Marian Anderson Award Announces Gala Program

The Marian Anderson Award has announced the guest artists for the upcoming Award Gala on April 6, 2010, at the Kimmel Center, honoring comedian and educator Bill Cosby. In announcing the program, Award Chair Pamela A. Crawley noted that "This year is our 11th Award, and we will be honoring an individual who, like Marian Anderson, was shaped by Philadelphia and then helped shape our culture.

To do so we have assembled an amazing group of artists, a number of whom have close Philadelphia connections. The host of the 2010 Award Gala is the two-time Tony Award winner and recent recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a long-time friend of Bill Cosby, Broadway legend Chita Rivera. Our fabulous Philadelphia Orchestra will be center stage under the baton of two distinguished maestros. Conducting the opening work of the evening will be another great Philadelphian, the distinguished maestro James DePreist, nephew of Marian Anderson, and Thomas Wilkins, music director of the Omaha Symphony, will return again this year to conduct the balance of the program. Joining the Orchestra under his baton will be opera superstar Denyce Graves, making her second appearance at the Marian Anderson Award Concert. Another guest with the Orchestra is one of the greatest young jazz vocalists, Lizz Wright, whose recordings have taken her to the top of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart. Comedy will be represented by a long-time friend of Mr. Cosby, Philadelphia's own master of stand-up, David Brenner. There will also be a special performance by the biggest selling rhythm & blues group of all time, Philadelphia's own Boyz II Men, and the final performance will be a very special jazz finale that will include two jazz giants with strong Philadelphia connections, Bootsie Barnes and Tony Williams.

"Philadelphia native Bill Cosby has touched our hearts and minds through his ground-breaking work in television and comedy," said Philadelphia Orchestra Association President and CEO Allison Vulgamore. "Mr. Cosby has seamlessly woven his deep-rooted love of music into his life's work. His philanthropic efforts have inspired millions of young people to achieve a rich life through higher education. We are very proud to partner with the Marian Anderson Award as it honors Mr. Cosby."

Tickets for the Marian Anderson Award Gala can be purchased by calling Ticket Philadelphia at (215) 893-1999 or by going to The Philadelphia Orchestra's website, www.philorch.org.

MARIAN ANDERSON AWARD

The Marian Anderson Award, sponsored by Wachovia, honors artists whose leadership on behalf of a humanitarian cause(s) or issue(s) benefits society. Previous recipients include Maya Angelou and Norman Lear (2008), Richard Gere (2007), Sidney Poitier (2006), Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis (2005), Oprah Winfrey (2003), Danny Glover (2002), Quincy Jones (2001), ElizaBeth Taylor (2000), Gregory Peck (1999), and Harry Belafonte (1998). No award was given in 2004 or 2009.

Created in 1998, the Award is named for the great Philadelphian and American singer Marian Anderson, and is produced and administered under the direction of J. Patrick Moran. Since its inception, the Award program has provided more than $470,000 in free public programs, residencies, commissions, and grants to young artists. US Airways is the official airline and Sofitel is the official hotel of the Marian Anderson Award.

MARIAN ANDERSON

Marian Anderson, the most celebrated contralto of the 20th century, was born in Philadelphia on February 27, 1897, to an African-American family of modest means. Recognized for her extraordinary musical talent, as well as her generosity and commitment to others, MS. Anderson was a master of repertoire across operatic, recital, and American traditional genres. Throughout her musical career, she played an incalculably vital role in the acceptance of African-American musicians in classical musical and in other previously segregated performing arts genre.

In 1957 MS. Anderson was appointed by the U.S. Department of State to serve as a Special Envoy to the Far East, and the following year President Dwight D. Eisenhower named her to the post of delegate to the General Assembly of the United Nations. She sang at President John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961; in 1963 President Lyndon B. Johnson bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom upon her. On her 75th birthday, in 1974, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution ordering a speciAl Gold medal minted in her honor. On April 8, 1993, Marian Anderson died at the age of 96 in Portland, Oregon.