Merit School of Music Gala to Honor Violinist Howard Gottlieb, 5/2

On May 2, Merit School of Music will host its "Merit Makes Music Happen" Gala 2012, a cocktail-attire affair at the Four Seasons Hotel, 120 East Delaware Pl. in Chicago, to generate proceeds to directly benefit students enrolling in the 2012-2013 program year. Merit's annual Gala is its largest fundraiser, and its generous donors helped provide $2.5million in financial support given last year.

The event will feature a 6 p.m. reception and 7 p.m. dinner and program. Merit students and alumni will mingle among the nearly 500 Gala guests to share their success stories, and current Merit students will give special ensemble performances throughout the evening.

During the Gala, Merit will honor business executive, arts patron and violinist Howard Gottlieb with the Alice S. Pfaelzer Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts, created after Merit's co-founder to recognize those who are committed to the furtherance of the arts. Kenneth Griffin, founder and CEO of Chicago-based Citadel is Merit Gala's presenting sponsor, and Harrison I. Steans, chairman of the executive committee for Chicago-based Financial Investments Corp. is the dinner chair. Senator Dick Durbin, Governor Pat Quinn, Mayor Rahm Emanuel are honorary chairs.

"The Gala celebrates the Merit 'experience' and how it makes dreams come true for young Chicago students by expanding confidence, creativity, learning, community and endless opportunities," said Gala Chair Katharine Greis, business development director for agencyEA, a Chicago-based experiential marketing agency.

Individual Gala tickets are $500 each. For more information, contact Merit President Duffie Adelson at 312-267-4460 or dadelson@meritmusic.org.

Merit School of Music, www.meritmusic.org, is a non-profit community music school in Chicago's West Loop providing classical and jazz music education to 6,000 Chicago-area students, from newborns to age 18.