The Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music of the University of Miami will present its annual gala holiday dinner “Winter Wonderful” on Dec. 7 to benefit music scholarships and its community music mentoring program, Frost MusicReach.
The festive candlelight dinner at the J. W. Marriott Marquis Miami, 255 Biscayne Boulevard Way, is one of Miami’s most popular holiday events and promises to be an unforgettable gala evening. Each year it features a beautiful array of holiday music performed in shimmering and intimate surroundings by hundreds of talented student musicians from the Frost School of Music.
The goal of Winter Wonderful is to net $100,000 for music mentoring scholarships at Frost, a goal often exceeded thanks to the generosity of steadfast and new supporters each year. Individual gala tickets begin at $300; gala tables of 10 begin at $3,000 and go up to $25,000.
Highlights of the Winter Wonderful evening will include a sparkling cocktail reception, a sumptuous three-course holiday dinner and joyous musical performances throughout the evening by youthful voices of the Frost Chorale, Symphonic Choir, and Choral Union and instrumentalists in the Frost Holiday Orchestra, performing holiday carols from around the globe. The music director is Karen Kennedy, program director for the Choral Studies Program at the Frost School of Music.
“The Winter Wonderful Holiday Dinner is simply the perfect start to the holiday season,” said Frost School of Music Dean Shelton G. Berg. “It brings good cheer to new and longtime friends of the University of Miami and honors the wonderful patrons of the arts in our community. Best of all, the gala proceeds go directly to support music scholarships at the Frost School of Music, including our acclaimed, high quality Frost MusicReach mentoring program that uplifts at-risk teens in our community all year long and encourages them to succeed in school and in life.”
During the holiday dinner festivities, Dean Berg will present the 2014 Frost Legacy Award to Swanee and Paul J. DiMare, in honor of their inspiring support of the Frost School of Music and other schools and programs at the University of Miami, and other notable charitable organizations throughout the region. Paul DiMare is the president of DiMare Brothers Inc. and DiMare Homestead Inc., an organization of growers, packers and shippers of whole fresh fruits and vegetables.
Paul is a member of the university’s board of trustees and the DiMares are vice chairs of Momentum2: The Breakthrough Campaign for the University of Miami.
Swanee DiMare is on the boards of numerous national charities and is a tireless advocate for the performing arts and other important community initiatives.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals also honored Swanee and Paul DiMare recently with the Outstanding Philanthropists Award in recognition of their community-wide and far-reaching philanthropy.
Winter Wonderful Frost School of Music Holiday Dinner activities begin at 6:30 p.m. For more information or to order gala tickets or tables online or by telephone, visit www.Winter-Wonderful.com, call 305-284-6486 or send email to EventsManagement@Miami.edu>.
