When the chance to conduct the National Repertory Orchestra for one song is put up for bid at the NRO’s annual Summer Gala, it’s not just a moneymaking venture. It’s instructional, too.
“I learn new moves every year,” maestro Carl Topilow declared with a semi-straight face after witnessing former First Data chief executive Charlie Fote, jeweler Ralph Klomp and Andy Fitzgerald, the son-in-law of NRO board president Kate Taucher, take turns with the baton.
Fote showed plenty of flourishes as he led the 88-member NRO in the William Tell Overture; Klomp, the owner of Trice Jewelers, threw in a moonwalk as he guided the musicians through Darth Vader’s Theme from “Star Wars” and Fitzgerald ended the Toreador Song from “Carmen” with a double thumbs-up.
Will Topilow, who is in his 34th season as the NRO’s music director and principal conductor, incorporate any of them during the 2011 summer concerts at Riverwalk Center in Breckenridge? Attend one (or more) and find out.
Eight hundred apply for a seat in the NRO in auditions conducted nationwide; 88 are selected for the intensive summer instruction and performance season. “What we do is prepare young musicians, who are already good, to be great musicians and great citizens of music,” said Douglas Adams, the NRO’s new executive director.
The gala, held this year at the Grand Hyatt Denver, was chaired by Laurie Barr and Kathy Terry and grossed $125,000.
Fote and his wife, Kay Lynne, and Klomp and his wife, Anne, were guests of former Breckenridge Mayor Ernie Blake and his wife, Sharon Magness Blake.Scott MacMorran, a tuba player who was in the NRO during its 1974 season, bought a ticket for the gala after visiting the NRO website and discovering that it was being held the same weekend that he’d be visiting Denver to attend his son’s Celtic-rock-band gig.
Others enjoying the dinner-dance were Bill and Yvonne McCallum; Dick and Jeanne Saunders; Mike Altenberg and Libby Bortz; Barbara and James Calvin; Bob and Kalleen Malone; Navin and Rita Dimond; Barney and Nancy Schotters; and Scott O’Neil, resident conductor of the Colorado Symphony.
This and that
After 13 years as director of public relations, Greta Walker is leaving Denver Rescue Mission to become senior director of strategic relationships for United Way. . . . For the past 20 years, 11 of them at Families First, parent support line specialist Sarah Hite has decided it’s time to retire. She’ll stay on the job till her replacement is trained, but by the time summer ends, she plans to be spending her days enjoying family, friends and travel. . . . Five Star Entertainment chief Terri Fisher and her husband, Al, celebrated their birthdays (he’s 60, and she’s 55) with a big bash at The Ranch Country Club in Westminster and asked everyone who came to leave $10 in a jar by the door. When the evening ended, they’d collected $3,200 for two of their favorite causes: the Kempe Foundation and Denver Hospice. . . . Lawrence French, the owner of Lifestyles Catering, did much the same when he tossed a surprise birthday party for partner Gregory Sargowicki last week. The money collected at that party goes to Excelsior Youth Center and One Colorado.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, and GetItWrite on Twitter
Polo weekend begins with black-tie gala
Polo matches tend to draw a well-dressed crowd, and the Schomp BMW Polo Classic is no exception. The three-day event, believed to be the nation’s largest charitable polo tournament, begins with the Del Frisco’s/Sullivan’s Black Tie Ball and ends with a championship match at Littleton’s Polo Reserve. While sundresses, linen slacks and seersucker suits were prevalent at Sunday’s match, Friday night’s black-tie dinner and auction provided an opportunity for the 1,000 guests to don designer gowns and tuxedos. In the end, the sponsoring Denver Active 2 0/30 Foundation raised about $500,000 for the children’s charities it supports. Steve Peterson, Special to The Denver Post
