Encore Gala Reaches New Record for Dollars Raised
American Idol finalist and Berklee alumna Ashley Rodriguez was among the evening’s guest performers.
Phil Farnsworth
On October 23, 2010, Berklee hosted the 16th Annual Encore Gala at Boston’s Westin Copley Place Hotel and raised nearly $1.4 million: a record high for the event. Emmy Award–winning actor John Larroquette, the star of the TV series CSI:NY and the father of a Berklee student, served as the evening’s MC. Other special guests included American Idol finalist Ashley Rodriquez ’09, award-winning singer-songwriter Patty Larkin ’74, and hit makers Tower of Power.
Nearly 800 guests dined and danced to the sounds of more than 150 faculty, alumni, and student musicians in six nightclub settings that showcased diverse musical themes, from bluegrass to r&b and classical to salsa. Soul legends Tower of Power brought down the house with a high-energy dance set during the Starlight Finale, the evening’s closing event. A live auction offered partygoers the opportunity to bid on a catered home concert by Berklee Professor Livingston Taylor, trips to the Grammy Awards and Monterey Jazz Festival, a special Lady Gaga VIP package, and more. Attendees also got to bid on an array of unique silent-auction items.
Special thanks go to Encore Gala principal lead sponsor Bain Capital Children’s Charity Ltd. and colead sponsors Abrams Capital LLC, Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, and Subaru of New England. Teresa Koster and Berklee trustees Elliott Hillback and Carmichael Roberts served as Encore Gala cochairs.
All proceeds from the event go to the Berklee City Music Program (BCMP), a nonprofit educational initiative that harnesses the potential of contemporary music to reach underserved middle-school and high-school students. BCMP offers year-round, tuition-free instruction by expert faculty members, a comprehensive curriculum, individualized mentoring, academic counseling, and scholarship opportunities.
Ultimately, the outreach program enables its participants to successfully embark on higher education and careers. Over the past 20 years, BCMP’s caring instruction has positively affected hundreds of young lives. Ashley Rodriquez (one of the gala’s special-guest performers) and Saturday Night Live band pianist Tuffus Zimbabwe ’05 are two of the many success stories to come from BCMP.
For information on donating to the Berklee City Music Program, visit www.berklee.edu/giving.
Beverly Tryon is Berklee’s director of corporate and foundation relations.
