San Francisco Ballet Auxiliary Luncheon

At the 62nd Annual Luncheon held at the St. Francis Yacht Club on June 6th, attendees enjoyed a special event. René Rodman Diamond, the Chair, organized everything meticulously, ensuring a smooth experience. Each guest received a ballet slipper keychain, a thoughtful gift from René. Thanks were given to Daru Kawalkowski for hosting the luncheon and to Heather Cassady Martin for arranging the centerpieces. 

During the luncheon, attendees had the chance to hear from four members of the SFB Orchestra’s strings section: Shinji Eshima, Cordula Merks, Ani Bukujian, and Eric Sung. Cordula and Ani performed on the violin, and Shinji allowed guests to play his contrabass, which is famous for being in a Degas painting at the Musee d’Orsey. Shinji shared an interesting story about including a kitchen sink in the composition of “Swimmer.”

“Meeting these talented musicians; hearing interesting behind-the-scenes stories such as Shinji including the kitchen sink, which he brought, in composing the score for “Swimmer”; and learning about their dedication to their craft deepened my appreciation of how fortunate we are to have an extraordinary symphony accompanying our Ballet performances.”

– ​Carol Louie, Auxiliary President

A warm welcome was extended to the Provisional Class for 2024/25 and the first-year active members.