NYYS Annual Benefit Gala

NYYS Gala 64 Ignite! Celebrating those who inspire artistic excellence

Melissa Eisenstat, Gala 64 Chair, and NYYS Board Co-Chair

Join the New York Youth Symphony for a spectacular evening of gourmet food, custom cocktails, and inspiring performances as we celebrate two extraordinary leaders: NYYS Board Co-Chair Robert L. Poster, winner of The Johanna and Leslie Garfield Award for Arts Philanthropy, and award-winning conductor and NYYS alumnus Gerard Schwarz, winner of The Theodore L. Kesselman Award for Arts Education. Connect with friends, meet our supporters, and celebrate our remarkable young musicians!

The Evening

6:00 PM — Cocktails & Performances
The evening begins with cocktails and featured performances by musicians from the NYYS Jazz, Musical Theater Songwriting, and Chamber Music programs, under the artistic leadership of Michael Thomas, The Robert J. Levine Jazz Program Director; Michael Kooman, Musical Theater Songwriting Director; and Dr. Lisa Tipton, Chamber Music Director.

7:20 PM — World Premiere Fanfare
Guests will be called to dinner with the world premiere of a new brass fanfare by NYYS composer Isaac Thomas, led by Alex Gemeinhardt, conductor and member of the Robert L. Poster Apprentice Conducting Program.

7:30 PM — Dinner, Celebration & Special Performances
Dinner begins with performances by the NYYS Symphony Orchestra and Crescendo musicians, led by Andrew J. Kim, The Marica and Jan Vilcek Music Director.
The program will include music by Aaron Copland and the world premiere of a new work by Ignacio “Iggy” Rosado, commissioned especially for the Gala — continuing NYYS’s longstanding commitment to championing the next generation of composers and performers.

Throughout the evening, we will celebrate our honorees with remarks from distinguished guests and past honorees, including Jed Garfield and Joseph Polisi, with Elliot Forrest guiding the evening as host.

Gerard Schwarz

The Theodore L. Kesselman Award for Arts Education

An eight-time Emmy Award-winning and 15-time Grammy-nominated conductor, Gerard Schwarz is one of the most celebrated American conductors of his generation. An alumnus and founding member of the New York Youth Symphony, he trained at Juilliard and began his career as a trumpeter, playing with the American Brass Quintet and the American Symphony Orchestra before being named co-principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic. He made his conducting debut in 1966, and within a decade had taken on music directorships with the Waterloo Festival, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and the New York Chamber Symphony, which he co-founded in 1977.

His distinguished career has included major leadership roles with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Mostly Mozart Festival, where he now holds the title of Conductor Emeritus. His best-known tenure came with the Seattle Symphony, which he led as music director for 26 years, from 1985 until his retirement in 2011. There he made more than 100 recordings with the orchestra, built a repertory with particular focus on American symphonic works, and oversaw construction of the orchestra’s home, Benaroya Hall — later honored when the city named the street alongside the hall “Gerard Schwarz Place.” As a guest conductor, he has appeared with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Tokyo Philharmonic, and his discography now spans more than 350 recordings.

Today, he serves as Music Director of the Palm Beach Symphony and the Eastern Festival of Music while continuing to champion music education, contemporary composers, and emerging artists. He is also Distinguished Professor of Music, Conducting and Orchestral Studies at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, where he serves as Music Director of the Frost Symphony Orchestra.

Robert L. Poster

The Johanna and Leslie Garfield Award for Arts Philanthropy

Robert L. Poster has brought the same distinction, integrity, and commitment that have defined his extraordinary legal career to decades of service on behalf of the New York Youth Symphony. A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, Bob has been a leader in corporate, maritime, securities, and international business law for more than six decades.

At the NYYS, Bob has served as president, chair of the Board of Trustees, and as a member and leader of numerous committees and executive searches. His steady guidance, deep institutional knowledge, and unwavering commitment have helped shape the organization across generations. Bob’s extraordinary advocacy—together with that of his wife, Amy, whose devotion to the NYYS has been equally meaningful—is reflected in their generous support, including the naming of the Robert L. Poster Apprentice Conducting Program and the Amy G. and Robert L. Poster Concertmaster Chair.

Bob is a model of trustee leadership and arts advocacy. His belief in the power of music to transform lives, strengthen communities, and build culture was nurtured by his parents, who instilled in him a love of classical music from an early age. Through Bob and Amy’s remarkable generosity, leadership, and personal engagement, that legacy continues to open doors for young musicians to ensure that the NYYS remains strong for generations to come.

Ways to Support

64th New York Youth Symphony Annual Gala

Join Us in Celebrating the Next Generation of Musicians

NYYS Gala 64 Ignite! Celebrating those who inspire artistic excellence

The Evening

This year, we are proud to honor:

Gerard Schwarz

The Theodore L. Kesselman Award for Arts Education

Robert L. Poster

The Johanna and Leslie Garfield Award for Arts Philanthropy

Moments from Last Year's Gala

NYYS Supporters

Our Institutional Supporters

Ways to Support

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