Carl St. Clair Acclaimed at Post-Concert Party

Hugs. Hugs. And more hugs.

That was the body language Tuesday night at the Beverly Heritage hotel when Carl St. Clair swept into a post-concert party celebrating his debut with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra.

The fiesty maestro had doffed his white tie and tails--time to let down at the traditional season-kickoff supper for board members, donors and orchestra members.

“The fulfillment of our dreams!” squealed symphony chairwoman Marcy Mulville, throwing her arms around St. Clair as he arrived with his longtime love, Jennifer Keeney.

“Just the beginning,” said St. Clair, smiling broadly.

Applause and more hugs greeted the boyish-looking St. Clair as he wended his way through a crowd of about 300 guests. The moment marked the evening’s second standing ovation for the former assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Earlier, at the Performing Arts Center, the audience had stood for several minutes to applaud him. St. Clair was selected as music director after a two-year search that included interviews with more than 200 conductors.

The 38-year-old maestro took his place at a table with Emma Jane and Supervisor Thomas Riley, Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom, Mary and Peter Muth, Carl Schulz, Bill Thornton and Roy Garrett, a buddy since high school days.

“There was always something special about Carl,” said Garrett, a retired Texas cattle rancher. “He always had a dream--knew what he wanted.”

The two played in the school band together, Garrett said. “But Carl wasn’t just great in music. He was great in sports. He was the quarterback on the football team, the catcher on the baseball team. He could do everything.”

St. Clair told the crowd: “I have never been more musically satisfied. Tonight, I had the absolute cooperation of the orchestra--their spirit, dedication and integrity.”

Together, they pursued “artistic truth,” he added.

Symphony President Randy Johnson announced that the “Pacific Symphony sounded as good as any orchestra in the country tonight.”

And Louis Spisto, the symphony’s executive director, told the crowd, “We’ve waited a long time for an evening like this.”

Princess Alexandra, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, arrived at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel about the time St. Clair was poising his baton Tuesday night. But the Orange County Performing Arts Center was the only place to be for polite people-watching. After all, a tired royal--traveling all the way from England to attend the Festival of Britain that begins this week--deserves a little privacy before her schedule formally begins.

On Saturday in Segerstrom Hall, Alexandra will watch St. Clair conduct the Pacific Symphony Orchestra at the concert that officially opens the performing arts segment of the Festival of Britain. The roster of guest artists at the affair includes actress Lynn Redgrave (whose $15,000 price tag was underwritten by symphony buff Richard Engel) and British bass-baritone John Shirley-Quirk.

A reception at the Center Club precedes the concert. A post-concert dinner featuring beef Wellington will be held at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel. Tickets are still available.