American Chamber Ensemble to Present Gala Annual Music Party And Fundraiser in September

American Chamber Ensemble, celebrating its 57th Anniversary, will present its Gala Annual Music Party and Fundraiser on Sunday, September 18 at 3:00 PM at Hofstra University's Helene Fortunoff Theater in Monroe Lecture Center on California Avenue in Hempstead, NY.

The event will celebrate the life of founding ACE Co-Director Blanche Abram. ACE Director Marilyn Lehman said this about her. "Blanche's spirit, love of performing and collaborating, inspirational teaching and mentorship are just a few of the things that we continue to cherish. She was a beloved teacher at Hofstra for over 50 years and her legacy will live on through the hundreds of students whose lives she touched. Rest in Peace, our beloved, Blanche. We will miss you beyond words."

The program of informal music-making that previews the upcoming season, will include guests Pat Spencer, flute, Tammy Hensrud, soprano and pianist Dave LaLama, who will join pianist and ACE Director Marilyn Lehman, along with violinists Deborah Wong and Eriko Sato, violist Lois Martin, cellist Chris Finckel, and clarinetist and Assistant ACE Director Mindy Dragovich.

Admission is by contribution as an Angel, Benefactor, Sponsor or Friend. For category information, benefits and fundraiser reservations, please visit americanchamberensemble.com/support or call 631-242-5684 or 516-586-3433.

Directed by Marilyn Lehman, assisted by Mindy Dragovich, ACE was founded in 1965 by pianist Blanche Abram and clarinetist Naomi Drucker. In residence at Hofstra University, the ensemble explores the great chamber music literature for piano, strings, woodwinds and voice and presents performances featuring world-class artists. ACE consists of the finest freelance musicians in the New York area and has been cited by critics for their superb presentations of chamber masterworks. Their latest CDs on Elysium are American Clarinet Treasures, featuring core members of ACE performing works by George Kleinsinger, Virgil Thomson, Daniel Gregory Mason, Elliott Carter, Douglas Moore and Gary Schocker, with guest artist Stanley Drucker and The American Chamber Ensemble Plays Peter Schickele, which features five of this modern master's most important chamber works.

For the latest American Chamber Ensemble concert listings, updates and information, log on to http://americanchamberensemble.com/. Follow ACE on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Chamber-Ensemble/150032171984.