Please join us on February 9, 2010, at 6pm, for a festive celebration of our 85th anniversary to be held at the Arader Galleries, an historic 1902 townhouse and gallery, at 1016 Madison Avenue at 78th Street. You'll enjoy cocktails and festive fare, and bid on fabulous items offered in our silent auction.
This gala benefit celebrates our founder, Margarete Dessoff, and her inspired successors:
Music Director James Bagwell, honoree
Kent Tritle, Amy Kaiser, Michael Hammond, and Paul BoeppleWe are deeply grateful to W. Graham Arader III for offering his beautiful establishment for this event.
Admission:
- $850 Anniversary Benefactor ($580 tax-deductible)
Benefit Admission for two and two subscriptions to the Dessoff 2010-2011 concert season - $500 Benefactor ($310 tax-deductible)
Benefit admission for two and two tickets to an upcoming Dessoff concert of your choice - $150 Sponsor ($90 tax-deductible)
Benefit admission for one - $85 Honored Guest ($25 tax-deductible)
Benefit admission for anyone born in or before 1924
If you can't attend, please consider a donation to support our music-making. Please click here for details.
Continue reading for a preview of the Silent Auction items!
Silent Auction Preview!
| Description | For more info… | Est. Value |
| 2 hr personalized walking tour of anywhere in NYC, for up to 4 people, by a licensed NYC guide | $80 | |
| Two framed photographs (12"x16") by Sophie Lair-Berreby | link | $ |
| In home 90 minute Thai Yoga massage | link | $125 |
| Master knitter willing to teach beginner or novice. Three 1 to 1.5 hour lessons either in my office, (near Times Square) or at home, in Brooklyn (near BAM). Must be redeemed by May 31, 2010. | ||
| 2 hour violin lesson/coaching session with Aaron Van Heyningen | $200 | |
| Manicure & pedicure at Rescue Beauty Lounge on Gansevoort St | link | |
| Basket full of King of Shaves British shave products for men and women, featuring the new Azor razor, plus a fabulous old-fashioned deluxe open razor shave with hot towel and face massage, and a haircut at the legendary Paul Molé barber shop on Lexington Ave. | link | |
| Jewelry by Carnelion Knoll | link | |
| Home Made English Toffee | $30 | |
| Gift certificate for one dozen award-winning Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery cupcakes | link | $18 |
| Polish Your Prose Do you have an article to submit? A report to write? A resume to refine? Dessoff’s resident editor will steamline your style, perfect your punctuation, and gussy up your grammar | $150 | |
| Custom Pen & Ink Drawing of winner's house or apt building, suitable for holiday cards, stationary or hanging | $200 | |
| Jewelry | link | |
| Dessoff’s Music Director, James Bagwell, would like to cook for you! James will arrive at your home and prepare a mouth-watering meal. He provides the cooking skills and menu; you provide the groceries. | priceless | |
| 3 hours of PC Computer services (repair, training, new PC selection, etc.) | $150 | |
| 4 Tickets to NBC Studio Tour | link | $82 |
| 1 Pilates Session | ||
| 1 Private Yoga lesson in studio in Union Square | $120 | |
| 1 Private Feldenkreis session in studio in Union Square | $85 | |
| Autographed copy of "South Street" by acclaimed photographer Barbara Mensch, which documents the Fulton Fish Market. | link | |
| Autographed copy of "Anne Frank Remembered: The Story of the Woman Who Helped to Hide the Frank Family" by Miep Geis | link | |
| bottle of 1986 Pichon Lalande Bordeaux | $250 | |
| Voice lesson with Marni Nixon, singing legend and "Voice of Hollywood", and autographed copy of her autobiography, "I Could Have Sung All Night" | link | $100 |
| a 3-vol hardcover Cookbook set: RUM DRUNKS 50 Caribbean Cocktails, from the Cuba Libre to Rum Daisy (Chronicle Books; $19.95), STONEWALL KITCHEN GRILLING (Chronicle Books; $19.95), STONEWALL KITCHEN APPETIZERS (Chronicle Books; $19.95) | $60 | |
| A big, beautiful book on the late, lamented four-star restaurant CHANTERELLE (Taunton Press; $50), written by the chef/owner, David Waltuck. | $50 | |
| Decorating book DECORATING MASTER CLASS by Elissa Cullman and Tracey Prizan Abrams $45) | $45 | |
| pair of Knicks tickets for March 19, 2010 at MSG (against the Philadelphia 76ers) | $160 | |
| One voice lesson with Kirsten Ott, classically-trained singer, coach, and teacher on UWS | $65 | |
| 3 hour headshot session with Sophie Lair-Berreby, best shots edited and on CD | link | $600 |
| One voice lesson with Sally Morgan | link | $100 |
| $25 giftcard to Ladybird Bakery | link | $25 |
| $100 Gift Certificate from the "Frank Music Store", the last independent classical music store in NYC | link | $100 |
| Original artwork by Elaine Norman TBD | ||
| 4 BAM posters Created in 1981 by Cartoonists for the Arts and produced as a limited edition by King Features Syndicate, each of these rare posters features a different comic strip or renowned cartoonist touting BAM in his own inimitable style. | $100 (ea) | |
| Pair of Baccarat champagne flutes (never used) | $260 | |
| 3 homemade pies to two customers (top two bidders) located in Manhattan or lower Westchester. Seasonal fruits, timing and delivery dates to be coordinated with the buyer. Each buyer gets 3 pies delivered to their door. | $90-100 | |
| From Opera Manhattan Repertory Theatre, a gift certificate for two tickets to each of their remaining productions this winter and spring | link | |