Baranski and Feltsman Head Benefit for Mannes College 5/4

Internationally acclaimed pianist Vladimir Feltsman, virtuoso violinist Mark Kaplan, and distinguished pianist Yael Weiss will join renowned actress Christine Baranski at an exclusive benefit event to support the education of gifted young Israeli musicians studying at Mannes College The New School for Music. It will be held at the Manhattan residence of Lenore Ruben, chair of the Benefit Committee.

The event is the result of the close relationship between the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and Mannes College The New School for Music. For decades, the America-Israel Cultural Foundation has generously supported the studies of numerous Israeli musicians studying abroad, including many at Mannes. Difficult economic times have left a number of current Mannes students without the funding required to complete their degree and diploma programs. A group of dedicatEd Mannes supporters and concerned music lovers became aware of their dilemma and decided to form a committee and produce a benefit, which would make it possible for the students to continue their musical education at Mannes.

Vladmir Feltsman has been hailed in the New York Times as "quite simply an amazing pianist." Recognized throughout the world as one of the foremost musical figures of our time, Feltsman is a longtime Mannes piano faculty member. Mark Kaplan, one of the leading violinists of his generation, has been soloist with nearly every major American and European orchestra, noted for his appearances with Pinchas Zukerman and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Distinguished Israeli pianist Yael Weiss is a Mannes alumna whose studies with Richard Goode were supported by the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. Feltsman, Kaplan, and Weiss will perform piano and chamber music masterpieces by Frédéric Chopin, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms. Christine Baranski is a two-time Tony, Emmy, Drama Desk, and SAG award-winning actress. Baranski is currently starring in The Good Wife on CBS.

The event will take place on Tuesday, May 4, 2010; Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Concert begins at 7:00 p.m. at a private residence on the Upper West Side, New York City.

Required contribution is $250 per person: $350 per person for reserved seating in the first two rows in a theatre-in-the-round setting. For further information, please call Lane Richards Peace, director of Institutional Advancement, Mannes College The New School for Music at 212.580.0210 ext. 4820.

About Mannes College
Mannes College The New School for Music is a leading conservatory located in New York City. Founded in 1916, Mannes nurtures tomorrow's musical leaders in an intimate, supportive community true to the values of classical music. Its eminent faculty and comprehensive curriculum teach musical artistry and impart deep knowledge of music and its structures. Mannes is the only conservatory in Manhattan that is part of a leading university. Mannes College's connection to The New School and its location in New York City-just minutes from the world's great concert halls and museums-offer an exceptional setting for musicians to grow into great artists. Mannes students are featured in more than 400 concerts produced by the school each year at its two concert halls and in venues throughout the New York metropolitan area. For over 90 years, the artistic ideals of David and Clara Mannes, the college's founders, have sustained a vibrant international community of musicians whose diversity stretches across races, cultures, and ethnicities. For more information, visit www.mannes.newschool.edu.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.