Honorees for their support of music and music therapy, from left: Christian McBride, Julia Justo, Deborah Korzenik, and David Amram.
The 2019 “What a Wonderful World” gala, a benefit for the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine, was a festive evening of music, dance, and expressions of gratitude to four honorees for their support of music and music therapy. The recent event, held at Space 54 in Manhattan, was hosted by the nonprofit Wonderful World: Friends of Music Therapy Inc.
This year’s honorees were Deborah Korzenik, Senior Associate General Counsel of the Mount Sinai Health System, for her work in patient care and medical ethics; Christian McBride, a Grammy Award-winning bassist and composer and the host of the NPR program Jazz Night in America, who received the Phoebe Jacobs Award, presented by the jazz guitarist Pat Metheny; David Amram, the prolific composer, conductor, and musician, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award; and Julia Justo, a photographer and painter who was honored for her resilience as a music therapy patient.
Bruce Sabath, the star of Fiddler on the Roof, sang “If I Were a Rich Man.”
The gala was hosted by its Chair, Edwin Sirlin, and featured performances by artists including Bruce Sabath, the star of Fiddler on the Roof; the salsa band of Tito Rodriguez Jr.; the Garry Dial Trio; Erik Lawrence; and Mr. McBride. The emcees were Mercedes Ellington and Bill Daughtry.
“We are proud of the breadth and scope of patients we serve and our research projects with doctors and nurses, from neonatal care to oncology, Alzheimer’s and stroke,” said Joanne V. Loewy, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, Founder and Director of the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine, based at Mount Sinai Beth Israel.
The Department of Music Therapy, with support from the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, serves the Mount Sinai Health System, providing a range of clinical services for adults and children, both in-house and within the community. Its music therapists are licensed and board certified to provide care that complements medical treatment, assisting with sedation, pain management, and neurologic and respiratory function.
Jazz guitarist Pat Metheny presented the Phoebe Jacobs Award to Christian McBride.
Patient Julia Justo received an award from Andrew Rossetti, MMT, MT-BC, Coordinator of Music Therapy in Radiation Oncology.
Deborah Korzenik received an award from Robert “Red” Schiller, MD, Chair of Family Medicine and Community Health, Mount Sinai Beth Israel.
David Amram received the Lifetime Achievement Award from jazz vocalist Renée Manning.