Voices of Ascension Gala
honoring
liz norman and
Richard Gaddes
Wednesday, October 30, 2024 @ 6:30 pm
The James Burden Mansion
7 East 91st Street on Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10128
Tickets start at $250 — click below for more information!
On October 30, join us at the The James Burden Mansion on Fifth Avenue to welcome Voices to our 35th season of vocal excellence! We are thrilled to announce the honorees of the Voices’ annual George Perrin Prize for Vocal Arts: Richard Gaddes (In Memoriam), former board member and a longtime collaborator of Maestro Keene; and Liz Norman, the Executive Director Emeritus of Voices of Ascension. Drinks and light dinner will be served.
This year’s Gala musical display will feature longtime ensemble members as soloists and a repertoire of organizational favorites selected by Liz Norman.
The James Burden House Grand Foyer ceiling
Liz Norman
Musician. Teacher. Learner. Leader. Mother. Friend. Liz Norman has had the exceptional good fortune to live a life in which personal and professional values are aligned and fulfilled commitments have led to meaningful shared accomplishments.
Liz served as Executive Director for Voices of Ascension from 2009 to 2023. At Voices, with the help of countless staff members, Board members, funders, musicians, volunteers, audience members and advisors, she developed the Board of Directors, more than doubled the annual budget, diversified programming and funding sources, professionalized operational systems, expanded the staff, and established an endowment fund to help sustain the organization for generations to come.
Richard Gaddes (1942-2023)
Richard Gaddes was an English Arts Executive and a long-standing member of the board at Voices of Ascension. During his time here, Gaddes and Dennis Keene developed the young soloist program Voices of Promise, in addition to many other initiatives. He became founding General Director of the Opera Theater of Saint Louis in 1976, and under his stewardship it became the first American opera company to receive an invitation to the Edinburgh International Festival.
Spotted by John Crosby, founder of the Santa Fe Opera, he was eventually recruited to become the company’s Artistic Administrator in 1969. He become General Director in 2000, a post he held until 2008.
Gala Host Committee
Christine van Itallie — Chair
Jane Chesnutt — Co-Chair
Sarah Cogan and Doug Evans — Co-Chairs
Melissa Hoyt — Co-Chair
Phyllis Jo Kubey — Co-Chair
Reade Ryan — Co-Chair
The Secular Society — Co-Chair
Peter Clark
David Hart and Dale Daley
John Grimes
Glenn Kaplan & Evelyn Rodstein
Kathleen McCarragher
Missy McHugh
Alexandra Monroe
Valerie Paley
Wende Persons
Schedule of Events
6:30pm - Cocktails & Hors d’oeuvres Reception
7:30pm - Honoree Program
8:00pm - Musical Performance
MUSICAL PROGRAM curated by LIZ NORMAN:
Selections by Bach, Bizet, Gluck, Brahms, and Gershwin!
Featuring Lucia Bradford, Donna Breitzer, Liz Lang, and James Bassi (piano)
The BURDEN Mansion
7 East 91 St, New york
