan
Ye-Hui Lu
Carol Morganstern
Erik Noland
Bahya Oumlil-Murad
Elizabeth & Stephen Revetria
Lionel Shaw
Phillip Spiegel
Paige Sprincin
Adam Steinhorn
Kirsten Strobel
Kevin D. Whittaker 

 

DAVIES AFTER HOURS

The San Francisco Symphony presents Davies After Hours: part performance, part soiree, this one-of-a-kind series offers Symphonix members the opportunity to explore genres of popular music that reflect on the evening's classical program in a sophisticated, club-like atmosphere. 

The first two Davies After Hours events this season were sold-out successes! Symphonix members gathered at Davies Symphony Hall on January 15 to hear George Benjamin conduct the San Francisco Symphony, and on April 2 Vasily Petrenko conducted Grieg and Shostakovich.  During both concerts, intermission in the Green Room included hosted cocktails by Boomerang Vodka. 

Following the second half of each concert performance, Symphonix members and their guests headed to a VIP area in the Davies Symphony Hall 2nd Tier.  Suspended above the gorgeous San Francisco skyline, Symphonix members sipped sparkling wine and enjoyed the post-performance. 

There is only one Davies After Hours concert left this season!  Davies After Hours is complimentary to Symphony ticketholders - and Symphonix members are eligible to purchase tickets at 25% off the full ticket price for the Davies After Hours concert dates:

Friday, June 11: Beethoven's Violin Concerto, followed by Amy X Neuburg and the Cello ChiXtet

Beethoven's Violin Concerto proves there's never too much of a good thing. Berg's riveting suite from his unfinished opera Lulu will have you at the edge of your seat.

Then, head upstairs to experience Amy X Neuburg combining witty and provocative lyrics with the sounds of the Cello ChiXtet to explore connections between classical, experimental, and popular music, and create what they describe as “avant-cabaret.”  The perfect artistic response to the evening's classical music concert.

To purchase tickets for the Davies After Hours concert, click here to purchase online, or order at the Box Office by calling (415) 864-6000 and use the promotion code SYMPHX50 to take advantage of exclusive Symphonix pricing. Symphonix has reserved limited Upper Orchestra seating available for each of the Davies After Hours concert dates.

EXCLUSIVE RATES ON SELECT 2010 CONCERTS

The San Francisco Symphony is thrilled to offer Symphonix members a 25% discount on tickets to the following concert:

May 7: Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2

Brahms worried about comparisons with Beethoven, the great master, but let his music speak for itself. Hear David Fray play Beethoven's graceful Piano Concerto No. 2, and then hear how far Brahms had come from Beethoven in his own “pastoral” symphony.  Prior to the performance, the conductor will briefly share unique perspectives on the composer, the work, and its place in musical history.

For more information, visit http://www.sfsymphony.org/season/Event.aspx?eventid=35902

To take advantage of this exclusive pricing, enter promotion code volunteer25 when you purchase tickets online, or by calling (415) 864-6000. Contact membership@sfsymphonix.org chairs for details.

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EXPAND… your involvement

ORCHESTRATING YOUR COMMUNITY: CONCERTS FOR KIDS

Symphonix is thrilled to have sponsored 150 children from Horace Mann Middle School and DeMarillac Academy to attend the Concert for Kids series on April 16th at Davies Symphony Hall.  Trained Symphonix volunteers taught a brief class to each sixth, seventh, and eighth grader about the special musical program they experienced, including how the symphony is organized, the various instruments, and good listening skills. Special thanks to the following members who volunteered: Joe Levoroni, Lisa Ligon, Kristen Harper, Krista Mitzel Hankinson, Carol Morgenstern, Bob Perun, Cameron Phleger, Valerie Bantner, Danian Peo, Kathryn Pellegrini Inglin, Dominic Chan, Michelle Curtis, and Kimberly Ayres.

Additional volunteers chaperoned the children to the April 16 concert itself.  Entitled, "Music of San Francisco, Music of the World,” the concert was fun for kids and grown-ups alike, featuring works by Handel, Mendelssohn, de Falla, and Offenbach's classic Can-Can.  Youth Orchestra conductor Donato Cabrera spoke briefly about each piece prior to its performance.

Special thanks to Symphonix members Lisa Ligon, Joe Leveroni, and Dominic Chan for making this special concert a reality for these lucky San Francisco school children.

Symphonix extends its warmest thanks to top labor and employment law firm Jackson Lewis, for helping to bring 150 San Francisco middle school children to the Symphony through its sponsorship of Symphonix, and the Symphony's Concerts For Kids program. Jackson Lewis associates Douglas Bria, Cortney McDevitt, Carol Morganstern, and Carmen Ruda* generously gave their time by chaperoning students from their school to the April 16th Concert at Davies Symphony Hall.

*awaiting bar results

 

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION

The Board of Directors would like to express its gratitude and highest appreciation to the following volunteers who assisted at Symphonix events between December 15, 2009, and March 30, 2010:

• Jay Cellini
  
• Aasim Khan
  
• Nicholas Leone
  
• Ashli Meske
  
• Wendi Palmer
  
• Danielle Paquette
  
• Richard Warren

If you are interested in volunteering at future events, contact volunteer@sfsymphonix.org.

IN-KIND DONATIONS

We would like to thank our standout 2010 spring season sponsors who have donated their time, services, products, and space to support our efforts to fund music programs for children in San Francisco schools.

Donations of any kind are tax deductible and a great way to give back to the community.  If you are interested making an in-kind donation, please contact Maggie Hazelrig at donations@sfsymphonix.org.

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Join us in supporting the San Francisco Symphony and its programs that bring music education to 75,000 Bay Area children each year by becoming a corporate sponsor of Symphonix. 

Symphonix provides you and your company access to San Francisco's professional and social trendsetters who are dedicated to bringing the magic, and music, of the Symphony to Bay Area audiences, schoolchildren, and communities.  We accomplish this through selling annual memberships, offering discounted concert tickets, providing hands-on volunteer opportunities, and hosting seasonal cocktail parties and signature events including The Black and White Ball and Opening Night Gala. 

For more information, please contact Bob Perun or Jason Royce at sponsorships@sfsymphonix.org.

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EXCHANGE… with new and old friends

Symphonix kicked off the 2009-2010 season in style!  A warm thank you to those members who joined us at the following events:

SYMPHONIX WINTER MEMBERSHIP PARTY: POSTRIO

Marking its first official membership party of the 2010 year, nearly 400 Symphonix members converged upon the new event space at Postrio on February 25.  In what is becoming a Symphonix tradition, the venue was sold out!  Members and guests mingled throughout the chic, art-centered space that boasts works by Gustavo Rivera, Terry Winters, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, Dale Chihuly, and others.

Attendees experienced the living art of the cuisine in addition to the modern art on the walls. Guests enjoyed Postrio's signature wood-fired pizzas and imbibed complimentary Gallo wines, champagne, and Haamonii Sochu. Special Event Chairs, Ye-Hui Lu and Zen St. Clair ensured guests grooved to the beats of DJ Zach Lonas as they socialized throughout Postrio's unique "trio" of levels: bar, mezzanine, and main dining room.

Guests in attendance included: Symphonix President Kathryn Pellegrini Inglin, and Symphonix board members: Valerie Bantner, Dominic Chan, Gia Colosi, Michelle Curtis, Elizabeth Grillos, Kelly Grimes, Kristen Harper, Maggie Hazelrig, Joe Leveroni, Lisa Ligon, Ye Hui Lu, Carol Morganstern, Cameron Phleger Bob Perun, Jason Royce, Zen St. Clair, Victoria Terheyden, and Scott Weiss. Also spotted at the party were Roberta Economidis, Carla Zuber, Elizabeth Folger, Chris and Mary Corcoran, Katerina Bohannon, Philip Spiegel, Marie Trimble, Capt. Kevin Lee, Adam Loges, Justin Fichelstein, Caroline Richards, Amy Lesnick, and Christiana Pelz. And last but never least, favorite guests included: Eliott Butler (Ye-Hui's better half), Damian Inglin (Kathryn's husband), and Barry Shotts (Kelly's fiancé)- since their support (and often heavy lifting) help make every event more spectacular!

PARTY FOR A CAUSE

Due the success of earlier membership events, Symphonix was able to underwrite concert tickets for more than 150 San Francisco middle school children from Horace Mann and De Merillac schools this spring.  Trained Symphonix volunteers taught a lesson about the concert program in advance, and chaperoned the students to the April 16 concert. 

Symphonix is proud to be part of the San Francisco Symphony's Concerts for Kids program bringing music education to more than 75,000 Bay Area children.

SYMPHONIX MEMBERSHIP

Don't forget to renew your Symphonix Membership! 

Symphonix memberships are good for one calendar year from the day you join.  Renew or join today to start taking advantage of the membership benefits.  Fill out our membership form here or get in touch with our membership chairs at membership@sfsymphonix.org.