EVANSTON, Ill. — The American Music Theatre Project and the Johnny Mercer Foundation celebrated the ninth annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project with ‘Songwriters In Concert’ on Saturday, June 28, at Northwestern University. Playing to a sold out house, the concert featured the work of 13 emerging songwriters from across the country.
Johnny Mercer Foundation Board President John Marshall welcomed the crowd and spoke about Johnny Mercer’s legacy as a mentor to young singers and songwriters throughout his career, and how that legacy has been the inspiration for the Project’s nine-year run. In attendance at the concert was the Johnny Mercer Foundation Board, including John Marshall, Vice President Jonathan Brielle, Dxecutive Director Frank Scardino, Dianne Thurman and Alvin Deutsch. The Board held its annual meeting in Chicago on Saturday a rare departure but a glowing testament to the success of the program in encouraging the next generation of songwriters and recognition of the extraordinary talent on the stage.
The concert was hosted by Master Teachers Craig Carnelia and Andrew Lippa and featured songwriters Mike Brun, Shannon Campbell, Georgia English, Trish Hosein, Michael Jade, Andrew Maillet, Lauren Marcus, Jess Nolan, Alexander Sage Oyen, Kyle Scherrer, John Anthony Shahor, Mark Sonnenblick and Blake Whyte. Of the 15 songs performed, more than two thirds were new songs written during the five-day workshop and several involved collaborations among writers who had met for the first time that week. The program was notable for the diversity of musical styles performed.
The Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project hosts the nation’s most promising songwriters in musical theatre, country, Latin, rock and contemporary pop music, and continues the legacy of legendary songwriter Johnny Mercer. The Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project is preparing for the tenth annual songwriting workshop in June 2015. Applications open January 2015.
About the Johnny Mercer Foundation
The mission of The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) is to support the discipline of songwriting in the tradition of the Great American Songbook, as exemplified by the life and work of Johnny: lyricist, composer, performer, collaborator and producer. The Foundation continues Johnny's legacy by partnering with individuals and organizations dedicated to celebrating and nourishing the disciplines he mastered and the causes he and his wife Ginny Mercer championed
American Music Theatre Project
The American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at NorthwesternUniversity brings together the nation’s leading artists in music theatre to work with Northwestern’s faculty and students. AMTP’s goal is to nourish and invigorate American music theatre by developing and producing new musicals; increasing opportunities for education and training with Northwestern’s theatre, music theatre and dance programs; and creating new connections between professional and academic communities. To learn more about AMTP, visit www.amtp.northwestern.edu.
NORTHWESTERN NEWS: www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/
(Source contact: Ryan Garson, General Manager, NorthwesternUniversity’s American Music Theatre Project at 847-467-1172 or rgarson@u.northwestern.edu; and Joel Solari, Manager of Marketing and Communications, NorthwesternUniversity’s WirtzCenter for the Performing Arts at 847-467-2426 or joel.solari@northwestern.edu.)
Company Name: ALCHIMIA PR & MARKETING
Contact Person: Edward Callaghan/John Wegorzewski
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Phone: 212-729-0834
Address:35 E 35th Street #6G
City: New York
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Website: www.johnnymercerfoundation.org
Source: www.abnewswire.com
