ASCAP presented its singular, once-in-a-lifetime ASCAP Centennial Awards to Joan Baez, Garth Brooks, Billy Joel, Stephen Sondheim

100th anniversary and benefi ting The ASCAP Foundation. The event, hosted by ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, fea-

tured the Centennial Award recipients as well as special guest artists who performed in tribute to the honorees.

Sting and Chris Botti teamed up for an energetic performance of “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” before introducing the evening’s fi rst

honoree, Billy Joel. Joel expressed his gratitude for the Award and then delighted the crowd with a performance of “New York State of

Mind.” Trisha Yearwood paid tribute to her husband Garth Brooks before proceeding with a loving performance of “If Tomorrow Never

Comes.” Garth humbly accepted his award before performing his new song “I Am A Song,” for the fi rst time. Bernadette Peters spar-

kled with her performance of “Children Will Listen” in honor of Stephen Sondheim before Emmylou Harris paid a heartfelt tribute to

Joan

The event marked the fi rst-ever fundraiser benefi ting The ASCAP Foundation and its music education, talent development and humani-

tarian activities. The ASCAP Foundation, for which Paul Williams also serves as President, was established in 1975 and is a 501(c)(3) chari-

table organization whose programs impact countless deserving composers, songwriters, lyricists and music education organizations

nationwide. Funds raised from the evening will help sustain the Foundation’s signifi cant eff orts in safeguarding the future of music and

aff ording opportunities for memorable music experiences to the disadvantaged.

YOUNG JAZZ COMPOSER

ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams has announced the recipi-

ents of the 2015 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards. Established

by The ASCAP Foundation in 2002 to encourage gifted jazz composers

up to the age of 30, the program carries the name of the great trumpet-

er and ASCAP member Herb Alpert in recognition of The Herb Alpert

Foundation’s multi-year fi nancial commitment to support this unique

program. The recipients, who receive cash awards, range in age from 16

to 30, and are selected through a juried national competition.

The 2015 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award recipients are: Caio Afi une, 25; Quentin Angus,27; Bryson Barnes, 29; Bryn Bliska,22;

Lorenzo Carrano, 27; Mike Conrad, 26; Rafael Piccolotto de Lima,29; Nick Finzer; 26;Jon Hatamiya, 23; Josh Johnson, 25; Gene Knifi c,

22; Pascal Le Boeuf, 28; Guy Mintus, 23; Adam Neely, 26; Mark Ninmer, 16; Scott Ninmer, 26; Christopher Ott, 27; Josh Plotner,

22; John Raymond,29; Michael Schreier,23; Erica Seguine,27; Jeremy Siskind, 28; David von Kampen, 28; Marcus Wilcher, 30; Zac

Zinger,26; Christopher Zuar, 27. Composers receiving Honorable Mention this year are: Colleen Clark, 26; ArcoIris Sandoval, 27; Drew

Zaremba, 23.

The ASCAP composer/judges for the 2015 competition were: Chuck Iwanusa, Ted Piltzecker, and Sachal Vasandani.

Additional funding for this program is provided by The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund.

About The Herb Alpert Foundation

The Herb Alpert Foundation, a non-profi t, private foundation established in the early 1980’s, makes signifi cant annual contributions to a

TALENT DEVELOPMENT

pain and uplift their spirits. During these three day retreats songs are co-cre-

ated based on the soldiers’ stories of combat and returning home using col-

laboration and creativity to foster mutual understanding, respect, and healing.

Over the last two years, SongwritingWith:Soldiers has produced over 160 songs

of loss, triumph, struggle and resilience with more than 120 vets. Their stories be-

come songs that can be sung and shared forever. As a 2014 participant said about

it – tickets are expensive! The ASCAP Foundation has a solution for this and

thanks to generous donors, our “Children Will Listen” program, named in honor

of ASCAP member and musical theatre great Stephen Sondheim, was estab-

lished to bring the musical theatre experience to young students.

Recently, 75 fi fth graders from the Anna Silver School, located on Manhattan’s

Lower East Side, got the opportunity to experience Broadway by taking a trip

to the legendary New Amsterdam Theatre to attend a matinee performance of

the hit, Aladdin.

Prior to the performance, ASCAP member and four-time Tony nominee, Chad

Beguelin, the writer of the book as well as additional lyrics for the score of Alad-