Alec Baldwin Honors Alan Gilbert at Tonight's NYYS Benefit Gala

Alec Baldwin will present the Theordore L. Kesselman Award for the Arts to honor Alan Gilbert at the New York Youth Symphony's (NYYS) 53rd Annual Benefit Gala. Roy Niederhoffer will be presented with the Johanna and Leslie Garfield Award for Arts Philanthropy. The NYYS will hold its 53rd Annual Benefit Gala tonight, October 13 at 6:30 PM, at Tribeca Rooftop.

The Gala offers an evening of entertainment and fine dining culminating with the awards ceremony. This year's Gala will be led by NYYS Music Director Joshua Gersen and will feature the NYYS Orchestra. The Gala innovative tuition-free educational programs, including and community outreach concerts.

New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert began his tenure in September 2009, and is the first native New Yorker to be appointed to the post. He simultaneously maintains a major international presence, making regular guest appearances with orchestras around the world. Mr. Gilbert is Conductor Laureate of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, where he served as Music Director for eight years.

Roy Niederhoffer founded R. G. Niederhoffer Capital Management, Inc., in 1993, and serves as its President. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Harmony Program and Concert Artists Guild, and has been on the board of the Kaufman Center. He created the Niederhoffer Foundation, which is active in music education, Jewish causes, and aid to the needy.

Alec Baldwin is no stranger to supporting public policy and the arts. He serves on the boards of the New York Philharmonic, People For the American Way, The Hamptons International Film Festival, Roundabout Theatre Company, and Guild Hall of East Hampton. Mr. Baldwin is an active supporter of The Radiation and Public Health Project, East Hampton Day Care Center, The Actors Fund, The Public Theatre/New York Shakespeare Festival, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and The Water Keeper Alliance, among many others. Alec Baldwin is the Radio Host of the New York Philharmonic. He is a graduate of New York University, where he earned a B.F.A. from the Tisch School of the Arts in 1994 and was presented with an honorary doctorate of fine arts in 2010. He last appeared onstage in the 2013 Broadway revival of Lyle Kessler's Orphans and has numerous other Broadway credits. Mr. Baldwin has also appeared in more than 50 films, including Beetle Juice, Working Girl, Miami Blues, The Hunt for Red October, and more recently It's Complicated, Blue Jasmine, and Still Alice among others.

The Theodore L. Kesselman Award for Arts Education was established in 1995 to recognize significant dedication by an individual or institution making outstanding contributions in nurturing young people in the arts. The award is named in memory of Theodore L. Kesselman, who served as NYYS Board President from 1985 to 1994.

The Johanna and Leslie Garfield Award for Arts Philanthropy was established in 2015 to recognize individuals who have provided leading support to arts organizations in New York and beyond. The award is named for the Garfields, who hail from the NYYS founding family and both of whom continue to serve on its board, Leslie as its Chair.

Reservations for the NYYS 53rd Annual Benefit Gala are available at nyys.org or call (212) 581-5933.

The New York Youth Symphony is internationally recognized for its award-winning and innovative educational programs for talented young musicians. Founded in 1963 as an orchestra to showcase the metropolitan area's most gifted musicians, ages 12-22, its programs have since grown to include Chamber Music, Jazz, Composition, Conducting, and the First Music and First Art commissioning programs.