January 07, 2013

17th Annual ASCAP Foundation Awards Ceremony Highlighted by Champion Award to Superstar Jason Mraz

Recognizing His Commitment to Using Music to Help Others

ASCAP Foundation President, Paul Williams with Jason Mraz, The ASCAP Foundation Champion Award recipient.
Mariana and Paul Williams with the inaugural recipient of the Mariana & Paul Williams “Sunlight of the Spirit” Award, Rob Turrell.
ASCAP Foundation Champion Award recipient Jason Mraz treats the audience to a performance of his song, “I Won’t Give Up,” from his album, Love is a Four Letter Word.
Award-winning composer/lyricist Adam Guettel presents the Mary Rodgers Lorenz Hart Award to Marcy Heisler.
Nick (l) and Joe Raposo (second from r) with Andrew Barkan and Polly Hall, recipients of the Joe Raposo Children’s Music Award.
Cabaret performer Jamie deRoy (l) presents the Jamie deRoy & friends Award to Michele Brourman.
Patty Allen (l) with the Robert Allen Award recipient, Kate Davis.
Robert Bienstock (l), COO and VP of Carlin America with the recipient of the Freddy Bienstock Scholarship & Internship, Morgan Gusby.
ASCAP Foundation Board Member Irwin Z. Robinson (r) and his wife Joan (l) with Paul McPherson, recipient of the Joan & Irwin Robinson Scholarship.
Stanley Crouch, President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, presents University of New Orleans student Kristofer Tokarski with the Louis Armstrong Scholarship.
Shapiro, Bernstein & Co.’s Michael (2nd from l) & Doug Brettler (r) with ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams congratulate Jacob Davis (l), recipient of the Leon Brettler Award.
ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento and his wife Barbara, (second from r) with recipients of the Barbara & John LoFrumento Award: Lisa Sandagata, Director of Outreach for Music Conservatory of Westchester, Music Therapy Institute (l) with students Max Shearon (center) and Paul Evangelista (r).
Peter Stoller (second from l) with the Leiber & Stoller Music Scholarship recipients, Zach Darf (l) and Mayu Isom (second from r) and ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams.
John Titta (l), CEO of MPCA Music Publishing, presents the Sammy Cahn Award to k.s. Rhoads.
Louis Prima, Jr. (l) with Miles Berry, recipient of the Louis Prima Award.
ASCAP Foundation Executive Director, Karen Sherry (l) presents the BMG Chrysalis Scholarship in honor of Quincy Jones to Deborah Pierre.
Paul Williams with Adam Ali (second from l), recipient of the Ira Gershwin Scholarship; Tommy Newman (r) recipient of the Cole Porter Award and ASCAP Foundation Board Member Robert Kimball (second from r).
Alexander Bernstein (l) with the Leonard Bernstein Award recipient, Ted Hearne.
Dr. Roderic Gorney (l), Jay Gorney Award recipient Dustin James, Sondra Gorney and ASCAP Foundation President, Paul Williams.
ASCAP’s Cia Toscanini presents the Louis Dreyfus Warner/Chappell CCNY Scholarship to Shy Kedmi.
ASCAP Foundation Board member Stephen Schwartz (center) with Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award recipients, Alan Zachary (l) and Michael Weiner (r).
Songwriter Jimmy Webb with John Fullbright, recipient of the Harold Adamson Lyric Award.
Jimmy Webb with Mike Pettry, recipient of the Harold Adamson Lyric Award for Musical Theater.
Songwriter Desmond Child (l) with Ari Zizzo, recipient of the Desmond Child Anthem Award.
ASCAP Foundation Board member, Valerie Simpson (l) presents the “Reach Out and Touch” Award in honor of Nick Ashford to KimberlyNichole.
ASCAP Foundation board member, Dean Kay (l) with the recipient of the Michelle & Dean Kay Award, Nicholas Jacobson-Larson (center) and Michelle Kay.
Lynn Mizzy Jonas presents the inaugural Vic Mizzy Scholarship to Curt Dumas.
ASCAP Foundation board member Jim Kendrick, announces the recipients of the 2012 Morton Gould Young Composer Awards.
Great Nephew of songwriter Jimmy Van Heusen, Brook Babcock (l) presents the inaugural Jimmy Van Heusen Award to Chase Morrin.
Colleen McDonough, Director of The ASCAP Foundation, with Nicholas Brittell, recipient of the Henry Mancini Music Fellowship.
“Sunlight of the Spirt” Award recipient, Rob Turrell, performs his original song, “Habits That I Feed.”
Honoree KimberlyNichole (center) performs her original song, “Sarah the Dare Devil.”
Kaufman Music Center’s Face the Music youth ensemble perform an original piece, “4 NYC Things,” written by 11-year-old composer, Abe Gold.
Harold Adamson Lyric Award recipient and Grammy nominee, John Fullbright, performs his award-winning song, “Movin.”
Joe Raposo Children’s Music Award recipients, Andrew Barkan & Polly Hall perform their award-winning song, “When You’re A Dog.”
Jay Gorney Award recipient Dustin James (r) performs his original song, “God Gave Hope A Name” with vocalist, Brittini Black.
Michael Rose (l) and Matt Cavanaugh (r) perform “Unlike Anyone I’ve Ever Known,” an original song by Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award recipients, Alan Zachary & Michael Weiner.
Chase Morrin, recipient of both the Jimmy Van Heusen Award and the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award performs his original piece, “Danzón for My Family.”
Alan Zachary, Mary Rodgers, Paul Williams and Michael Weiner.
Christopher Lilley, recipient of the Fran Morgenstern Davis Scholarship, with Paul Williams.
Ben Benack, recipient of the Fran Morgenstern Davis Scholarship, with Paul Williams.
Jason Mraz, Phil Ramone and Paul Williams.
Colleen McDonough with John Grimmett, recipient of the Max Dreyfus Scholarship.
Colleen McDonough with Dorian Gomez, recipient of the Rudy Perez Songwriting Scholarship.
Roman Kariolou, recipient of the Harold Arlen Film & TV Award with Karen Sherry.
Garth Neustadter, recipient of the David Rose Award with Karen Sherry.
Paul Williams with Irving Berlin Summer Camp Scholarship, Mona Dinal.
Vidjay Beerepoot, recipient of the Steve Kaplan TV & Film Studies Scholarship with Paul Williams.
Colleen McDonough with the Irving Caesar Scholarship recipient, Gordan Lam.
Paul Williams with the Irving Caesar Scholarship recipient, Alexander Castillo.

New York, December 12, 2012. The ASCAP Foundation honored multi-Grammy Award-winning artist Jason Mraz with The ASCAP Foundation Champion Award for his longtime leadership in such social causes as human equality, environmental protection, arts education and assisting people with spinal cord injuries. Previous recipients of the Champion Award include Billy Joel, John Mellencamp, Judy Collins, Arlo Guthrie and Tony Bennett and Susan Bennedetto.

The accolade was presented during the Foundation's 17th Annual Awards Ceremony, held at The Allen Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall, Time Warner Center, New York City. The invitation-only event, hosted by ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams, also honored a wide variety of Scholarship and Award recipients, all of whom benefit from programs of The ASCAP Foundation.
Hailed as one of today's most gifted pop troubadours, Jason Mraz is a photographer, activist, surfer, yogi, student, and teacher. Jason has taken his musical journey from coffee houses to stadiums globally and now has two Grammy Awards and six Grammy nominations to his credit. Mraz's WE SING. WE DANCE. WE STEAL THINGS. proved a global blockbuster, earning numerous platinum certifications worldwide. One of the album's hit songs, "I'm Yours" was a momentous #1 smash in many formats around the world, earning ASCAP's 2010 "Song of the Year" award while also setting the record for the longest-running song in the 51-year history of Billboard's "Hot 100." "I Won't Give Up," Mraz's most recent single from his new album Love Is A Four Letter Word, is also proving to be a hit, approaching 5 million in worldwide sales. In addition, Mraz has been feted with a number of other honors, including the Songwriters Hall of Fame's esteemed "Hal David Starlight Award," presented to gifted songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs.

As a social activist, Mraz has worked closely with such groups as Surfrider Foundation, Free the Slaves, and the True Colors Fund, and has actively supported VH1's Save the Music, Free the Children, SPARC, (the School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community), MusiCares, and Life Rolls On (an organization devoted to improving the lives of young people affected by spinal cord injuries. He is an outspoken advocate for a clean environment, sustainable energy, education and human equality, recently creating the Jason Mraz Foundation to help sustain organizations aligned with his pillars of service. This month, Mraz will make an historic appearance in Myanmar, becoming the first international artist to ever perform an open-air show in the country. The show, in partnership with MTV Exit, will serve to raise awareness of human trafficking, yet another cause Mraz will lend his humanitarian voice to.

Commenting on the award to Mraz, Paul Williams said, "Jason Mraz is one of our most gifted and successful contemporary songwriter-artists. I've come to know Jason as a man as giving as he is gifted. Committed to improving the lives of his fellow human beings - whether through environmental activism, speaking out for the rights of the Gay and Lesbian community or working to make a difference for those afflicted with spinal cord injuries, he is richly deserving of The ASCAP Foundation Champion Award."

The evening was highlighted by musical performances by Jason Mraz, Harold Adamson Award recipient John Fullbright, Jay Gorney Award-winner Dustin James, Mariana & Paul Williams Sunlight of the Spirit Award recipient Rob Turrell, Joe Raposo Award winners Andrew Barkan & Polly Hall, Jimmy Van Heusen Award/ Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award winner Chase Morrin and Reach Out and Touch Award recipient KimberlyNichole. In addition, Broadway stars Matt Cavenaugh and Michael Rose performed a song by Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award recipients Michael Weiner & Alan Zachary.

About The ASCAP Foundation
Founded in 1975, The ASCAP Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators and encouraging their development through music education and talent development programs. Included in these are songwriting workshops, grants, scholarships, awards, recognition and community outreach programs for songwriters, composers and lyricists. The ASCAP Foundation is supported by contributions from ASCAP members and from music lovers throughout the United States. www.ascapfoundation.org

# # #

A COMPLETE LIST OF AWARD AND SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS FOLLOWS

2012 Award and Scholarship Recipients

Harold Adamson Lyric Award
John Fullbright
Mike Pettry

Robert Allen Award
Kate Davis

Harold Arlen Award
Roman Kariolou - Film & TV

Louis Armstrong Scholarship at Queens College
Carsten Rubeling

Louis Armstrong Scholarship Honoring W.C. Handy
Jameil White

Louis Armstrong Scholarship at the University of New Orleans
Kristofer Tokarski

"Reach Out and Touch" Award in honor of Nick Ashford
KimberlyNichole

Charlotte V. Bergen Scholarship
Tengku Ahmad Irfan

Irving Berlin Summer Camp Scholarship
Mona Dinal

Leonard Bernstein Award
Ted Hearne

Freddy Bienstock Scholarship & Internship
Morgan Gusby

Boosey & Hawkes Young Composer Award Honoring Aaron Copland
Eli Greenhoe

Leon Brettler Award
Jacob Davis

Irving Burgie Scholarship
Jordan Childs

BMG Chrysalis Scholarship in Honor of Quincy Jones
Deborah Pierre

Leo Kaplan Award
William David Cooper

Steve Kaplan TV & Film Studies Scholarship
Vidjay Beerepoot

Michelle & Dean Kay Award
Nicholas Jacobson-Larson

Leiber & Stoller Music Scholarship
Zach Darf, Mayu Isom

Livingston & Evans Music Scholarship
Nathan Kirchhoff

Frederick Loewe Scholarship
Will Buck

Barbara & John LoFrumento Award
Music Conservatory of Westchester
Music Therapy Institute,
Eastchester School District

Henry Mancini Music Fellowship
Nicholas Britell

Vic Mizzy Scholarship
Curt Dumas

Rudolf Nissim Prize
Gene Koshinski

Rudy Perez Songwriting Scholarship
Dorian Gomez

Cole Porter Award
Tommy Newman

Louis Prima Award
Miles Berry

Joe Raposo Children's Music Award
Andrew Barkan, Polly Hall

Joan & Irwin Robinson Scholarship
Paul McPherson

Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award
Michael Weiner, Alan Zachary

Irving Caesar Scholarships
Alexander Castillo, Gordan Lam

Sammy Cahn Award
k.s. Rhoads

Desmond Child Anthem Award
Ari Zizzo

Eunice & Hal David Merit Award
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts

Fran Morgenstern Davis Scholarship
Ben Benack, Christopher Lilley

John Denver Music Scholarships
Supported by BMG Chrysalis
Andrea Fantauzzi, Eyeshia McSwain,
Mary Willingham

Film Scoring Scholarship
at Berklee College of Music
Wayne Ingram

Jamie deRoy & friends Award
Michele Brourman

Louis Dreyfus Warner/Chappell
City College Scholarship
Honoring George & Ira Gershwin
Shy Kedmi

Max Dreyfus Scholarship
John Grimmett

Ira Gershwin Scholarship
Adam Ali

Jay Gorney Award
Dustin James

Mary Rodgers Lorenz Hart Award
Marcy Heisler

Bart Howard Songwriting Scholarship at Berklee College of Music
Caitlin Timmins

David Rose Award
Garth Neustadter

Jimmy Van Heusen Award
Chase Morrin

Mariana & Paul Williams
Sunlight of the Spirit Award
Rob Turrell

Follow @ASCAPFoundation

TESTIMONIALS

The ASCAP Foundation's Mission

The ASCAP Foundation Grants

17th Annual ASCAP Foundation Awards Ceremony Highlighted by Champion Award to Superstar Jason Mraz

Recognizing His Commitment to Using Music to Help Others

ASCAP Foundation President, Paul Williams with Jason Mraz, The ASCAP Foundation Champion Award recipient.

Mariana and Paul Williams with the inaugural recipient of the Mariana & Paul Williams “Sunlight of the Spirit” Award, Rob Turrell.

ASCAP Foundation Champion Award recipient Jason Mraz treats the audience to a performance of his song, “I Won’t Give Up,” from his album, Love is a Four Letter Word.

Award-winning composer/lyricist Adam Guettel presents the Mary Rodgers Lorenz Hart Award to Marcy Heisler.

Nick (l) and Joe Raposo (second from r) with Andrew Barkan and Polly Hall, recipients of the Joe Raposo Children’s Music Award.

Cabaret performer Jamie deRoy (l) presents the Jamie deRoy & friends Award to Michele Brourman.

Patty Allen (l) with the Robert Allen Award recipient, Kate Davis.

Robert Bienstock (l), COO and VP of Carlin America with the recipient of the Freddy Bienstock Scholarship & Internship, Morgan Gusby.

ASCAP Foundation Board Member Irwin Z. Robinson (r) and his wife Joan (l) with Paul McPherson, recipient of the Joan & Irwin Robinson Scholarship.

Stanley Crouch, President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, presents University of New Orleans student Kristofer Tokarski with the Louis Armstrong Scholarship.

Shapiro, Bernstein & Co.’s Michael (2nd from l) & Doug Brettler (r) with ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams congratulate Jacob Davis (l), recipient of the Leon Brettler Award.

ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento and his wife Barbara, (second from r) with recipients of the Barbara & John LoFrumento Award: Lisa Sandagata, Director of Outreach for Music Conservatory of Westchester, Music Therapy Institute (l) with students Max Shearon (center) and Paul Evangelista (r).

Peter Stoller (second from l) with the Leiber & Stoller Music Scholarship recipients, Zach Darf (l) and Mayu Isom (second from r) and ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams.

John Titta (l), CEO of MPCA Music Publishing, presents the Sammy Cahn Award to k.s. Rhoads.

Louis Prima, Jr. (l) with Miles Berry, recipient of the Louis Prima Award.

ASCAP Foundation Executive Director, Karen Sherry (l) presents the BMG Chrysalis Scholarship in honor of Quincy Jones to Deborah Pierre.

Paul Williams with Adam Ali (second from l), recipient of the Ira Gershwin Scholarship; Tommy Newman (r) recipient of the Cole Porter Award and ASCAP Foundation Board Member Robert Kimball (second from r).

Alexander Bernstein (l) with the Leonard Bernstein Award recipient, Ted Hearne.

Dr. Roderic Gorney (l), Jay Gorney Award recipient Dustin James, Sondra Gorney and ASCAP Foundation President, Paul Williams.

ASCAP’s Cia Toscanini presents the Louis Dreyfus Warner/Chappell CCNY Scholarship to Shy Kedmi.

ASCAP Foundation Board member Stephen Schwartz (center) with Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award recipients, Alan Zachary (l) and Michael Weiner (r).

Songwriter Jimmy Webb with John Fullbright, recipient of the Harold Adamson Lyric Award.

Jimmy Webb with Mike Pettry, recipient of the Harold Adamson Lyric Award for Musical Theater.

Songwriter Desmond Child (l) with Ari Zizzo, recipient of the Desmond Child Anthem Award.

ASCAP Foundation Board member, Valerie Simpson (l) presents the “Reach Out and Touch” Award in honor of Nick Ashford to KimberlyNichole.

ASCAP Foundation board member, Dean Kay (l) with the recipient of the Michelle & Dean Kay Award, Nicholas Jacobson-Larson (center) and Michelle Kay.

Lynn Mizzy Jonas presents the inaugural Vic Mizzy Scholarship to Curt Dumas.

ASCAP Foundation board member Jim Kendrick, announces the recipients of the 2012 Morton Gould Young Composer Awards.

Great Nephew of songwriter Jimmy Van Heusen, Brook Babcock (l) presents the inaugural Jimmy Van Heusen Award to Chase Morrin.

Colleen McDonough, Director of The ASCAP Foundation, with Nicholas Brittell, recipient of the Henry Mancini Music Fellowship.

“Sunlight of the Spirt” Award recipient, Rob Turrell, performs his original song, “Habits That I Feed.”

Honoree KimberlyNichole (center) performs her original song, “Sarah the Dare Devil.”

Kaufman Music Center’s Face the Music youth ensemble perform an original piece, “4 NYC Things,” written by 11-year-old composer, Abe Gold.

Harold Adamson Lyric Award recipient and Grammy nominee, John Fullbright, performs his award-winning song, “Movin.”

Joe Raposo Children’s Music Award recipients, Andrew Barkan & Polly Hall perform their award-winning song, “When You’re A Dog.”

Jay Gorney Award recipient Dustin James (r) performs his original song, “God Gave Hope A Name” with vocalist, Brittini Black.

Michael Rose (l) and Matt Cavanaugh (r) perform “Unlike Anyone I’ve Ever Known,” an original song by Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award recipients, Alan Zachary & Michael Weiner.

Chase Morrin, recipient of both the Jimmy Van Heusen Award and the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award performs his original piece, “Danzón for My Family.”

Alan Zachary, Mary Rodgers, Paul Williams and Michael Weiner.

Christopher Lilley, recipient of the Fran Morgenstern Davis Scholarship, with Paul Williams.

Ben Benack, recipient of the Fran Morgenstern Davis Scholarship, with Paul Williams.

Jason Mraz, Phil Ramone and Paul Williams.

Colleen McDonough with John Grimmett, recipient of the Max Dreyfus Scholarship.

Colleen McDonough with Dorian Gomez, recipient of the Rudy Perez Songwriting Scholarship.

Roman Kariolou, recipient of the Harold Arlen Film & TV Award with Karen Sherry.

Garth Neustadter, recipient of the David Rose Award with Karen Sherry.

Paul Williams with Irving Berlin Summer Camp Scholarship, Mona Dinal.

Vidjay Beerepoot, recipient of the Steve Kaplan TV & Film Studies Scholarship with Paul Williams.

Colleen McDonough with the Irving Caesar Scholarship recipient, Gordan Lam.

Paul Williams with the Irving Caesar Scholarship recipient, Alexander Castillo.