Over 300 of South Florida's philanthropic and community leaders were enveloped in holiday music and candlelight at the annual Frost School of Music's Winter Wonderful Gala at the J.W. Marriott Marquis on December 5, 2021. Guests included Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools Alberto Carvalho, Former Governor of Florida Jeb Bush, and Platinum Sponsor Lynda Gordon from The Gordon Alliance.
Proceeds from this distinctive event support the Frost School of Music's Donna E. Shalala MusicReach Program, which uses music as a motivating tool to provide underserved children and teens in Miami-Dade County with positive life choices and a gateway for higher education. Donna E. Shalala MusicReach Program.
More than 180 Frost School student performers, under the direction of Frost School’s internationally renowned Director of Choral Activities, Dr. Amanda Quist, Associate Professor, Dr. Corin Overland, and Vocal Performance Department Chair Dr. Frank Ragsdale, played joyfully to ring in the holiday season.
UM President Julio Frenk and the Dean of the Frost School of Music, Shelton G. Berg, presented the 2021 Frost Legacy Award to Susana Ibargüen (in memoriam) and Alberto Ibargüen and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in honor of their support of the school and their positive impact on the arts and culture of our beautiful community.
Alberto who is President and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation accepted the Legacy Award, in honor of Susana, who also had a deep passion for the arts, as emotions swept throughout the ballroom. "Susana helped propel Miami into an internationally recognized arts and cultural community, as she dedicated herself to the Pérez Art Museum where she rose from advocate to volunteer, board member and then president of its board of trustees,” stated dean Berg, “her contributions live on in our community and within all of our hearts."
Under the leadership of Alberto Ibargüen, the music school received its first significant grant from the Knight Foundation establishing the Knight Foundation Endowment for Music Programs. Frost was also awarded a grant for the Henry Mancini Institute’s cross-genre orchestra to bring its blend of stylistically diverse music to community venues. Through the support of the Knight Foundation, under Alberto Ibargüen’s leadership, the ground was just broken on the Knight Recital Hall at the University of Miami. This iconic project will create an immense impact for the school for generations to come, and elevate the ability to deliver groundbreaking experiences in state-of-the-art spaces to some of the world’s best emerging talent.
Berg surprised Alberto Ibargüen with a special musical tribute in honor of Susana, the Aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations, one of her favorite compositions.
Some other notable guests in attendance included: Allan M. Herbert, Jeffrey and Tina Miller, Stuart Miller, Robert and Judi Prokop Newman, Ambassadors Sue and Chuck Cobb, Dorothy and Henry Norton, Jonathan and Karen Fryd, Hazel Rosen, Jacqueline Simkin, and Marta Weeks Wulf.
Guests were treated to a surprise appearance by international superstar Havasi, who performed a beautiful solo piano composition. Havasi became enamored with Frost during his recent performance in South Florida when he treated students to a master class and special concert. Havasi, who is as comfortable with classical music as he is with rock, sells out concert halls and arenas around the world such as Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and the Wembley Arena, exemplifies the non-siloed curriculum, at the Frost School of Music.
