Young Concert Artists 63rd Annual Gala
“‘S Wonderful, ‘S Marvelous” On Thursday evening April 4th, the Young Concert Artists 63rd Annual Gala held a splendid celebration at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Manhattan.
Gala chair Ann Ziff and honorary chairs, Deborah Borda, Anne Akiko Meyers, and Christopher Wheeldon welcomed guests for the pleasures of a cocktail party, classical musical performance, dinner, and live auction to benefit the nonprofit organization.
The evening’s honoree was the dashing former New York City Ballet soloist Damian Woetzel, President of Juilliard School and Artistic Director of Vail Dance Festival.
The sun was setting as the cocktail party in the scenic Rose Room atop the Time Warner Center. Awaiting arrivals was an open bar and hors d’oeuvres for over 300 black-tie guests including Ray and Eva-Marie Berry, Chiara Clemente, Suzi Cordish, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Carole and John French, Margaret and Gregory Hedberg, Bruce C. Horton, Agnes Hsu-Tang and Oscar Tang, LaVon Kellner and Tom Roush, Michele Gerber Klein, Karen Lindquist, Helen and William Little, Jorge Islas López, Vincent and Anne Mai, Liane Pei, Calvin Royal III, Sana Sabbagh, Sarah Billinghurst Solomon, Annaliese Soros, Cory Toevs, Ruben Toledo, Heather Watts, and Barbara Tober.
The entrancing performances followed the cocktail reception in the Rose Theater of Jeremy Denk (piano), Zlatomir Fung (cello), Anne Akiko Meyers (violin), Chaeyoung Park (piano), Anthony Trionfo (flute), Ying Li (piano), Ziggy & Miles (guitar duo) in a symphonic celebration of works by Rachmaninoff, Piazzola, Schumann, Bach, Fauré, and Gnattali. Albert Cano Smit, Anne Akiko Meyers, and dancer/choreographer/movement artist Lil Buck performed a triptych of music and dance.
“Juilliard and YCA share a common goal,” explained YCA President Daniel Kellogg, “to nurture the talents of brilliant young artists… For 63 years, YCA has invested in the next generation of extraordinary musicians, launching the careers of nearly 300 artists. Our alumni include Emanuel Ax, Julia Bullock, Randall Goosby, Sasha Cook, Mason Bates, Anne Akiko Meyers, Zlatomir Fung, and Jeremy Denk. All these artists also studied at Juilliard.”
A sumptuous supper was had in the Appel Room with its sweeping views of Central Park of beet carpaccio, Frenched free-range chicken with mushroom duxelles, and black truffles with potato pearls and haricots verts. The entree was complimented by wine Doamnie Alain Cailbourdin, Poilly-Fume Les Cris, and Bacchus Pinot Noir.
YCA Chairman, Paul Sekhri, offered his “deepest gratitude to our Gala Chair, Ann Ziff…. Over the past 10 years, she has become one of my closest friends, so it is especially meaningful to thank her for chairing our gala tonight… I’d also like to recognize this evening’s honorary chairs, Deborah Borda, Anne Akin Meyers, and Christopher Wheeldon… our esteemed co-chairs, Judith Pisar, Ellen Marcus, Annaliese Soros, and Barbara Tober, as well as the entire benefit committee. Judith Pisar is unable to fly in this week. She sends this message to Damian: ‘There could not have been a better person to honor at the 2024 YCA gala…I will raise my glass to you and all of YCA’s guests from Paris.’” Paul Sekhri added, “I’d also like to thank YCA founder Susan Wadsworth, as without you, none of this would’ve been possible.”
Over sixty years ago Susan Wadsworth founded Young Concert Artists, Inc. to develop and launch professional careers in classical music. The YCA Susan Wadsworth International audition annually holds a rigorous competition for gifted young musicians from strings, winds, voice, percussion, keyboard, ensemble, and composers.
YCA Fellowship audition winners are chosen by a jury in Los Angeles and New York City from live performances of hopefuls. The semi-finalists are presented in a performance at the Morgan Library and Museum. The winners perform in New York and Washington D.C., including a gala concert at Carnegie Hall and a closing night performance at The Kennedy Center.
The fortunate Young Concert Artists will develop their art through the three-year YCA Jacobs Fellowship of programs, mentorship, instrument endowments, performances, career management, travel arrangements, and community engagement.
The newly named fellowship was honored by philanthropist Joan and Irwin Jacobs’s 1.5 million dollar gift. The nonprofit is supported annually by a blue-chip roster of companies, foundations, and philanthropists.
The evening ended with a lively auction where you could acquire once-in-a-lifetime treasures. The bidding was vigorous for dinner for four at the exclusive Manhattan landmark Italian restaurant Rao’s, a private musicale with a YCA artist in your home with wine and hors d’oeuvres for 25 guests, a private concert with mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke at the 5th Avenue home of Ann Ziff for a special evening for 20 guests The auction’s pièces de résistance was the musical getaway to the castle Schloss Bluhnbach the former hunting lodge of Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg for three couples for three nights for gourmet chef-prepared meals and a private concert with a YCA artist.
The splendid evening ended with a champagne and mini dessert reception in The Ertegun Atrium celebrating over 1.2 million dollars netted for Young Concert Artists.
