Music, Hope, and Horticulture

Third Street’s honorees, important guests, and student performers at Third Street Music School Settlement's 115th Anniversary Luncheon.

Third Street Music School Settlement, the nation’s oldest community music school, celebrated its 115th Anniversary Luncheon. The annual fund-raising event also serves as the occasion for Third Street to honor extraordinary artists and supporters of the arts.

Thomas Hampson, the world-renowned baritone, Hugh Hardy, the architect who designed the Glimmerglass Opera House and the Joyce Theater, and Robert White, renowned tenor and Juilliard faculty-member all received the Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Arts. Each award was introduced and presented by special guests Zarin Mehta, Joel Grey and John Corigliano, respectively. The Master of Ceremonies was news anchor Jim Watkins of PIX 11 news.

The “Twinklers”, some of Third Street’s youngest students, perform for the audience.

Third Street’s Philharmonia Orchestra prepares for their performance.

Third Street’s Philharmonia Orchestra, with 11-year-old violin soloist, perform Vivaldi’s Spring.

Guests of the luncheon were treated to special performances by Third Street students. “Twinklers,” some of the school’s youngest musicians, performed selections of works they are currently studying. Third Street’s Philharmonia Orchestra wowed the audience with Vivaldi’s Spring, featuring a violin solo by an accomplished 11-year-old student.

As a special dedication to Third Street, all three honorees took to the stage for an impromptu performance of Gershwin’s Our Love is Here to Stay. Hugh Hardy showcased his skills on the piano, while Thomas Hampson and Robert White regaled the audience with a beautiful rendition of the classic song. By the end of the second chorus, the entire audience had joined along.

Hugh Hardy, Joel Grey, and Philip Glass applaud Third Street's student performers.

The Luncheon was chaired by Edmée and Nicholas Firth. Attendees included: Anna-Maria Kellen, Ellen and James Marcus, Susan and Elihu Rose, Annaliese Soros, Mark Adamo, Teresa and David Bull, Philip Glass, Diana and David Huggin, Mimi Levitt, Mary Calder Rower, Jennifer Russell, Susan and Peter Nitze, Wendy Mackenzie, Alexander Cortesi, Stella and Peter Sichel, Susan Baker and Michael Lynch, Brook and Roger Berlind, Ellsworth George Stanton III, Garrick Utley and Susan and Charles Wadsworth.

Proceeds from the Luncheon benefit Third Street’s students in need. Nearly 75 percent of all youth served benefit from need-based financial aid, merit-based scholarships and/or program subsidies.

Hugh Hardy takes to the piano as Robert White and Thomas Hampson sing a rendition of Gershwin's "Our Love is Here to Stay"

Anna-Maria Kellen with Helmi Augustin and friend

Diana and David Huggin

Evelyn Peterson and friend

Luncheon Chairs, Edmée and Nick Firth

Third Street's Associate Director Mary Lou Francis (center) with Third Street parent, Mary Collins (right) and her daughter, Lily Yarborough

Mark Adamo, Edmee Firth, Lee Koonce, and Nick Firth

Mimi Levitt and friend

Jeannie Park and Teresa Bull

Zarin Mehta presents Thomas Hampson his award for Distinguished Achievement in the Arts

John Corigliano presents Robert White his award for Distinguished Achievement in the Arts

Byron Bell and Ellsworth G. Stanton III

Tiziana and Hugh Hardy

Lisa Tsitsera, Anna-Maria Kellen, and Maria Szabo

Joel Grey presents Hugh Hardy his award for Distinguished Achievement in the Arts

Last Monday night, Jazz At Lincoln Center held its 2009 fall Gala at the Frederick P. Rose Hall. Author and historian Albert Murray, a Jazz @ LC Board member was given the 3rd annual Ed Bradley award for Leadership.

More than 1000 attended the gala concert with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra playing a salute to the music of Frank Sinatra. After a video clip of Sinatra and Diahann Carroll’s television appearance, Miss Carroll, wearing a black and white Bob Mackie, performed a medley of tunes associated with Sinatra such as “High Hopes,” “Strangers In the Night,” “New York, New York,” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” Then Michael Feinstein joined her for a duet of Rodgers and Hart’s “Where Or When.”

Lisa Schiff, Chairman of the JLC board announted that Michael Feinstein was the new Director of Popular Song Series, which will begin in the 2010-2011 concert series.

Board Member Shahar Ahmad-Llewellyn

Chairman of the Board Lisa Schiff and Diahann Carroll

Founding Board Chairman, Gordon Davis

Board Chairman Lisa Schiff, Patricia Blanchet, and Michele Murray, accepting the award for her father Albert Murray, who was in the audience

Jeanette and Paul Wagner with Board Member Diane Coffey

Adrienne Arsht and friends

Barbara Carroll and Mark Stroock

Board Member Diana DiMenna

Gayle King

Alan and Betsy Cohn

Board Member Faye Wattleton

Mrs. Frederick P. Rose and Jonathan Rose

Libby Ellis, Executive Director Adrian Ellis, and Board Member Ashley Schiff

Diahann Carroll and Michael Feinstein

Board Member George Wein and Patricia Blanchet

Chairman of the Board Lisa Schiff and David Schiff

John and Mary Kay Strangfeld

Photographs by Julie Skarratt

Last Monday at “10 on the Park” at the Time Warner Center, The Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) held its annual New York Seminar and Luncheon and honored Brooke Shields with the inaugural “HOPE” Award for Depression Advocacy for her efforts to erase the negative stigma that surrounds depression, as well as for her courage in using her influence to redirect biased thinking about the use of medication and therapy to treat what is essentially a medical illness.

Dr. Herbert Kleber, one of the foremost substance abuse authorities, gave the latest information about “Marijuana and Adolescence” at a discussion with Felicia Taylor, who was the afternoon’s emcee, at the luncheon.

HOPE Seminar

Felicia Taylor

Brooke Shields

Among those attending, along with HDRF founder Audrey Gruss, were co-chairs Anne Eisenhower, Jackie Drake, Lis Waterman; Junior co-chair Coralie Charriol Paul, as well as Debbie Bancroft, Amy Fine Collins, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Kim Heirston Evans, Somers Farkas Lydia Fenet, Jamee Gregory, Gail Hilson, Karen LeFrak, Maggie Norris, Felicia Taylor, Veronica Webb, Adrienne Vittadini, Julie and David Eisenhower, Dana Hammond.

Audrey Gruss and Christopher Mason

Veronica Webb

Brooke Shields accepts award with Audrey Gruss

Adrienne Vittadini, Jamee Gregory, and Audrey Gruss

Amy Fine Collins

Lydia Fenet

Maggie Norris and Kim Heirston Evans

Fruzsina Keehn

Coralie Chariol Paul and Samantha Boardman

Karen Le Frak

Felicia Taylor and Geoffrey Bradfield

Beth Rudin DeWoody and Debbie Bancroft

Anne Eisenhower and Jackie Drake

Somers Farkas

Gail Hilson and Anne Eisenhower

Mai Harrison

Lis Waterman

The Horticultural Society of New York held it 15th Annual Fall Luncheon celebrating Women in Horticulture! at The Metropolitan Club. Honorees were Dr. Shirley Sherwood, Nancy Clarke, Allison Rockefeller, and Elizabeth Scholtz.

Dr. Shirley Sherwood is a botanist, author, and one of the premier collectors of botanical art, with works by over two hundred artists from over thirty countries. The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art in London, opened in 2008, is the first gallery in the world dedicated solely to botanical art.

Nancy Clarke recently retired as White House Chief Floral Designer after 30 years of service. She began as a White House flower shop volunteer in 1978, joined the staff shortly after, and quickly rose to chief florist. She was the floral design partner for each first lady, from Roslyn Carter to Michelle Obama, and her presentation will include fascinating, behind-the-scenes anecdotes of her career.

Allison Rockefeller is a driving force behind the National Audubon Society's Women in Conservation Program, who will share personal insights into her important work in conservation. She is dedicated to the creation, preservation and promotion of American parkland and open space on the national, state, and local levels. She is also especially committed to environmental education and connecting youth with nature.

Elizabeth Scholtz serves as Director Emeritus of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a long-time HSNY Benefactor and a major force in New York City horticulture. A native of South Africa, Betty has degrees in botany and zoology, and last year led her 100th and final international garden tour.

CeCe Black, Suzette de Marigny Smith, Huguette Hersch, Sheila Stephenson, Millicent M. Johnsen, Elizabeth Stribling, Frances Schultz, and Jessica Tcherepnine served as Events Chairs.

This year’s Barbara A. Margolis Award (In tribute to HSNY's beloved Chairman) was given to Janet Mavec, who founded the HSNY Friends of the GreenTeam in 2007 to help formerly incarcerated men and women and at-risk youth find positive new paths in their lives through work in city gardens, parks and farms.

The Fall Luncheon supports HSNY’s community outreach programs that offer hands-on interdisciplinary programs to public school children, create safe and lovely gardens at branch libraries in every borough, and provide inmates on Rikers Island with vocational and horticultural training to help them find meaningful work that will keep them from returning to jail.