Grammy-winning jazz legend Wynton Marsalis will visit Pittsburgh on Nov. 10 for a special performance at the Wyndham Grand Hotel as part of the gala event “A Night of a Million Possibilities.”
Presented by advocacy group Keepers of the Promise, the concert will celebrate the success of The Pittsburgh Promise and is expected to raise $1 million for The Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship Fund, which is working to raise $68 million to sustain scholarships at least through the class of 2028.
Individual tickets are $250 and table sponsorships start at $2,500. Information is available at www.PittsburghPromise.org/gala or by calling 412-745-2220. The gala will begin at 6 p.m.
During his visit, the trumpeter, a Pulitzer Prize winner, managing and artistic director of jazz at Lincoln Center, and director of jazz studies at the Juilliard School, also will conduct a master class for high school students representing the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
“Pittsburgh’s future depends on helping its young people to fulfill their dreams,” said Mr. Marsalis in a statement. “I’m so glad to be part of a musical celebration in Pittsburgh where the community comes together to fund education and create limitless possibilities for urban youth.”
This will be the first fundraising concert for the Promise, although it did a celebration for the first graduating class in 2012 at Stage AE with G. Love and Special Sauce and Ashanti.
Pittsburgh Promise executive director Saleem Ghubril believes Mr. Marsalis is a fitting choice for the gala.
“We are so impressed by his commitment to education, and music education in particular,” he said. “We wanted an artist who was world class and highly respected, but was also committed to kids. He is a great testimony to that commitment.”
The honorary co-chairs for the event are Legendary Entertainment founder Thomas Tull and his wife, Alba, who make Pittsburgh their second home. As chairman of the board and CEO of Legendary, Mr. Tull co-produced “Jurassic World” and “Straight Outta Compton,” along with producing “Krampus,” “Godzilla” and “42,” among others.
“Alba and I are proud to be a part of one of Pittsburgh’s great causes to help the next generation realize their potential,” he said in a statement. “Getting more students to continue their education or training beyond high school benefits everyone.”
According to a press release, The Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship Fund has achieved 73 percent of its $250 million fundraising goal, and has invested more than $74 million by sending 6,279 qualifying Pittsburgh Public Schools graduates to postsecondary education.
For more information about The Pittsburgh Promise, go to www.pittsburghpromise.org.
Scott Mervis: smervis@post-gazette.com; 412-263-2576; Twitter: @scottmervis_pg.
First Published: February 25, 2016, 5:00 a.m.
