One World Trade Center to Light Up Purple for Nonprofit Education Through Music

The spire of One World Trade will be lit purple to help bring attention to NYC nonprofit Education Through Music (ETM), and the need to provide music as a core subject to all children, the evening of December 12, 2017. Prior to the spire lighting, 90 choir students from ETM Queens partner school PS 154 will perform on the 64th floor of One World Trade at 3:30 p.m. for tenants in the building.

"We could not be more thrilled to be featured on top of the tallest building in the United States," said Katherine Damkohler, Executive Director of Education Through Music. "When people see ETM's signature purple color on top of New York City's skyline, we hope they will join us in raising awareness of the need for quality music education programs for all children."

"It is magnificent to see One World Trade and the commercial real estate community support Education Through Music, as its mission is so important to our city's present and future success in education," said Richard Bernstein, Executive Vice Chairman of Cushman & Wakefield and Board Chair of Education Through Music. "As board chair, I am grateful for the opportunity to spread awareness of the organization's efforts to provide access to music education to all students."

Education Through Music partners with 57 schools throughout New York City in all five boroughs, serving 30,000 students. The Education Through Music program seeks to restore comprehensive music education programs to urban schools. ETM students receive over 1 million hours of music classes each year. ETM partners with urban schools where 90% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, 20% of students have special needs, 14% are English language learners, and 92% are students of color. The ETM program is extremely cost effective, as ETM spends only $180 to provide an entire year of music education for one child.

"We are proud to host ETM at One World Trade Center," said Jonathan (Jody) Durst, President of The Durst Organization. "For nearly three decades ETM has been spreading the joy of music to New York City's public school children and we are thrilled to partner with them in the lighting of the spire and are honored that they are holding a concert for our tenants."

About Education Through Music

Education Through Music was founded in 1991 to promote the integration of music into the curricula of disadvantaged schools in order to enhance students' academic performance and general development. ETM forms long-term partnerships with at-risk elementary and middle schools to develop sustainable, long-term music programs.

The ETM model currently serves nearly 30,000 students in urban schools in New York City, and our model reaches another 12,000 children through the work of our licensed affiliate organization in Los Angeles. ETM's comprehensive, sustainable music education network has garnered the support of corporations, public policy makers and foundations, including The Music Man Foundation, CMA Foundation, The Jerome L. Greene Foundation, Steinway & Sons, William Randolph Hearst Foundation and D'Addario Foundation. For more information visit ETMonline.org.

About One World Trade

One World Trade Center sets new standards of design, construction, sustainability and beauty and heralds the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. Managed, operated, and leased by The Durst Organization, One World Trade Center is a center of innovation and creativity, and is the most recognized office address in the world.

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