By Lynn Selich | Society Editor
Photos by Nicholas Koon Photography
As we arrived to the Pacific Symphony Pops Opening Night Dinner and Masquerade Soirée at the Westin South Coast Plaza last Saturday, we were greeted by a fanfare of jesters on stilts and balancing delicately on colorful balls.
The festive event was held in celebration of Principal Pops Conductor Richard Kaufman’s 20th anniversary with the orchestra.
Masquerading guests were greeted by co-chairs Sally Anderson, Donna Schroeder, and Jane Taylor, and enjoyed a sumptuous dinner of filet mignon. Then all took a lovely evening walk to the Renee & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for a fantastic concert conducted by Maestro Kaufman, featuring “Three Phantoms in Concert” – Craig Schulman, Kevin Gray and Brad Little, who have all played the lead in the longest running musical on Broadway, “The Phantom of the Opera.”
Kaufman has devoted much of his musical life to conducting and supervising music for film and television productions, as well as performing pops, film and classical music in concert halls and on recordings. As if his Hollywood life and his work with the Pacific Symphony aren’t enough, he is also currently in his seventh season with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert series, “Friday Night at the Movies,” and makes appearances as guest conductor with orchestras throughout the United States, as well as internationally.
