2013 Holiday Musicale

More than 50 people attended the Institute’s fourth annual Holidays musicale celebration in the West Village on December 5. The event was held at elegant old Alma Mathews House on West 11th St.

[Read the president’s welcome]

Alessandra Belloni performed traditional southern Italian spiritual and folk music with friends Wilson Montori on guitar and Joe Deninzon on violin, while Shermain Jeremy sang Christmas carols.

Dinner and hors d’oeuvres were provided by Sarah Chianese and her Chianese Productions. Wines were provided with help from Regis Wines, Sussex Wines & Spirits and Joshua Benitez.

The benefit raised several thousand dollars to support the Institute’s work, including  approximately $1,200 from an auction of curios and other items by Neanda Salvaterra.

Auctioned items included signed prints donated by fashion photographer Dario Calmese; Harry Belafonte’s biography “My Song: A Memoir,” signed by Belafonte and donated by Marva Allen, of Hueman Bookstore, Harlem; a signed print donated by Chilean photographer Marcelo Montealegre; a signed print donated by news photographer Julien Jourdes; dinner for two donated by Marcus Samuelson’s Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem, and two signed paintings donated by Francoise Simmons, 8.

[Invitation to the 2013 Holidays Musicale Benefit]