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Music Insitute of Chicago
81st Anniversary Gala |
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Members of the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy Chamber Orchestra interact with Maestro Riccardo Muti, who received the Music Institute’s distinguished Dushkin Award.
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The Music Institute of Chicago (MIC), now in its 81st year, welcomed nearly 520 guests to its annual gala Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. The oldest community music school in Illinois and one of the three largest community music schools in the nation, the Music Institute raised nearly $1.4 million from a combination of table sponsorships, ticket sales, auction proceeds, and outright contributions.
Chaired by Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols, the evening included cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by an elegant dinner, live scholarship auction, and awards presentation. The prestigious Dushkin Award, established 25 years ago and named for the Music Institute of Chicago’s visionary founders Dorothy and David Dushkin, honors those who exemplify the spirit of the award as exceptional artists, music educators, and role models for young music students. This year’s recipient, internationally renowned conductor and Chicago Symphony Orchestra Music Director Riccardo Muti, has conducted many of the world’s greatest orchestras during an extraordinary career spanning more than 40 years.
The Music Institute also presented its second annual “Cultural Visionary Award for Chicago” to Sandra and Jack Guthman, recognizing their extraordinary civic and philanthropic leadership in advancing Chicago’s cultural presence.
Musical performances throughout the evening included young musicians from the Music Institute’s Community School, Academy and inner city outreach programs, all of whom receive financial aid or scholarship support. Performances by the students included Suzuki repertoire by four-to-seven-year-old violin students, Franz Liszt’s Grand Gallop Chromatique for piano, Antonio Bazzini’s Dance of the Goblins for violin, Vittorio Monti’s Csárdás for cello, Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8, Nino Rota’s Love Theme from La Strada for soprano, and Antonin Dvorak’s String Serenade in E Major, Op. 22.
Honorary Chairs for Music Institute’s 81st Anniversary Gala included John H. Bryan, Joan W. Harris and Cindy Pritzker, all of whom received the inaugural “Cultural Visionary Award for Chicago” at the 2010 80th Anniversary Gala. Vice Chairs included Kathy and Gerhard Bette, Catherine and Bryan Daniels, Linda and Bill Gantz, and Cathy and Bill Osborn. Members of the larger 81st Anniversary Gala Committee strongly represented Chicago’s civic, cultural and philanthropic leadership. The Corporate Grand Benefactor was Northern Trust, which provided generous underwriting support.
Individuals, foundations, and companies who support the Music Institute’s annual gala provide the primary source of scholarship and financial aid programs that benefit more than 7,000 students annually at the Music Institute’s eight primary campuses, as well as through its extensive outreach programs in 11 Chicago Public Schools and with community-based nonprofit organizations.
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Maestro Riccardo Muti (L) accepting the distinguished Dushkin Award from Alexandra Nichols, 81st Anniversary Gala Chair and Chair of MIC's Board of Trustees, and Dr. Mark George, President and CEO of MIC.
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Gala chairs Alexandra Nichols and John Nichols.
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Honorary Chairs Joan Harris and Cindy Pritzker.
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Sandra Guthman and Jack Guthman, recipients of MIC's 2011 “Cultural Visionary Award for Chicago.”
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Cate Waddell and Northern Trust Chairman and CEO Rick Waddell.
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Gala Benefactors Sondra Healy and
Denis Healy.
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Gala Vice Chairs and Benefactors Bill Gantz and Linda Gantz.
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Gala Benfactors Shirley Ryan and Patrick Ryan.
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Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association President Deborah Rutter, Lyric Opera Board EVP Kenneth Pigott, MIC Chair Alexandra C. Nichols, Jane DiRenzo Pigott and Peter Ellefson.
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Lyric Opera board member Jack Crowe, Peggy Crowe, CSO Association board member John Hart, and Carol Prins.
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Gala Benefactors Mary Ann MacLean and Barry MacLean.
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Gala Committee members Donald Kaul and Barbara Bluhm-Kaul.
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Gala Committee members Harrison Steans and Lois Steans.
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MIC trustee David Heroy and Joycelyn Winnecke.
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Gala Committee members John Richman and Priscilla Richman.
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Gala Committee members Norman Bobins and Virginia Bobins.
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King Harris, Christina Gidwitz and Barry MacLean.
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Gala Committee members Craig Duchossois and Melissa Sage Fadim.
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Howard Sandifer and Darlene Sandifer.
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Alexandra C. Nichols and The Honorable Ilana Rover.
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Liz Stiffel and Joan McKenna.
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Carol Prins and Harris Theater for Music and Dance Board Chair Abby McCormick O’Neil.
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Gala Committee members Judson Green and CSO Association trustee Joyce Green with CSO Association President Deborah Rutter and Peter Ellefson.
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Gala Committee members Melissa Sage Fadim and CSO Association trustee Jamey Fadim.
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Harris Theater for Music and Dance President and Managing Director Michael Tiknis, Joan Harris, and Walter Massey.
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Steans Family Foundation President Reginald Jones and Wanda Jones.
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Four- to seven-year-old violin students from MIC's Suzuki Strings Program in Garfield Park perform for Maestro Riccardo Muti.
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| Photos:1-3, 5, 10-12, 15, 16, 17-22, 28: Jennifer Girard. Images 4, 6-9, 13, 14, 23-27: Robert F. Carl. |
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