'Ode to Autumn' fundraiser makes music for the season

By Ann Butler

Nov. 1, 2008 - Here's the recipe for a perfect fall day: Take one beautiful location in the magnificent Colorado outdoors.

Add a cornucopia of delicious foods and wines to please the palate. Put the cherry on top of the sundae with musical performances by some of the area's most talented musicians. Finish off the afternoon with the good company of fellow music lovers. Et voilà! A lot of happy, tired people are heading home with smiles on their faces.

That's what happened at "Ode to Autumn," a fundraiser for the San Juan Symphony that was held Sunday at the Edgemont Highlands Community Lodge.

The event, which was the inspiration of Gemma Kavanagh, had a successful second year. The more than 70 attendees raised almost $6,000 dollars between ticket prices and silent auction sales.

Michelle Hegenwald (aided by her husband, Frank) spearheaded the fabulous spread of food, recruiting a group of committed cooks to prepare the menu. They were Pat Fichera, Mary and Tom Orsini, Larry Mongelli and Diane and Marty Rabeno.

In addition to cheese and smoked-salmon platters donated by Norton Catering, the group prepared onion-and-bacon tarts, mini crabcakes, jalapeño-crab-dip cups, mini quiches, stuffed mushrooms, green-bean-and-bacon bundles, shrimp, sausage, spicy pork tenderloin, mini cheesecakes and assorted chocolates.

Stan Crapo at Star Liquor donated the wine.

No event happens without the help of a lot of people. Pat Lorenzen, Debbie Marti, Kathy Myrick, Guyneth Zimmerman and Cindy Cortese all worked at the event. And because the volunteers wanted every penny raised to go to the symphony, Betty Serzen, Meredith Mapel, Polly Morgenstern, Sheri Rochford, Michele Hegenwald and Mongelli donated the cash needed to cover a miscellany of expenses.

The music was a cross section of songs primarily devoted to the fall season. Kavanagh, whose crystal-clear soprano voice has been a favorite with local audiences since she moved here, sang three classical music favorites, the Countess' aria from Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro;" Mendelssohn's "Herbstlied" (A Song of Autumn); and "Regnava nel silenzio" from Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor." She then moved into the present with Novello's "Waltz of My Heart," and Johnny Mercer's version of Prévert's "Autumn Leaves."

Scott Hagler accompanied Kavanagh on all but the latter offering on the piano. He also accompanied symphony Concertmaster Kasia Sokol on Vivaldi's Autumn Opus No. 8 from his seminal work, "The Four Seasons" and, in what was possibly the most beautiful performance of the afternoon, on Rachmaninoff's Vocalize Opus 34 No. 14.

Lawrence Nass on piano and symphony Musical Director Arthur Post on his bass helped make up a quartet for "Autumn Leaves."

Guests were also treated to a rare duet of Kavanagh and her 13-year-old daughter Molly Sullivan, accompanied by Rosemary Krass, as an encore. The two generations performed one of Kavanagh's signature pieces, "Isle of Hope, Isle of Dreams." Cortese used the encore as an excuse to drum up a little more money for the SJS by passing the basket.

Guests also took the opportunity to sing "Happy Birthday to You" to Myrick, who thanked everyone for coming to "her" party.

Bravos go out to all involved.