MOZART IN THE JUNGLE's Malcolm McDowell Hosts New World Symphony's GALA: 1000 Tonight

New World Symphony, America's Orchestral Academy, presents its Gala: 1000 tonight, March 12, celebrating the organization's milestone achievement of reaching 1,000 alumni in its 28th year. The event will honor the vision of co-founders Michael Tilson Thomas, a ten-time Grammy Award winner, and Ted and Lin Arison by welcoming back five innovative alumni who have advanced the world of classical music.

This year, the organization's 500 supporters will welcome a special guest to serve as Master of Ceremonies- Malcolm McDowell, the star of the hit series Mozart In The Jungle, focusing on the inside world of classical music. McDowell plays the role of an older, more traditional conductor competing with rising young talent. This year's gala is hosted by Gala Chairs Ana and Neisen Kasdin.

Noted for their roles in music across the nation, the returning alumni include Andrew Wickesberg, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (Viola); Joseph Peters, Minnesota Orchestra (Principal Oboe); Rebekah Heller, International Contemporary Ensemble (Bassoon); Billy Hunter, Metropolitan Opera (Principal Trumpet); and Christopher McLaurin, Kansas City Symphony (Principal Percussion).

The evening begins with a 6 p.m. step-and-repeat arrival and Bacardi cocktail reception, followed by a live, onstage performance by New World Symphony's 87 Fellows and the five returning alumni. After the performance, guests will be seated for a dinner accompanied by special music interludes. The experience will continue as supporters dance the night away at an exclusive late night after party at the New World Center, featuring Michael Andrew Big Band and a guest performance by New World Symphony's Trombone Fellow, Nick Platoff.

The evening is sponsored by Total Wine & More, Bacardi and Fathom, a new Carnival Corporation brand that promotes responsible tourism to Cuba and Dominican Republic. In addition, all the sponsors have donated exciting trips to be auctioned off, including a Winery Tour to Tuscany, a 7-day cruise to Cuba on the Fathom line and a 3-night stay at Parrot Cay by COMO in Turks and Caicos.

Tables are priced from $25,000 to $250,000, and single seats are $2,500. Proceeds from Gala: 1000 benefit New World Symphony and its mission of preparing gifted young musicians for careers in professional orchestras, while providing meaningful cultural programs to the South Florida community. Friends of New World Symphony have the opportunity to purchase tickets for the highly discounted price of $450, and enjoy dinner at STK Miami. For additional ticketing information, contact Jack Mizutani, Director of Special Events, at Jack.Mizutani@nws.edu.

The New World Symphony, America's Orchestral Academy, is dedicated to the artistic, professional and personal development of outstanding young musicians. As a result of its unique educational environment, the New World Symphony has achieved an international reputation for creating new models of orchestral training and performance. New World Symphony has built a global community of the world's finest performers, educators and composers who impart their knowledge and insight to the Fellows both in Miami Beach and via Internet2. In addition to its regular performances in Miami Beach and Miami, the New World Symphony has performed in prestigious venues throughout the world, including New York's Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall, London's The Barbican, Paris' Bastille Opera, Cité de la Musique and Opéra Comique, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, Vienna's Konzerthaus and Rome's National Academy of Santa Cecilia. In January 2011, NWS opened its new campus, a laboratory for the education, presentation and performance of classical music, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry.