It’s no accident that Miran Halen’s initial high-profile foray into event planning and fundraising had equal parts glamor, sophistication and heart – in a way, a reflection of the magnetism that draws people to her and makes it almost always impossible for them to say “no.”
Halen has spent much of the last decade perfecting the fine art of fundraising for St. Louis arts organizations such as the Saint Louis Ballet, Chamber Music Society of St. Louis and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, where her husband, David, is concertmaster.
Halen remembers planning her first-ever event as chair: The Chamber Music Society’s “Notes from Hollywood” gala in 2013, which was also an inaugural event for the organization.
“I have a longstanding friendship with the executive and artistic director, Marc Gordon, who formerly played with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, as well as with his wife, Susan, who currently is a member of the orchestra. Marc and I spoke about the gala when we were all flying back from New York on the same plane,” she recalled. “By the time we landed, Marc and I discussed a more formal association, which resulted in my becoming a member of the Chamber’s advisory board and eventually, the executive board. And in the meantime, I was asked to chair the Chamber’s first gala, ‘Notes from Hollywood.’”
And while Halen was no stranger to the glitzy gala scene – for years, she has graced the pages of local society publications – being the main planner of an organization’s largest event of the year was another matter. But she knew exactly where to turn.
“I sought counsel from Mary Strauss as I had never chaired a major fundraising gala, and she encouraged me by saying, ‘Kiddo, if you chair, I will co-chair!’” Halen said.
Strauss, one of the grande dames of the St. Louis arts scene, is celebrated for her lifetime of contributions and commitment to arts and culture, including her work to restore the Fox Theatre and helping to establish the Grand Center Arts District. She also happens to be one of Halen’s most trusted friends.
“For several months, Mary taught me what needed to be done for my inaugural gala as a chair. This was the greatest private tutoring session I’ve ever had!” Halen said. “We surpassed our goal and sold out of VIP tickets with standing room only at The Sheldon.”
Most recently, Halen co-chaired a highly successful Beauty Buzz event at Neiman Marcus, along with community volunteer Phyllis Langsdorf, that raised thousands of dollars for the St. Louis Press Club – the third time in three years Halen oversaw the annual event.
“When you can collaborate successfully, it truly is an incredible sense of accomplishment, which, in this case, was to provide scholarships for journalism students and funding for working journalists to spotlight marginalized stories that need to be told,” Halen said.
Halen became a member of the Press Club’s board of directors in 2020, following years of attending and supporting the organization’s events.
“Last year was very challenging due to the pandemic. We had to pivot to a virtual Beauty Buzz event and yet, we were still able to raise substantial funds for Press Club,” she said. “So when I was asked to chair again this year, I was even more motivated to enhance the event into something more exciting and unique by producing and promoting digital components.”
Up next on the list of Halen’s co-chair duties is the Saint Louis Ballet’s 2022 Spring Gala. The event, themed “Starry Night,” will be held at The Chase Park Plaza on Saturday, May 14.
“Saint Louis Ballet is the only professional, resident ballet company in metropolitan St. Louis. The organization employs and supports artists and dancers by producing both classical and contemporary productions staged for the enrichment and enjoyment of the community,” Halen said. “I think one of many things that makes the ballet company so special is its ongoing contributions to our city’s rich cultural offerings.”
Strauss, Halen’s mentor, will be honored at the gala for her longtime support of Saint Louis Ballet, as well as for her significant contributions to and stewardship of the arts in St. Louis and beyond. Co-chaired by Tom and Carol Voss, Joan Quicksilver, Laurie Lock and Patricia Whiteside, the Spring Gala will have a “Starry Night” theme.
“The idea is not the van Gogh Starry Night, but rather the shiny, elegant stars of the ballet company: the dancers,” Halen explained. “And this simplifies the event’s décor – elegant, glitzy with a focus on the dancers.”
In addition to planning galas and other high-profile society events – most of them being the organizations’ largest fundraisers of the year – Halen has also been hard at work on a video project, a true labor of love and remembrance of Sarah Bryan Miller, the longtime classical music critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch who died of cancer in November 2020.
“Sarah Bryan Miller was honored as a Media Person of the Year by the St. Louis Press Club in 2019. As a Press Club board member, I wanted to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Bryan,” Halen said. “Before her passing, I had a brief conversation with Bryan about producing a video about her career as a distinguished classical music critic. Unfortunately, she passed away before we started this video project, but I have documented her previous interviews, and produced the video to commemorate her life and legacy.”
The video project has a dual purpose, according to Halen.
“First, it’s to educate and inform individuals about the important role a critic plays in the arts; but secondly and even more importantly, it’s to show how Bryan touched so many lives, as well as the legacy she leaves behind.”
As for Halen’s own legacy, it’s too soon to tell. After all, she has more galas to plan and more money to raise for the arts and the other causes that are fortunate enough to win her heart.
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