Each year, the San Francisco Ballet Association holds its Chairman’s Council Dinner to acknowledge the major donors to the SF Ballet’s annual fund. This year’s event was held at the Four Season’s Hotel Ballroom in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, November 19, 2015.

The evening kicked off with a warm welcome by the Board of Trustees Chair, John S. Osterweiss, and was followed by a 2016 season preview presented by Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer, Helgi Thomasson. Accolades were shared all around as the company reflected upon its its past season and recent tour to China. Special mention (and audience enthusiasm) were given for the new work Swimmer choreographed by Yuri Possokhov and composed by fellow Orchestra member, Shinji Eshima.

In anticipation of the SF Ballet Orchestra’s 40th anniversary season, Music Director/Principal Conductor, Martin West and musicians Kevin Rivard and Steven D’Amico were invited to the stage for a special interview by SF Ballet writer, Cheryl A. Ossola.

The panel’s topics for discussion addressed such issues as the significant amount of individual practice time that precedes a musician’s first Orchestra rehearsal and examined ways in which the Orchestra must often adapt its sound in the opera house pit to compensate for the varying acoustics in the rehearsal space. New members of the Orchestra were also mentioned including Concertmaster Cordula Merks, Second and Bass Clarinetist Andrew Sandwick, and Principal Violist Yi Zhou. Towards the end of this discussion, and—as a testimony to her appreciation for the SF Ballet Orchestra—Principal Dancer Lorena Feijoo graciously acknowledged Music Director Martin West for helping to reliably achieve such an inspiring, high-quality sound from the orchestra.

Chairman’s Council Recognizes the 2015 Christensen Society Honoree 

Named in memory of the three brothers (William, Lew and Harold Christensen), whose artistic vision pioneered the San Francisco Ballet, the Christensen Society is comprised of the many donors who so generously support the company. Each year, the Christensen Society chooses to recognize a particular individual who has made a significant contribution (artistic or otherwise) to the San Francisco Ballet.

The 2015 Christensen Society honoree was former Board Chair, Richard C. Barker. Under Mr. Barker’s successful tenure, the San Francisco Ballet continued to thrive through the economic turmoil of 2008-09 without compromising its artistic standards. During that period, the company maintained an ambitious touring program, including a prestigious five-city U.S. tour in the fall of 2008 and a three-week tour to China in 2009, of which Mr. Barker was a major sponsor.

The Christensen Society and the SF Ballet Orchestra

Over the Years, the Christensen Society has also paid tribute to the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.  In the Fall of 2014, the Christensen Society recognized the orchestra’s former concertmaster, Roy Malan, whose 40-year tenure ended in December 2014. Prior to that, in 1998, the orchestra’s longtime music director, Denis de Coteau (shown below), received this distinguished honor.

 Christensen Society – Past Honorees 

1990    Lucy Jewett

1991    Gisella Christensen

1992    Anna Logan Upton

1993    Donald F. Houghton

1994    Ruby Asquith Christensen

1995    Jocelyn Vollmar

1996    L. Jay Tannenbaum

1997    George B. James

1998    Maestro Denis de Coteau

1999    Evelyn Cisneros and Sabina Allemann

2000    Phyllis C. Wattis

2001    Ingrid von Mangoldt Hills

2002    Joanna Berman

2003    Sally Hambrecht

2004    Patricia A. TeRoller

2005    Helgi Tomasson

2006    James J. Ludwig

2007    Chris Hellman

2008    Glen McCoy

2009    Kathleen Scutchfield

2010    Sonia H. Evers

2011    Jola Anderson

2012    Richard Gibbs, M.D.

2013    Ann and Robert S. Fisher

2014    Roy Malan

2015    Richard C. Barker