Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Annual Gala “The Healing Power of Music”

New York, NY

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra hosts its Annual Gala “The Healing Power of Music” at the historic Metropolitan Club on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 honoring philanthropist Susan Gutfreund. Featuring the orchestra’s new community engagement program, Orpheus Reflections, the evening celebrates the orchestra and Mrs. Gutfreund’s shared vision of using the power of music to enrich the lives of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia as well as their caregivers. Mrs. Gutfreund believes that music is one of the most powerful tools to unlock minds, bring joy, and improve the quality of lives. Her late husband was John Gutfreund, the former CEO of Salomon Brothers and a renowned figure throughout the world’s financial districts. Mr. and Mrs. Gutfreund have supported various top New York City institutions such as Lincoln Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Aperture Foundation, and the New York Public Library.

In bringing Reflections to conception, Executive Director Alexander Scheirle says, “It was a moment of revelation for us to learn that 5.7 million Americans today --including 250,000 New Yorkers-- live with Alzheimer’s disease. And for many, attending concerts at public venues becomes increasingly tough, the impact of which resonates through their family and caregivers. This is why Orpheus decided to create the Reflections program – so we can bring music directly to where the listeners are. The experience has been greatly rewarding.”

The Gala features a private performance by Orpheus, joined by Time for Three, a group that transcends traditional classification with elements of classical, country western, gypsy and jazz idioms forming a blend all its own. Classically trained, all three members — Nick Kendall, violin; Charles Yang violin; and Ranaan Meyer, double bass — carry a passion for improvisation, composing and arranging. In 2016, the group was featured on PBS’s Emmy-winning show “Time for Three in Concert” which was broadcasted nationwide. The trio has given hundreds of performances across the U.S. as well as Europe.

Proceeds from the Gala support Orpheus’ worldwide performance and engagement activities, including Reflections. The Gala committee includes Honorary Member Renée Fleming.

The evening begins with a cocktail reception 6:15 p.m., followed by the private concert at 7:30pm and dinner at 8:30pm. A silent auction will run throughout the evening featuring a range of unique experiences and luxury items. Gala table pricing ranges between $17,500 (1 table) and $100,000 (4 tables), and each table includes ten guests along with tiered benefits. Pairs of tickets can be purchased for $5,000 and individual gala tickets are $2,500. More information on table/ticket reservation and silent auction can be found by visiting www.orpheusnyc.org/annual-gala/ or by calling the Development Office at 212.896.1713.

Gala Information

Orpheus Annual Gala

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Honoring Susan Gutfreund

The Metropolitan Club - One East 60th Street, NYC

Black Tie

6:15 p.m. - Cocktails

7:30 p.m. - Concert

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Time for Three

• Ranaan Meyer, Double Bass
• Nick Kendall, Violin
• Charles Yang, Violin

8:30 p.m. - Dinner and Silent Auction

About Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Orpheus believes in empowering the unique voice of all people to make a valuable contribution. Working together as a collective of leaders, members explore each other’s musical ideas using their signature collaborative method, the Orpheus Process®, and give flight to vibrant, unconventional interpretations. Orpheus performances unfold dynamically, moment-by-moment, creating an energy shared by musicians and audiences alike.

The Grammy Award-winning ensemble was founded in 1972 by a group of like-minded young musicians determined to combine the intimacy and warmth of a chamber ensemble with the richness of an orchestra and has performed without the use of a conductor since its inception. Musicians rotate leadership roles for all rehearsals and performances as well as organizational capacities such as programming and governance.

Orpheus has recorded over 70 albums on all major classical labels and commissioned and premiered 49 new works for chamber orchestra. In February, Orpheus released its new album Mendelssohn on Deutsche Grammophon featuring Polish-Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki. The orchestra also was recently featured on Wayne Shorter’s Grammy Award-winning album Emanon. Orpheus presents an annual performance series in New York City featuring collaborations with world-class guest soloists. A touring ensemble, Orpheus has performed in major international venues across 167 cities in 46 countries across four continents and has appeared regularly in Japan for 30 years.

Orpheus is committed to sharing its collaborative Orpheus Process® with communities worldwide through engagement programs for listeners of all ages. These include underwritten concert tickets and in-class visits from musicians for K-12 NYC students, development opportunities for emerging professional musician from demographics underrepresented in classical music, and Orpheus Reflections, an enriching program for people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia and their caregivers.

For more information about Orpheus please visit www.OrpheusNYC.org or call 212.896.1700.

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Public Relations

Katy Salomon[link email address: katy@morahanartsandmedia.com], Morahan Arts & Media