Ann Hampton Callaway to Star in PSO Benefit, 4/17

Versatile singer, songwriter and pianist Ann Hampton Callaway, acclaimed for her performances in Manhattan nightclubs and on the Broadway stage, will entertain at the Princeton Symphony Orchestra's "A Classic Cabaret" on Saturday, April 17. The gala benefit, held annually as a fund-raiser for the BRAVO! education program and PSO's general operations, will take place at Bedens Brook Country Club, 240 Rolling Hill Road in Skillman, N.J.

The evening will evoke the glamour of a Gatsby-esque celebration with candlelit tables and guests are invited to dress in sequins and satin. In addition to Ms. Callaway's performance, revelers will enjoy cocktails, dinner and the PSO's not-to-be-missed auction of stays at exclusive vacation homes. Among this year's destinations are southern France, Ireland, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Big Sky, Montana. As a bonus, guests may bid on a gourmet dinner prepared by PSO Music Director Rossen Milanov.

The festivities will begin with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., followed by the dinner and show.
Ms. Callaway, accompanied by a pianist, will sing numbers to enhance the highbrow nightclub ambiance, including beloved favorites by great American songwriters and sultry, romantic selections.

Proceeds from the event support the PSO's well-regarded BRAVO! program, which introduces live classical music to more than 10,000 schoolchildren each year, and general operations of the PSO.

For information about the benefit, call the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, (609) 497-0020, or e-mail info@princetonsymphony.org. Ticket prices begin at $150 per guest, with various levels of premium sponsorships also available.

This year's Benefit Committee is co-chaired by Ellen Baber, Susie Paneyko, Caren Sturges and Nina Wainwright. Assisting them is a group of dedicated volunteers, including Janet Baxendale, Kathleen Biggins, Melanie Clarke, Liz Fillo, Toby Goodyear, Rachel Gray, Aline Haynes, Peggy Hughes-Fulmer, Lynette Hull, Kate Lindseth, Debbie Lunder, Ansie Monaghan, Lucy Anne Newman, Jacquie Phares, Ellen Pitts, Anne Reeves, Randie Roderick, Ruta Smithson, Martha Vaughn, Ellen Vickers and Nancy Woelk.

About Ann Hampton Callaway

As a champion of the Great American Songbook, Ann Hampton Callaway has made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer. Her unique singing style blends jazz and traditional pop, making her a mainstay in concert halls, theaters and jazz clubs, as well as in the recording studio, on television and in film. She is best known for her Tony-nominated performance in the Broadway musical "Swing!" and for writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV show "The Nanny." Ms. Callaway is a Platinum Award winning writer whose songs are featured on five of Barbra Streisand's recent CDs.

The only composer to have collaborated with Cole Porter, she has also written songs with Carole King, Rolf Lovland and Barbara Carroll, among others. "For sheer vocal beauty, no contemporary singer matches Ms. Callaway," writes The New York Times.

In live performance, Ms. Callaway is recognized as one of America's most gifted improvisers, taking words and phrases from her audiences and creating songs on the spot. She has been a special guest performer with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, and at many Carnegie Hall tributes. She has sung with more than 25 of the world's top orchestras and big bands, and has performed for President Bill Clinton in Washington, D.C. and at President Mikhail Gorbachev's Youth Peace Summit in Moscow. Ms. Callaway appeared with her sister, Broadway star Liz Callaway, in their award-winning show, "Sibling Revelry," at London's Donmar Warehouse.

In 2009, Ms. Callaway released a powerful collection of love songs, "At Last," on Telarc records. Other recordings include the live "Sibling Revelry," "Blues in the Night," "To Ella with Love," and two popular holiday CDs. She has also been a guest performer on more than 40 CDs. She made her feature film debut in "The Good Shepherd," performing "Come Rain or Come Shine," and recorded "Isn't It Romantic?" and "The Nearness of You" for "Last Holiday," starring Queen Latifah.

Ms. Callaway, who received an unprecedented 14 awards from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs, is currently writing songs for the upcoming movie musical "State of Affairs," and continues to devote much of her time to philanthropic causes. A New York resident, she may be found at www.annhamptoncallaway.com.

About BRAVO!

At the heart of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra's offerings is its highly praised education program, BRAVO!, which brings the excitement, magic and brilliance of live orchestral performances to thousands of school children. BRAVO! establishes PSO musicians in teaching partnerships at more than 30 public, private and special need schools throughout Central New Jersey. The program sends the orchestra into the community, where professional musicians engage with children, teachers and parents. All these services are provided without charge. Other BRAVO! projects, made possible by the annual benefit, include master classes for gifted high school instrumentalists and Listen Up!, a series designed to engage middle-school students to create art in response to what they hear at PSO concerts.

About the Princeton Symphony Orchestra

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is a cultural centerpiece of the Princeton community and one of the state's finest musical organizations. The orchestra has been guided by an extraordinary Board of Trustees and is grateful for the vision of its early Trustees, including Frank E. Taplin, Jr., Edward T. Cone, William F. Scheide, Reid White, Nathaniel Burt and Judy Thomson. Over the course of its 30-year history, the PSO's leadership has invested in the artistic excellence of its orchestral, chamber, and pops concert offerings. Under the auspices of BRAVO!, the PSO also produces wide-reaching and innovative education programs carried out in partnerships with local schools, arts organizations and other community agencies.

The PSO is proud to have been awarded the New Jersey State Council on the Arts' highest honors: Citation of Excellence and designation as a Major Arts Institution. The only professional orchestra to make its home in Princeton, the PSO performs at beautiful Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University. Founded in 1980 by Portia Sonnenfeld, the PSO was led for 22 years by Music Director Mark Laycock, who oversaw a period of artistic growth and achievement marked by innovative programming. In June 2009, the PSO board appoinTed Rossen Milanov as its third Music Director. Mr. Milanov is a gifted and accomplished conductor with outstanding musical credentials, energy and creativity.

Please visit our website at www.princetonsymphony.org or contact the PSO office at (609) 497-0020.

 

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