Eighth Annual ASCAP Foundation Awards

The eighth annual ASCAP Foundation Awards reception was held on December 3rd at the Walter Reade Theater at Manhattan's Lincoln Center. Honors were presented to a wide variety of Award, Scholarship, Fellowship and Residency recipients, all of whom benefit from programs of The ASCAP Foundation. The evening was highlighted by three awards given to musical veterans Lee Adams, Ned Rorem and George David Weiss. Pulitzer Prize winning composer Ned Rorem, who turned 80 earlier this year, received the ASCAP Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in Concert Music.

Pictured (l-r) are Lifetime Achievement Award recipients Ned Rorem and George David Weiss and Richard Rodger Award recipient Lee Adams.

ASCAP Foundation Fran Morgenstern Davis Scholarship recipient Charles Schiermeyer with presenter and ASCAP Foundation Board member Jay Morgenstern.

Presenter John Corigliano with Rorem.

ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award recipient Peter Mills with presenter musical theatre songwriter Carol Hall.

Susan Egan, who performed a selection of songs from Lee Adams’ and Charles Strouse’s Bye Bye Birdie, accompanied by Strouse.

ASCAP Foundation Leonard Bernstein Fellowship recipient Michael Djupstrom with presenter Jamie Bernstein.

Jazz legend and ASCAP Foundation Board member Dr. Billy Taylor with The ASCAP Foundation Max Dreyfus Scholarship recipient Kori Withers.

The ASCAP Foundation Mancini Music Scholarship recipient Chanda Y. Dancy with ASCAP Foundation Board member Ginny Mancini.

ASCAP Board member Jimmy Webb presented George David Weiss his Lifetime Achievement Award.

New York rock icon David Johansen performed two classic George David Weiss songs, “Lullaby of Birdland” and “What a Wonderful World.

2003 Young Jazz Composer Award recipient Bob Reynolds performing.

RUDY PEREZ SONGWRITING SCHOLARSHIP

ASCAP Vice President and Executive Director of The ASCAP Foundation Karen Sherry (on the left in photo) and ASCAP’s Senior VP of Latin Membership Alexandra Lioutikoff received a check from celebrated songwriter and leading producer of Latin music Rudy Perez and his wife, Betsy Perez. The gift established The ASCAP Foundation Rudy Perez Songwriting Scholarship and was announced at a luncheon held in his honor during September's 2003 Latin Grammy Awards in Miami. This scholarship will be presented annually to an aspiring Latino songwriter who demonstrates potential to produce creative and original work and also demonstrates financial need. This is the first ASCAP Foundation program to be initiated for Latino songwriters. The 2003 scholarship recipient is Mauricio Perez (no relation), a music student selected by the faculty at The University of Miami.

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP

The Executive Vice President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc., Phoebe Jacobs (on the left), received the Jazz at Lincoln Center Award for Leadership. Pictured with Jacobs is The ASCAP Foundation's Colleen McDonough.