Itzhak Perlman to Host America-Israel Cultural Foundation's 75th Anniversary Gala Celebration

The America-Israel Cultural Foundation (AICF) presents its 75th Anniversary Gala Celebration, honoring Grammy Award-winning violinist and humanitarian Miri Ben-Ari. AICF has nurtured more than 17,000 Israeli artists since 1939. A highlight of New York's fall performance season, AICF's gala is a true celebration of the Israeli arts. Dozens of top artists, ranging from cutting-edge visual artists to top contemporary and classical instrumentalists and singers, celebrate the diversity of Israel's contributions to global culture. Proceeds from the event will be used to sponsor the next generation of talented Israelis in their training and career development, as AICF continues it 75-year history of providing artists with the resources and encouragement that help budding ability to flourish into world-class talent.

Highlights Include:
14-year-old ballet dancer AMIT HASON;
Choreography by INBAL PINTO, AVSHALOM POLLAK and GELSEY KIRKLAND BALLET;
12-year-old cellist DANIELLE AKTA, SHIRA SHAKED on piano;
Bassist HAGGAI COHEN-MILO and friends, with guest singer GAYA FELDHEIM SCHORR;
Mezzo-soprano MAYA LAHYANI;
Presentation of the Aviv Award to MIRI BEN-ARI by Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop;
Honoring the memory of former AICF executive director Ralph Goldman

AICF's 75 th Anniversary Gala Celebration will take place on Sunday, December 14, 2014 at 3 PM in Rose Theater, Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, on Broadway at 60 th Street, New York, NY. Sponsor-level (from $1,000/2,500), and VIP ($400) and Premium ($200) orchestra tickets, are on sale now at www.aicf.org/gala, or by calling 212-557-1600 ext. 801.

Featured Artists:

Amit Hasonis 14 years old and lives in the town of Even Yehuda in Israel. Hason is a 2013-2014 grantee of the America-Israel Cultural Foundationin the field of classical ballet. Hason won first place in the I.D.T.A. Modern Dance competition in South Africa, and was selected to represent the State of Israel in a competition held in Lyon, France in May 2014.

Danielle Akta is the winner of the FLAME Int. Paris 2014 Competition, the eMuse Int. Athens 2014 Competition and the Israeli National Cello Competition 2013. Future engagements include five concerts with the Israel Philharmonic, the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion and tours with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra in the United States.

Haggai Cohen-Milo is a bass virtuoso and a pioneer of cross-medium improvisational performance. He has recorded as a sideman/co-leader on over 20 albums and his debut album as a leader, Penguin, was released in June 2014 on John Zorn's label, Tzadik Records.

Gaya Feldheim Schorr is an Israeli-born jazz singer who is embracing the sound and freedom of modern jazz alongside a more traditional repertoire. Ms. Feldheim Schorr has toured the US, Canada, Europe and Russia and hasperformed with Sam Yahel, Mulgrew Miller, Yuval Cohen, Gilad Ronen and more. Her quartet has recently relocated from Tel Aviv to New York and is now performing at different venues around the city.

Mezzo-soprano Maya Lahyani made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2013. Last season, she performed as Kate Pinkerton in Anthony Mineghlla's production of Madama Butterfly under Phillippe Auguin, as Kathchen in a new production of Massenet's Werther directed by Richard Eyre, and in Rusalka with Rene Fleming under the baton of Yannik Nzet-Sguin. Ms. Lahyani was a 2010 grand finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

About the America-Israel Cultural Foundation
The America-Israel Cultural Foundation (AICF) has been the touchstone of excellence in Israeli culture since 1939, supporting promising young artists and contributing to the growth of more than 600 of Israel's leading arts institutions. Most of Israel's finest artists in every discipline have received assistance from AICF. Among those supported are: Itzhak Perlman, Miri Ben-Ari, Menashe Kadishman, Miriam Fried, Pinchas Zukerman, Michal Rovner, Yefim Bronfman, Orli Shaham, Sharon Eyal, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Museum and the Batsheva Dance Company.

SOURCE America-Israel Cultural Foundation

To post a comment, you must register and login.