Young Friends of Palm Beach Symphony celebrate season’s start

The record crowd that came out to support the kick-off to the Palm Beach Symphony’s 46th season was music to the ears of its CEO David McClymont.

A total of 115 Young Friends of Palm Beach Symphony members and other supporters recently gathered at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach to celebrate.

“It is wonderful to see so many people who have embraced the Palm Beach Symphony’s

mission,” McClymont said in a statement. “Just as our education and outreach programs extend throughout the community, the Young Friends exciting events this season feature collaborations with young supporters of other major institutions, which underscore the profound impact the Symphony and the arts have on people’s lives. I am profoundly moved by the commitment of this next

generation of arts supporters to the future of classical music.”

New this year is programming from music director Gerard Schwarz, which has led to “enthusiastic audiences that have

already snapped up more subscriptions than any time in the past,” according to the Symphony.

Last season, its music education programs served more than 17,500 students through children’s concerts, student coaching sessions and master classes, instrument donations and free public concerts.

Socials and networking opportunities open to members (young professionals of any age) this year include:

• A Polo Afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26

• Priority invitation to the annual Gala-Night Party – Fantasia at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17 at The Breakers Palm Beach

• Seaside Social presented with Friends of the Uffizi Gallery at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 at a private West Palm Beach estate

• Chamber Soirée with the Young Friends of the Norton Museum at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 25 at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach

The Palm Beach Symphony is a nonprofit organization founded in 1974 with a mission to engage, entertain and educate the community through live performances of orchestral music.

Young Friends memberships start at $195. Call

561-655-2657 or register at PalmBeachSymphony.org.

CAPEHART/COURTESY PHOTOS David McClymont and Tom D’Agostino Jr.

Bettina Bennet and C. Gordon Beck III

Cynthia and Alex Housten

Colleen Gildea and Tyler Moynihan

Dinyar Wadia and Kathryn Archer

Jennifer Nawrocki and Glenda Penn Shaffer

Taniel Koushakjian and Arsine Kaloustian

FPG Gerard Schwarz leads musical programming of the Palm Beach Symphony this season.