St. Clair High Note; No Quit in Nepal; Peltason Program

Remarks by Kylie Schuyler and Rubén Martinez gave the crowd at last week’s High Hopes fundraiser for El Sol Science & Arts Academy clear reminders of why each was chosen for honors. Peter Goldmark’s keynote address provided everyone reason to reconsider the bounty of America, with a well-spoken challenge to get beyond bickering on the big stuff. Then another honoree—Pacific Symphony Music Director Carl St. Clair—struck an especially classy chord. He took the stage after a performance by fifth-graders from the Santa Ana public charter school who were accompanied by El Sol music instructor Jeff Palmer. St. Clair called Palmer “the real maestro”—a thoughtful piece of praise for a classroom teacher from the man who is in his 25th year leading the symphony, a tenure that makes him the dean of music directors of major orchestras nationwide … St. Clair also noted the Pacific Symphony puts its money where his mouth is, with about 9% of its annual budget—nearly $2 million—going toward education and outreach in hopes of ensuring a key musical portion of America’s bounty is available to all in OC … It’s been a harrowing few weeks in a faraway place for OC-bred Sky Tetsuka, a financial adviser with Cambridge Financial Partners in Newport Beach, and his wife, Sarah. She was in her native Nepal for her grandmother’s funeral when the April 25 earthquake struck. Flights were canceled, aftershocks continued, and the rainy season with its attendant dangers bore down as aftershocks brought more damage last week. Sky has so far been unable to persuade Sarah to come home—the former Miss Nepal is busy helping distribute food, medicine and supplies. Sky has connected her with a medical rescue team from his alma mater, USC, and is considering joining her in the relief effort … A celebration of the life of late UCI Chancellor Jack Peltason has been scheduled for June 5 at the Bren Events Center on campus. UC President Janet Napolitano, current UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman and Peltason’s son, Tim, are expected at the podium … Lineup change at the Orange County Register, where Steve Churm will take the place of Wanda Artus-Cooper, who has resigned as vice president of sales … Sounds of subtlety: that’s what you’ll hear in the recently redone Great Room Social Lounge at the Resort at Pelican Hill, where the pace-setting music that accompanies new offerings of small plates and craft cocktails has shifted from classical to contemporary. It goes up a notch to an “energized mix” at 6 p.m. with a DJ to “match the mood of the moment” starting at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays. The Great Room is trying out various DJs for now, with a regular expected to win a permanent post as Borgomastro Giuseppe Lama continues his balancing act of maintaining the resort’s five-star style while making sure it stays in tune with the times … Congratulations to the baseball team at Concordia U., which had secured a spot in the Oklahoma City regional final at press time, with a chance to advance to the NAIA World Series that will start this week in Lewiston, Idaho. Special kudos to John Sullivan Bornhop, who plays first base for Concordia and was selected for an NAIA Champions of Character award before the tourney started.