Matthew Morrison Headlines The Grand's 2013 Gala Tonight

The 2013 Grand Gala, one of the philanthropic highlights of Wilmington's social calendar, will feature Emmy-nominee Matthew Morrison from Glee as the featured performer. Morrison will perform tonight, December 7, accompanied by the Delaware Symphony Orchestra led by DSO Music Director David Amado. The annual event, now in its 37th year, raises money for The Grand's acclaimed educational outreach and other engagement programs.

Morrison, who describes himself as "a song and dance man," has won both popular and critical acclaim for his performance as Will Schuester, the teacher and coach of the high school show choir in Fox TV's hit drama Glee. He has been nominated for Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards for his work in the show, which has sparked a renewed interest in pop choral singing.

Morrison frequently sings on Glee, and his choices are often Broadway show tunes, with good reason. Morrison's stage credentials include playing Link Larkin in the original Broadway production of the musical Hairspray, which led to his casting in the Tony Award-winning musical The Light in the Piazza, for which Morrison himself was nominated as Best Featured Actor. He has also performed in Broadway productions of South Pacific, The Rocky Horror Show, and Footloose.

The multi-talented performer recently recorded an album, Where It All Began, for Adam Levine's 222 record label. Morrison recorded a live concert at Connecticut's Bushnell Center that debuted on PBS this past spring.

Morrison's Grand Gala performance will be supported by the Delaware Symphony Orchestra under the baton of DSO Music Director David Amado. The symphony, Delaware's premier classical ensemble, underwent a successful season of restructuring in 2012-2013 led by Board Chair and eminent philanthropist Tatiana Copeland. The 2013-2014 schedule will include three other performances at The Grand, The Delaware Symphony Orchestra's long-time home.

"We're equally delighted by both halves of this dynamic artistic equation," says StEve Bailey, Executive Director of The Grand. "Matthew Morrison is a very popular and appealing performer with terrific stage presence. Matching him with the respected artists of the Delaware Symphony gives us a great concert, but also creates an opportunity to herald the return of DSO."

Diana Milburn, General Manager of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, echoes that sentiment, "DSO is thrilled with this chance to show off how accomplished our musicians are. Everyone knows how well they play the classics, but David and the orchestra also relish situations where they can cut loose on popular music. It's another important reminder of the asset DSO is for the entire community."

The Grand and Delaware Symphony Orchestra have collaborated on several other projects in recent years. DSO musicians were featured artists with Procol Harum, along with the OperaDelaware chorus, for the 2010 Grand Gala. It also played with Natalie Merchant in November of that same year. The Grand and DSO teaching artists have also partnered on several community and educational outreach programs.

In addition to the Morrison-DSO concert, The Grand Gala will feature the event's signature After Party at the Hotel du Pont. The party takes over all public spaces in the elegant and historic hotel, featuring distinct menus, a variety of live performers, and open bars in each room.

Lead support for The Grand Gala has been provided by Bank of America and Capital One. Additional support for the worthwhile event has been provided by a number of leading Wilmington corporations, including AstraZeneca, CAI, Delmarva Power, DuPont Co., J.P. Morgan Chase, M & T Bank, and PNC Foundation.

Tickets for The Grand Gala are now on sale, and range from $195 to $500 per person. The Grand Gala is black tie optional. To purchase tickets or for more information, call Amy Bish at The Grand at 302-658-7897 x3250.

For additional information on Matthew Morrison visit www.matthewmorrison.com

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