Orchestra Nova San Diego to honor Rancho Santa Fe resident
Orchestra Nova, whose performances fuse beautiful music with engaging entertainment, will pay tribute to Kathleen Davis, a longtime supporter of the musical group and patron of the arts in San Diego, with the Kathleen Davis Day at the Races. The event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 25, in the Star Fiddle Skyroom at the Del Mar Racetrack beginning at noon.
Led by visionary artistic director and conductor Jung-Ho Pak, Orchestra Nova is attracting new audiences of all ages throughout San Diego with its unexpected mix of live performance, art, education and multimedia. Kathleen Davis first discovered the group 12 years ago, when they were known as the San Diego Chamber Orchestra and has been a regular season subscriber ever since. She has been an active board member since 2003 and has also served on the orchestra’s finance committee and as chair of its annual Magic of Music gala in 2008 and 2012.
“I grew up in New Jersey and enjoyed exploring all of the wonderful music and art New York had to offer with my family from a young age,” said Davis when asked about what sparked her love of classical music. Since then, she has been a symphony subscriber in all of the places she has lived and worked, including Atlanta and Minneapolis. She moved to Rancho Santa Fe in 2000 and in addition to her ongoing support of Orchestra Nova is a regular subscriber to the San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera and a patron at the Atheneum library in La Jolla.
Honoring Davis with a day of horse-racing is fitting – a huge fan of the races, at one time she owned a thoroughbred horse named Nerinx who was a winner at the Del Mar racetrack.
“Kathleen has been key to our success, with her tireless commitment to helping us grow and flourish. Her support through hours and hours of volunteer support and financially have truly made a difference for us and we are proud to honor her with this friend-raising event. She is the epitome of a Nova friend,” says Beverly Lambert, Orchestra Nova’s chief executive officer.
The Kathleen Davis Day at the Races offers guests an entertaining afternoon of horse-racing while they enjoy a luxurious skybox experience in Del Mar Racetrack’s Star Fiddle Skyroom — including table seating, a birds-eye view of the track, wine and champagne, a Tuscan-inspired lunch, a private betting window and more. Guests can also participate in a hat contest and an opportunity drawing for a stay in a beautiful condo villa at La Costa Resort and Spa.
Proceeds from the event will support Orchestra Nova programs, including their extensive music education programs which reach 10,000 students throughout San Diego County.
Orchestra Nova recently announced its 2012-2013 season after a hugely successful 2011-2012 season, which saw the launch of the Nova™ Experience, its signature approach to presenting and celebrating classical music in innovative ways through a holistic, interactive and participatory approach, with activities, dialogue, art, food and drink wrapped around the musical performance itself, enabling concertgoers to have a complete sensory experience. With sold-out performances of its 2011-2012 Nova Classics at its two primary venues, Irwin M. Jacobs Qualcomm Hall and Sherwood Auditorium, the orchestra has added a third venue, the California Center for the Arts Escondido, to present its 2012-2013 Nova Classics, sponsored by Jean Will.
Tickets for the Kathleen Davis Day at the Races range from $100-$200 and are available by visiting
or calling 858-350-0290.