Coast to Coast with Donors and Friends
Wilfred Mamuya, Hilary Kassler, and Hope Baker celebrate together after the show. Photo by Caitlin Cunningham.
From the Top was on the road last month, hosting several special events for board members, donors, and friends.
On October 6, more than 100 guests joined From the Top performers and Christopher O’Riley for a private reception following a live taping in Boston at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall.
Elizabeth Lodal, Sharon Percy Rockefeller, and Gail West enjoy an evening of music. Photo by The Documentist
On October 22, 65 guests gathered with Christopher O’Riley and From the Top alumni at the home of Jan and Elizabeth Lodal in McLean, Virginia. The event was co-hosted by From the Top corporate sponsor Glenmede, an investment, fiduciary, and wealth advisory firm. This was the seventh in a series of events that From the Top has hosted with Glenmede offices throughout the nation.
Hosts Jan and Elizabeth Lodal with From the Top performers Sterling Elliott, Avery Gagliano, and Ren Martin-Doike. Photo by The Documentist
Guests enjoyed performances by From the Top alumni 12-year-old Avery Gagliano, 14-year-old Sterling Elliott, 22-year-old Ren Martin-Doike, and host Christopher O’Riley. Christopher spoke with Avery about how the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey has helped her manage an incredibly busy schedule. Sterling shared that, as the last child to be born in the Elliott family, the only instrument left in the family quartet was cello, hence, he is a cellist (and a pretty fantastic one). Ren talked about how her affiliation with From the Top for many years has helped her take music beyond the concert hall and develop mentorship programs for other young musicians, both in her hometown in Hawaii and at the Curtis Institute of Music.
Pianist Brenda Kee and Wayne Brown, Music and Opera Director at the National Endowment for the Arts. Photo by The Documentist
That evening, guests included Stuart Haney of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and his wife Paula; Wayne Brown from the National Endowment for the Arts and his wife Brenda Kee; Sharon Percy Rockefeller of classical music and television station WETA, along with several members of the WETA Board of Trustees; and Arnold Polinger from the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation and his wife Diane.
A week later, From the Top was off to New York City for an event at the home of Bethany and Robert Millard. More than 45 donors and friends enjoyed performances by From the Top alums Elli Choi, Patrick McGuire, and Brian Ge on October 30.
12-year-old violinist and jetsetter Elli Choi had just returned from Switzerland, where she had been attending a music festival supported by From the Top’s Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award. Patrick McGuire, a 23-year-old cellist, shared how his passion for music, mentorship, and international relations has led to musical projects in Tanzania and Tunisia. 16-year-old Brian Ge talked about the important role music plays in his life, even though he plans to pursue other interests in college.
The evening’s guests included From the Top Artistic Advisor and President of The Juilliard School Joseph Polisi and his wife Elizabeth; From the Top Overseer and MSNBC President Phil Griffin and his wife Kory Apton; Jean Fitzgerald of U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management; Randy Harris from the Edward T. Cone Foundation; and Dr. Mark Siddall of the American Museum of Natural History.
From the Top’s most recent event followed a sold out live taping at Bing Concert Hall on the campus of Stanford University in California. On November 10, nearly 60 guests joined From the Top performers and Christopher O’Riley for a private reception – generously hosted by Helen and Peter Bing – following the show.
To view photos from our event in Boston, Massachusetts, click here.
To view photos from our event in McLean, Virginia, click here.
Upcoming private events for donors and friends are planned in Boston, Massachusetts, and Southern Florida. With questions or for more information, please contact give@fromthetop.org.
