Shelby's Social Diary

Glee star's Houston appearance builds buzz for the Symphony ball: That's centennial power

Champagne glasses were raised in jubilant toasts when Houston Symphony CEO Mark Hanson unveiled particulars of the 2014 symphony ball, which will be held in May rather than March, as long-standing tradition dictates, in order to cap off the symphony's centennial season. The details were unveiled when Houston Symphony Centennial Ball chairs Cora Sue and Harry Mach and Joella and Steve Mach hosted the launch party in the senior Mach's elegant River Oaks home.

Addressing the cocktail buffet crowd, Hanson allowed that the gala will be held in Jones Hall and include a symphony performance, under direction of Steven Reineke, with special guest appearance by Glee's Matthew Morrison.

Rather than move to a hotel or other party venue for the celebratory dinner following the concert, guests will move the Jones Hall lobby for cocktails and bidding on auction items, while The Events Co. team transforms the theater into a party space, thanks to terraced platforms, with seats for 600 dinner/dance guests. Jackson and Co. will provide the dinner and the Richard Brown Orchestra will provide the dance tunes.

Taking bows as honorees on the glamorous evening will be Marie Taylor Bosarge, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, Margaret Alkek Williams, Baker Botts, L.L.P. and ExxonMobil. In addition, a new award, created in honor of Symphony chairman emeritus Mike Stude — the Mike Stude Award for Enduring Artistic Vision — will be presented to five foundations that have cumulatively over the years provided more than $100 million for the symphony.

Joining in the toasts and savoring the Jackson and Co. buffet were guests including Sidney and Don Faust, Carmen and Butch Mach, Katie Flaherty, Ting and John Bresnahan, Lindley and Jason Arnoldy, Joni Baird, Diane and Henry Gendel, Susan and Dick Hansen, Barbara and Ulyesse LeGrange, Tara and David Wuthrich and Carolyn and Mike Mann.

Rodney and Judy Margolis, from left, and Dede and Connie Weil at the Houston Symphony Ball centennial launch.

19 Rodney and Judy Margolis, from left, and Dede and Connie Weil at the Houston Symphony Ball kickoff party November 2013

Photo by © Jenny Antill

Rodney and Judy Margolis, from left, and Dede and Connie Weil at the Houston Symphony Ball centennial launch.

unspecified

Children At Risk

Fred Armisen brings the funny to benefit child advocacy in Houston

In a ballroom brimming with heart and humor, more than 430 changemakers gathered at The Post Oak Hotel for Stand Up for Children, Children At Risk’s annual soirée in support of Texas’s most vulnerable. Suzan and Jeremy Samuels and Beth Wolff helmed the evening as event chairs, celebrating a night that raised $360,000 to fuel the nonprofit’s advocacy efforts tackling child poverty and inequality.

The always-charismatic Khambrel Marshall returned to the stage as emcee and auctioneer. The crowd lit up for Emmy-nominated comedian and musician Fred Armisen, whose smart and quirky set — punctuated with guitar riffs and rhythm shifts — drew roaring laughter from the well-heeled audience.

President and CEO Dr. Bob Sanborn reminded guests of the organization’s mission as a nonpartisan force for strategic research and public policy. Rep. Ann Johnson brought the message home with personal reflections on the devastating realities of human trafficking and the urgent need for community awareness and legislative change.

A highlight of the evening: the recognition of Dr. Sippi Khurana as Community Honoree. Her passionate remarks, grounded in data and compassion, underscored why Children At Risk’s work matters more than ever. Her third-grade daughter, Seva, charmed the room with a beautiful invocation.

Table centerpieces from H-E-B set the stage for a spirited evening of mingling, raffling, and bidding. Silent auction items kept smartphones buzzing, while live auction paddles flew high — especially for a “his and hers” package featuring dazzling Niara Jewelry earrings.

Seen in the crowd were Ellen Sanborn, Doe and Henry Florsheim, Jenny and John Seo, Katy and Ed Wolff, Cynthia Wolff, Courtney and Zac Harmon, Ann and Jonathan Ayre, Ajay Khurana, Kristen Cannon, Nina and Clint Rand, Sneha and Nick Merchant, Alice and Matthew Brams, Shaina Perry and Jeremy Ross, Shawn and Donald Bowers, Amy and Rob Pierce, George Connelly and Evelyn Leightman, Katie and Seth Tsuru, Jayne Johnston, Dr. Julie Dickson, and David Charles.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Sippi Khurana, Fred Armisen, and Ajay Khurana.

fundraisers children at risk