Young People’s Chorus of New York City Takes the Stage in “Dreamer” Gala March 7, 2011

A roster of exciting guest artists will join all five divisions of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City™ and its Artistic Director and Founder Francisco J. Núñez in their Monday, March 7, fundraising gala, “Dreamer.” The concert begins at 7 p.m. at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, where the chorus is in residence. Joining the chorus on the Rose Theater stage will be Bob McGrath, marking his 42nd season as “Bob” on Sesame Street; Janet Dacal, soon to open on Broadway in Wonderland; Hugh Panaro, the star of Phantom of the Opera; 24-year-old jazz piano phenomenon Eldar, the brilliant, 22-year-old violinist Ryu Goto, and The New York Pops conducted by Mr. Núñez.

The gala evening, co-chaired by Nancy Bloom, Adam Chinn, Shauna Denkensohn, Suzan Kremer, and Hiroko Onoyama will pay tribute to three remarkable individuals whose extraordinary support have been so important to the success of the chorus. YPC will honor board member David Weild III, Esq., of Edwards, Angell, Palmer & Dodge with its Humanitarian Award; David Lai, A & R producer at Sony Masterworks with its Artistic Award; and James Anderson, regional vice president at Travelers, will be presented the YPC’s Corporate Award.

Prior to the concert there will be a silent auction beginning at 5:30 PM. The items include a brand-new LX150i.e. Vespa scooter, which boasts mileage to 70 miles per gallon, raffled off at $100 per ticket with proceeds going to the Young People’s Chorus of New York City™.

The performance will be a showcase for the singular talents of these extraordinary artists. Bob McGrath gets the program off to the perfect start with “Sing” with YPC and The New York Pops. Other program highlights include Eldar’s performance of “Rhapsody in Blue” and Ryu Goto playing “Last Rose of Summer.” Hugh Panaro sings “The Impossible Dream,” and Janet Dacal provides a teaser from Wonderland with a performance of Frank Wildhorn’s “Once More I Can See.” YPC will join many of the guest artists and will also sing a variety of pieces that display their virtuosity, versatility, and verve, everything from” Rockin’ Robin” to a work from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They will also reprise a marvelous work written especially for them by Tony Award-winners Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. “The Song I Sing” is a celebration of the joys of urban life, displaying the wide-ranging talents of YPC as few other pieces can, since it combines a multitude of styles from pop and rap to Broadway, contemporary, classical and more.

Following the concert, dinner will be served in the Allen Room, where guests will dine on cuisine against a backdrop of stunning views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline through the room’s floor-to-ceiling glass façade.

More than 1,300 young people participate annually in the Young People’s Chorus of New York City™ through its core after-school program, its Satellite program in nine New York City schools, and its national affiliates in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Tenafly, New Jersey. Funds raised from this gala will support general operating expenses and scholarships for many of its members in fulfillment of its mission of providing children of diverse abilities and backgrounds with a unique program of music education and choral performance that seeks to fulfill each child’s musical potential, while creating a model of artistic excellence and harmony that enriches the community.

http://www.ypc.org/gala/

Official Website: http://www.ypc.org/gala