No one went home empty-handed from “A Note of Elegance,” the Hinsdale Chamber Orchestra’s annual benefit ball sponsored by the orchestra’s guild and held at the Chantilly in Countryside recently.
Generous donors provided almost as many raffle and silent auction prizes as there were guests at the black tie and glittery gown soiree, and everyone picked up a fountain pen as a table favor.
Coincidentally, the grand prize, two airline tickets to anywhere in the continental United States, went to last year’s grand prize winners, the Robert Mazzas of Hinsdale.
Barbara and Jeff Knuckles of Naperville won the Lladro porcelain figurine while Joan Strouse of Elmhurst and Stacey Switala of Glen Ellyn walked away with bottles of champagne.
“The guild is truly our support group,” said Stephen Blackwelder, now in his ninth year as conductor of the 50-member chamber orchestra, many of whom are professional musicians. “Some 35 guild members work hard to provide resources for the orchestra and special music education programs for school children. Our biggest concert every year is `Midwinter Pops,’ which we give in Hinsdale Central High School’s auditorium.”
“Just for Kids” is a series of public concerts presented at Hinsdale’s Middle School for students enrolled in west suburban schools, said Lois Redman, past president and now advisor to the Hinsdale Chamber Orchestra Guild.
“Orchestra members introduce musical works to elementary and junior high school children through our `Meet the Musician’ program,” Redman said.
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Guild president Jeanne Donars noted that although the name “Hinsdale” keeps popping up, guild and orchestra members represent many Du Page communities.
Close as the ball was to St. Patrick’s Day, general chairman Cabrina Moran resisted the temptation to decorate with shamrocks, opting instead for musical notes and golden pedestal centerpieces, the latter made by Greg Tamm and topped with pink roses.
Wearing name tags right side up or upside down to indicate their preordered entree, guests dined on filet of beef or orange roughy, oven-browned potatoes, peas and carrots, tossed salad and their choice of sweets, then danced ’til midnight to the music of Pearls.