By Marilu Yacoub, Director, Concordia Conservatory 

Jan. 26, 2022: Concordia Conservatory’s annual gala benefit concert will this year celebrate Executive Director Kathleen Suss for her 25 years of leadership. “SILVER” will be held on Saturday, February 5, with a 6:00 pm Hoch Chamber Music concert for a studio audience broadcast live from Sommer Center for the Performing Arts, followed by a dinner dance at the Bronxville Field Club. 

Broadway great Norm Lewis will make a return visit to the Hoch Series to perform in cabaret. Audiences will also be treated to the world premiere of “Bedrock, Gently Tilting,” a new chamber work by Matt Van Brink commissioned to honor Kathleen. Chamber music selections by Martinu, Schubert, and Ravel will be performed by Emerson Quartet violist and Hoch Chamber Music Series Artistic Director Lawrence Dutton, violinists Elizabeth Lim-Dutton and Emily Kalish, cellist Chungsun Kim, pianist Jon Klibonoff, guitarist Rami Vamos, flautist Clare Hoffman, and bassoonist Keith Kreindler. The event will be hosted by George Lekovic and Katie Suss. Benefit Committee chairs Claudia Amboss and Zlata Gleason, and Mayors Mary Marvin of Bronxville and Caroline Simmons of Stamford will also appear. 

Kathleen’s stewardship, commitment to community building, and formidable fundraising skills have elevated the Conservatory into a preeminent center for music education and the arts in Westchester and Fairfield Counties. Top-notch pedagogy, several beloved concert series, art and music therapy, summer camps, community outreach programs and more have touched countless people of all ages over the last 25 years. In addition to overseeing the Conservatory’s steady growth in prestige, enrollment and programming, Kathleen’s major accomplishments include establishing a second campus in Stamford, CT; launching a range of innovative solutions to ensure the continuation of lessons and performances throughout the pandemic; and in 2021, successfully transitioning the Conservatory to independence upon the closure of Concordia College New York.  

“SILVER” will support the Conservatory’s ongoing effort to make music available to all. Funds raised will support scholarships and outreach, music and art therapy programs, concert series, the Community Musical, and the Conservatory’s endowment, general fund and Stamford campus.

Tickets for the in-person concert and dinner dance are $250. A link to the broadcast concert is $50 per household. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE or call 914-395-4507. The Conservatory has set a fundraising goal of $250, 000. Donations may be made at www.concordiaconservatory.org 

The 2022 Conservatory Benefit Committee includes Claudia Amboss, Anne Angevine, Margie Ball, Kate Bonnem, Julia Bornmann, Anne Louise Bostock, Nooshin Brinster, Claire Carley, Beth Caruso, Romy Coquillette, Anne Cox, Julie Daher, Marcy Damasco, Liz Dutton, Brigid Galerik, Lauren Ghaffari, Dina Grant, Zlata Gleason, Hillary Grogan, Stella Guarnari, Molly Hendrick, Kim Jodka, Karen Knapp, Mary Landy, Melinda Magnani, Sandra Marr, Mary Marvin, Maureen McAllister, Cathy Michaelson, Simoni Morato, Sara Murphy, Gretchen Pingel, Ellen Politi, Sally Quale, Renee Redmond, Karin Reetz, Michele Rohr, Diane Romo, Mary Rosser, Sandra Schubert, Erika Schultz, Laurie Slaughter, Sharon Shearon, Judy Unis, and Tania Weiss.

The Benefit Junior Committee of Conservatory high school students include Natalie Beit, Elizabeth Burnell, Simon Grogan, Aaliyah Hartenstein, Aidan Hartenstein, Leah Jones, Ingrid Krawiec-White, Aidan McIntosh, Tara McIntosh, Bernadette McNamara, JamesMurphy, Danilo Nieto, Jeffrey Rohr, Rihanna Samson, Ethan Sanna, Keala Schubert, Katarina Seuffert, Emily Swenson, Luke Szczepanski, Ashton Turner, Ben Wien, Liberty Wilson, and Peyton Zaletsky.

To set up an interview or advanced feature article/piece with artists and Kathleen, please call 914-395-4507 to arrange.