Social Circuit
A look at the social events, galas, functions and fund-raisers in the area.
Catch a rising star!
Aspiring pop singers seek fame and fortune on American Idol. Aspiring classical musicians hope to be discovered by Astral Artistic Services, a Center City nonprofit that helps gifted young musicians from all over the country launch their careers.
Talk about auditions. On Friday night, four members of Astral's roster - violinist Jennifer Curtis, pianist Spencer Myer, saxophonist Doug O'Connor and soprano Disella Larusdottir - had stars in their eyes when they performed in front of Philadelphia Orchestra president and chief executive officer James Undercofler, the honoree at Astral's annual benefit at the Sheraton Society Hill. Astral, which showcases its musicians in schools, private homes and in a concert series with the Haddonfield Symphony, raised $34,000.
Musical heritage
For Philadelphia Youth Orchestra concertmaster Francesca dePasquale, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Her papa, William, is the former co-concertmaster for the Philadelphia Orchestra and her mother, Gloria, is a cellist with the orchestra. On Friday night, they were popping with pride at the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra's annual black-tie gala and concert at the Union League. Among the 150 guests enjoying the silent art auction of 200 paintings by alums from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and a jewelry display by Craig Drake were Jayne and Walter Garrison, Jim and Frannie Maguire, and Youth Orchestra music director Louis Scaglione. The event, co-chaired by Dr. Trude Haecker and Dr. Joni Antar, raised more than $70,000 - an increase of $10,000 from last year.
Stepping out
Dancers from the Pennsylvania Ballet were on their toes Saturday night when they performed before a sellout crowd of 1,700 at the Forrest Theatre for the one-night-only 15th anniversary performance of Shut Up & Dance to benefit MANNA. The evening raised a record $121,000 in ticket sales and merchandise to help MANNA provide 40,000 meals each month for people with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. What gives the show its following and its heart is that each year, the dancers donate their time to produce and choreograph the program. Also contributing their time were makeup artists from M.A.C. Cosmetics, which recently gave $50,000 to MANNA though its M.A.C. AIDS Fund.
Lest we forget
Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in New York, has just produced his sixth documentary on events surrounding the Holocaust - I Have Never Forgotten You: The Life and Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal. Before the film's Philadelphia premiere at the Prince Music Theater on March 19, Brian Roberts, chairman of Comcast, and his wife, Aileen; Ed Snider, chairman of Comcast-Spectacor, and his wife, Christine; and Rabbi Hier hosted a reception for 300 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The film, to be shown at the Tribeca Film Festival (April 25-May 6), is narrated by Nicole Kidman and directed by Richard Trank, who was co-producer with Hier on the 1997 Oscar-winning documentary Long Way Home. I Have Never Forgotten You will be released this summer in select theaters across the country and be available on DVD by June.
Raising the dough
Eight Chester County pastry chefs went toque-to-toque for top awards at the Chester County Community Foundation's annual fund-raiser, Sweet Charity, Wednesday night at Waterloo Gardens in Exton. More than 360 guests sampled the treats, crowning Sweet Jazmine's Pastry Shop of Berwyn as the most popular. Brickside Grille of Exton won the Professional Vote and Dilworthtown Inn of West Chester won the Most Creative Award for a concoction of chocolate soup, cinnamon marshmallows and a caramelized banana sandwich. The nonprofit foundation, which manages 250 endowed family funds with assets of $25 million in trust, helps families establish a long-term giving plan that will benefit the community. The evening raised $70,000 to support the foundation's Youth Philanthropic Club at the Great Valley High School in Malvern.