Photographs by Annie Watt

Toby and Itzhak Perlman and The Perlman Music Programheld a concert and dinner on March 10, co-hosted by Kristy and Jim Clark and Emilia and Pepe Fanjul at the Clarks’ magnificent home in Palm Beach.

 Now in its fifth year, the annual event brought together 150 VIPs to hear Program alumni perform works by Mozart, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Fauré.  After the chamber music concert, the Perlmans thanked event hosts Kristy and Jim Clark for their extraordinary contributions to the $3.2 million Campaign for the Kristy and James A. Clark Arts Center, a funding campaign to build a new performance, rehearsal, and residential facility on the program’s campus at Shelter Island in Long Island, New York.   “Something really special is happening at Toby and Itzhak’s camp,” Jim said, “It is truly an honor for us to help establish the new Arts Center and to host this event each year.”

The evening began with a cocktail reception followed by a performance by alumni of The Perlman Music Program.   The concert included chamber music by Brahms, Mozart, Fauré, and Tchaikovsky.  After the performance, guests toasted the talented musicians at a festive dinner catered by White Apron with gorgeous flowers by Joseph Bogucki.  Guests in attendance included Donna and William R. Acquavella; Mr. Howard E. Cox Jr.; HRH Prince Michel de Bourbon-Parma and HRH Princess Maria P. de Savoie; Countess Christina de Caraman and Mr. John Loring; event hosts Kristy and James H. Clark; Jacqueline Desmarais; event hosts Emilia and Pepe Fanjul Sr.; Mrs. Kathleen Ford; Mr. C. Gerald Goldsmith; Martha and Ralfonso Gschwend,; Mrs. Mai Harrison; Eleanora and Michael Kennedy, Julia and David Koch; Mrs. Susan Lloyd; The Honorable Earle I. Mack and Mrs. Carol Mack; Grace and Christopher Meigher; The Right Honorable Martin Mulroney, former Canadian Prime Minster, and Mrs. Mila Mulroney; Maureen Nash; Katie Nojima; Ms. Pamela J. Newman; Anka Palitz; Program founders Toby and Itzhak Perlman; Hilary and Wilbur Ross; Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Tanenbaum; Gail and Harry Theodoracopulos.

Scheduled for completion by June 2012, the Clark Arts Center will feature a performance space for chamber music, orchestral, and choral performances, 10 sound-proof practice rooms, and a residence hall. The building will allow the Program to function year-round on the Shelter Island campus for the first time, effectively doubling its programming. The Grand Opening celebration is slated for Saturday, June 23, 2012.  For more information about The Perlman Music Program, visit perlmanmusicprogram.org.