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Guests were welcomed into a festive, ornately decorated tent to begin the celebration. Once guests took their seats for dinner, speeches began.
Caramoor’s CEO Jeff Haydon took the podium to welcome the guests. Chairman of the Board Jim Attwood then spoke of the unbridled support Bim and Don Kendall have given to the community and to Caramoor over the years. Attwood also brought to the stage board member Effie Fribourg, who introduced Bim Kendall.
Bim Kendall's speech affirmed her love for the arts and appreciation of her colleagues.
The final speaker David Joys praised Don Kendall for his dedication and commitment to being a leader and a patron of the arts. He closed his remarks by promising “many more opening nights and years of inspiring music to come.”
As the speeches and meals came to a close, guests filed out and began to fill Caramoor’s Venetian Theater in time to accommodate the live broadcast by WQXR.
The Orchestra of St. Luke’s, led by Romanian conductor Cristian Macelaru, began the concert with a performance of Gyögy Ligeti's "Concert Românesc." The piece started with a romantic whisper and built up through passionate swells, preparing the audience for what came next.
Bell took on the Jean Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 commanding the attention of the audience with every carefully placed note. After intermission, the concert was brought to a close with Macelaru leading OSL in Georges Bizet's Symphony No. 1 in C major.
Attendees of the Gala were invited to close out the night with an after-dark celebration full of dancing and mingling with Bell.
