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Isabel Leonard

Isabel Leonard

Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

News
GRAMMY Week Salutes Music Of Leonard Bernstein grammy-salute-classical-music-salutes-leonard-bernstein-west-side-story

GRAMMY Salute To Classical Music Salutes Leonard Bernstein, "West Side Story"

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With assists from Lang Lang, Ledisi and Isabel Leonard, a variety of selections from the famed composer formed the centerpiece of a classical celebration at the venerable Carnegie Hall
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Jan 26, 2018 - 5:14 pm

There are a variety of delightful ways to spend a chilly Friday afternoon in New York. But taking in a matinee performance at Carnegie Hall just might rank at the top of the list.

Watch Spike Lee's Star-Studded 'NY Stories' Film

With GRAMMY Week kicking into high gear, the famed New York venue played host to the GRAMMY Salute To Classical Music, a program paying tribute to — as co-host Lang Lang described — one of the "greatest American musicians": legendary composer Leonard Bernstein. The event doubled as one of the 2,500 programs commemorating the composer's 100th birthday.

The location couldn't have been more appropriate as co-host Jamie Bernstein, and daughter of Leonard Bernstein, explained her father "conducted hundreds of concerts" at Carnegie Hall.

Ledisi at the 2018 GRAMMY Salute To Classical Music at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Jan. 26, 2018
2018 GRAMMY Salute To Classical Music

The brisk menu of performances was predominantly comprised of selections from Bernstein's incomparable "West Side Story," a musical that is not only arguably the 16-time GRAMMY winner's benchmark but is very much a timeless capsule of New York City given its storyline takes place in the Upper West Side neighborhood.

"My father believed in the power of music to promote peace and brotherhood, which inspired the music of 'West Side Story,'" said Jamie Bernstein.

Kicking off the proceedings was "Overture To Candide," a piece Bernstein composed for the 1956 operetta "Candide." The lilting number was given a fresh interpretation by a sextet of young pianists, Chelsea Guo, Eden Chen, Maxim Lando, Elliot Wuu, Clayton Stephenson, and Kimberly Han — all of whom are prodigies affiliated with Lang Lang's International Music Foundation, which is dedicated to ensuring children have access to music education.

The sound of nylon strings filled the hall as classical guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas plucked his way through two dynamic Francisco Tárrega pieces, "Memories Of Alhambra" and "Gran Jota De Concierto." The nimble-fingered Villegas also played a trio of selections from "West Side Story," including the romantic "Maria."

Vocalist Kiana Ledé brought some authentic Broadway-esque bravado to the proceedings with a reading of the upbeat "100 Easy Ways To Lose A Man," a selection from Bernstein's music to 1953's "Wonderful Town."

The trio Time For Three — violinists Nick Kendall and Charles Yang and double bassist Ranaan Meyer — performed an inventive arrangement of "Something's Coming" from "West Side Story."

Current GRAMMY nominee Ledisi showcased an operatic side of her voice. The R&B singer performed a song about "unadulterated joy," "A Simple Song" from Bernstein's 1971 theater work, "Mass." Ledisi punctuated her performance with fist pumps as she walked off stage.

Jamie Bernstein explained that her father wrote the next song as a "plea for all of us to keep our country honest and open-hearted." Mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, an acclaimed singer who "grew up listening to the music of Bernstein," helmed the aptly titled "Take Care Of This House" from Bernstein's "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue" (named after the address of the White House). Accompanied by pianist Michael Barrett, Leonard's voice resonated to the hall's upper balcony.

"[This is] one of the most moving pieces ever wrote by Bernstein," Lang Lang explained as he introduced the finale, "Somewhere" from "West Side Story."

With Lang Lang joined by singers from the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts Chorus, the moving number — and its sentiment of "there's a place for us, somewhere a place for us" — seemed a perfect way to pull the curtain on the day's celebration of Bernstein and classical music.

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Neil Portnow Champions MusiCares, Recording Academy Advocacy, GRAMMY Museum | 2018 GRAMMYs

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Recording Academy President/CEO takes a moment to reflect on 60 years of music excellence and look forward to a bright future for the organization's pillars
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Jan 28, 2018 - 7:46 pm

The 60th GRAMMY Awards proved to be a show for the ages. The show not only featured a variety of colorful performances, it took place in the backdrop of the Big Apple, marking a return to New York for the first time in 15 years. The monumental evening represented a full-circle moment of sorts for Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow, who championed themes of celebration and excellence during his telecast remarks.

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"How do you top the milestone of a 60th anniversary?  Well, you celebrate it in New York City," said Portnow. "It was a big night for me 15 years ago, right here on this stage, as I began my first year as President of the Recording Academy."

Delving back to the organization's beginning, Portnow raised a toast to the thousands of recipients who have earned a GRAMMY Award.

"So what do 60 years of excellence look like? We have awarded more than 9,600 GRAMMYs, music's highest accolade, and we are the most-watched music event in the world," said Portnow.

The Recording Academy's work year-round extends into health and human services. Through its affiliated charity, MusiCares, the Academy helps musicians who are in dire need of financial, medical and emergency assistance. MusiCares is also there in the face of terrible tragedy in providing relief to victims of natural disasters.

"Our MusiCares charity has provided nearly $58 million dollars in aid and served more than 125,000 people in our community," said Portnow. "And this includes saving lives with addiction recovery and sober living help.

"We're in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and now California helping music people recover from devastating hurricanes and fires. And as a nation, we must help all of our brothers and sisters until they are back on their feet."

From midterm elections to music licensing and funding for the arts, there are many advocacy storylines music creators should keep their eye on in 2018. The Recording Academy keeps a constant pulse on any new policy developments affecting the livelihood of music creators, a point Portnow underscored.

"The Academy's work on Capitol Hill improves the lives of music creators, and thousands participate in all 50 states in the largest grassroots movement for music in history," he said. "The time is right, and we are working closely with Congress to pass comprehensive music licensing reform, which began with a GRAMMY-timed congressional hearing where I had the privilege to testify, right here in New York, just two days ago."

More than just a museum with amazing exhibits, the GRAMMY Museum raises the flag for music education. Millions have gone through the Museum's collective turnstiles and received a taste of the rich programming offered 365 days a year. Portnow took a moment to reference the incredible work the Museum undertakes to ensure music remains a vital part of our nation's education system.

"The GRAMMY Museum has welcomed more than 5 million visitors to our locations in Los Angeles, Mississippi, Nashville, and New Jersey, and traveling exhibits in 29 cities and 8 countries," said Portnow. "And we've provided over $10 million for our music education programs and opportunities for students.

"The recently launched GRAMMY Music Education Coalition is dedicated to building universal music participation in schools nationwide. Just imagine every student in America having access to music programs; with your help and support, we can make that dream a reality."

Before signing off, Portnow punctuated his remarks with a reminder that music — now, more so than ever — has the power to serve as a uniting force.

"Our music community stands strong and committed to providing hope and inspiration in difficult and divisive times. You can count on our music to soothe our souls, or issue a clarion call to action, as our voices will remain an indelible part of our culture and future."

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Lineup Set For GRAMMY Classical Salute With Lang Lang

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GRAMMY Salute To Classical Music on Jan. 26 to feature Kiana Ledé, Ledisi, Isabel Leonard, Pablo Sainz Villegas, Time For Three, and young pianists celebrating the legacy of Leonard Bernstein
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Jan 23, 2018 - 2:11 pm

Now that GRAMMY Week is here, performers have been announced for the Jan. 26 GRAMMY Salute To Classical Music, hosted by pianist Lang Lang at Carnegie Hall in New York. The rich line-up includes seasoned GRAMMY winners and nominees along with piano prodigies and a youth choir. Let's take a closer look.

The theme of this year's event is celebrating the legacy of legendary composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein. The Recording Academy, in conjunction with CAMI Music, prepared a program ready to take its place among the worldwide performances celebrating "Leonard Bernstein at 100."

To celebrate, the GRAMMY Salute To Classical Music has assembled a world-class collection of multigenre artists who will perform, including soprano Isabel Leonard, R&B star Ledisi, string trio Time For Three, Los Angeles-based R&B artist Kiana Ledé, and Spanish guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas. In addition, Lang Lang's Lang Lang International Music Foundation will be featured onstage as more than a dozen young prodigies share their musical insights into Bernstein's vision.

Concluding the program, a youth chorus from The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, founded by Tony Bennett, and members of the Harmony Program will perform the finale with Leonard for a multigenerational look to the past and the future.

Like classical music itself, Bernstein's legacy is alive. Friday night will be a chance to enjoy its flourishing.

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Neil Portnow Addresses Diversity & Inclusion, Looks Ahead During Speech At 2019 GRAMMYs

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Jimmy Jam helps celebrate the outgoing President/CEO of the Recording Academy on the 61st GRAMMY Awards
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Feb 10, 2019 - 9:58 pm

As Neil Portnow's tenure as Recording Academy President/CEO draws to its end, five-time GRAMMY winner Jimmy Jam paid tribute to his friend and walked us through a brief overview of some of the Academy's major recent achievements, including the invaluable work of MusiCares, the GRAMMY Museum, Advocacy and more.

Portnow delivered a brief speech, acknowledging the need to continue to focus on issues of diversity and inclusion in the music industry. He also seized the golden opportunity to say the words he's always wanted to say on the GRAMMY stage, saying, "I'd like to thank the Academy," showing his gratitude and respect for the staff, elected leaders and music community he's worked with during his career at the Recording Academy. "We can be so proud of what we’ve all accomplished together," Portnow added.

"As I finish out my term leading this great organization, my heart and soul are filled with gratitude, pride, for the opportunity and unequal experience," he continued. "Please know that my commitment to all the good that we do will carry on as we turn the page on the next chapter of the storied history of this phenomenal institution."

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What’s Inside the 61st GRAMMYs Gifting Lounge? what%E2%80%99s-inside-61st-grammys-gifting-lounge

What’s Inside the 61st GRAMMYs Gifting Lounge?

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From luxurious skincare products to a virtual-reality trip to Kyoto, here's a sneak peek at the high-end GRAMMY gifts performers and presenters will receive this year
Tamara Palmer
GRAMMYs
Feb 8, 2019 - 1:15 pm

Performing artists and presenters of the 61st GRAMMY Awards have the option of taking a stroll through the GRAMMYS Gifting Lounge to receive some fabulous (and fabulously free) items during rehearsal days.

"We're thrilled to be a very small part of a very big show,” said Lash Fary, founder of Distinctive Assets, which has produced the GRAMMYs Gifting Lounge for the past 20 years. "It’s something that the artists now, over the years, have grown accustomed to as a perk they are very well aware that they get for coming on the show, which is very cute."

Fary noted that Distinctive Assets' GRAMMYs Gifting Lounges have won over some big names.

"In the past people like Mary J. Blige have shown up and said, 'Where’s the gift lounge?' And even when artists don't have the time or interest to come through the lounge, like Adele, the last time she was in LA and on the show she asked for some of the kids’ stuff. We had Hasbro Games here, so she asked that the kid stuff be brought to her dressing room so her son could play with them.

“We have artists like Ricky Martin and Faith Hill, who don't do gift lounges typically but they’ll do ours because they know that we are here as a true artform of the GRAMMYS and we respect them," he revealed. "They know if we say we aren't doing photos then we won’t do photos, that we have great stuff, that we respect their time and get them in and out quickly. So it’s just great! These are my favorite three days of the year, GRAMMYS rehearsal days, and we've got amazing thank-you gifts for them. There’s something for everyone."

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Photo credit: Tamara Palmer

The Recording Academy took an exclusive spin through the Gifting Lounge when it opened on Thursday afternoon and got a peek at some of those perks that stars can take home. This year, there are a number of vendors focused on beauty and wellness, including ReFa's Japanese microcurrent beauty rollers and collagen-enhanced drink mixers, Source Naturals' vitamins and herbal supplements, Neoteny’s age-fighting kits (including a mask called Resting Bitch Face), It’s a 10's pro hair care tools and entertainment industry’s makeup that breathes and heals skin as it conceals, pitched as a smart choice for the entertainment industry's heavy makeup needs

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Oxygenetix
Photo credit: Tamara Palmer

Guests are invited to experience ishiki, a Japanese sense of consciousness and well-being, via a virtual reality trip to Kyoto; stars will be gifted a pair of virtual reality glasses to take more transportive trips at home or while on the road.

23 and Me will allow stars to dig deeper into their ancestry, teasing that they never know what they might discover. Truth Initiative packed backpacks full of Xbox games, hats, sunglasses and fanny packs from their forthcoming retail collection to say "don't get played" when it comes to vaping and smoking.

Dr. Tabatha Carr flew from Oklahoma to California to showcase her gluten-free, dairy-free and naturally sweetened Good Girl Chocolate at the GRAMMYs Gifting Lounge. After showing us before and after pictures of her 100-pound weight loss, she offered us a taste of a lush vegan dark chocolate-encased agave and cashew butter filled caramel that could easily become a happy habit.

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Ishiki
Photo credit: Tamara Palmer

Grossé, a costume jewelry designer that designed collections for Dior for over 50 years, hopes to drip stars in convincing baubles, while Millianna is introducing "shoelery," chains meant to be draped around boots or stilettos. PRSVR, a Chicago lifestyle brand that recently opened a by-appointment showroom just blocks away, is hoping to gift Cardi B with a pair of fur sleeves—vegan or fox, her choice.

"We've been fortunate to really use Instagram to connect with celebrities,” said PRSVR's Margaret Williamson. "So our client list includes Tank, Diddy, Ciara, Teyana Taylor, Meek Mill, Fabolous and Nicki Minaj."

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Good Girl Chocolate
Photo credit: Tamara Palmer

Alpha Priority, a worldwide meet and greet airport concierge service, was looking forward to catching up with the stars planning on coming through the Gifting Lounge, many of whom a rep said are already clients. They’ll be gifted with a free meet and greet that will be arrange at their convenience.

As the longtime GRAMMYS Gifting Lounge producer, Lash Fary certainly isn't one to get star-struck, but there is one particular luminary who he hopes to see in there this year.

"Dolly Parton,” he said, name-checking the MusiCares Person of the Year without hesitation. "Just because she’s so nice! Dolly is one of my favorite people. I’ve met her at a few award shows so I love her and I’m hoping that we get to see her. There’s not a lovelier person on the planet than Dolly; she just makes you feel good about yourself."

Watch the 61st GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Feb. 10 on CBS.

61st GRAMMY Awards
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