Feinstein & Ebersole Headline 9th Annual 'Music Has Power' Awards benefit At Feinstein's 9/9

The healing power of music and the helping power of musicians will come together on September 9th when acclaimed four-time Grammy®Award winning musician Michael Feinstein headlines the 9th Annual Music Has PowerTM Awards benefit, with two-time Tony-Award® winning actress and singer Christine Ebersole, at Feinstein's at Loews Regency - The Nightclub of New York. Widely recognized as one of the most beloved interpreters of American popular songs, Michael Feinstein has dedicated his career to reviving and promoting the works of legendary singers and songwriters, including Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, and Frank Sinatra.

The Music Has Power Awards are presented annually by the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF), to honor those individuals in the arts, sciences and business communities whose work contributes to the advancement of vital, often groundbreaking music therapy research, development and programs.

Honored for their contributions to the therapeutic power of music are New York native and long-time IMNF supporter, Peggy Rice, and IMNF Scientific Advisory Board member and The Neurosciences Institute Ester J. Burnham Senior Fellow, Dr. Aniruddh Patel.

"We are proud to honor Peggy Rice and Dr. Aniruddh Patel for their continuous guidance and support of our efforts to bring attention to the powerful role that music plays in improving overall physical, emotional and neurological health and well being," states IMNF Executive Director Dr. Concetta Tomaino. "The Music Has Power Awards fundraising benefit gives us the opportunity to thank the people who have been instrumental in our current success and continue to stand by us in our future endeavors to explore the efficacy of music to enhance the lives of people suffering from neurological disorders, like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's."

A member of the Beth Abraham Family of Health Services, the IMNF's groundbreaking and internationally recognized programs use music therapy to assist in the "awakening and healing" of individuals with a wide-range of neurological conditions including strokes, trauma, dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases.

The 2009 Music Has Power Awards event will begin at 6p.m. The event is sponsored by The Bank of New York Mellon Wealth Management with additional support from Ketel One Vodka and Feinstein's at Loews Regency. Funds raised will support music therapy programs, along with clinical and scientific research. Previous recipients include Dr. Oliver Sacks, Mickey Hart, Remo Belli, moby, and Henry Z. Steinway.

For tickets or sponsorship information please contact: Teresa DePace at (718) 519-5880, fax (718) 519-4240 or e-mail tdepace@bethab.org

The IMNF is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization and a member of Beth Abraham Family of Health Services, a national leader in providing residential, home and community-based long term care for chronically ill and disabled adults throughout the New York metropolitan area. Founded in 1995, the IMNF is driven by 35 years of clinical observations on the actual effects of music on different types of physical and neurological trauma. Directed by renowned music therapist Dr. Concetta M. Tomaino, with medical guidance from distinguished neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, its distinctive setting allows researchers to not only apply their theories, but to follow patient rehabilitation in the long term.

The Institute actively collaborates with researchers and practitioners at other leading organizations to advance world progress in understanding and applying the power of music to promote healing and wellness. Some of the Institute's most promising research has been in the areas of music and language, memory, and recovery from nerve injury - leading to groundbreaking discoveries as to how music therapy can heal.