ASCAP Members Michael Giacchino, Patti Austin, and Gordon Goodwin in Harmony to Bring Music Back to Schools at ETM-LA Benefit

Michael Giacchino at the ETM-LA benefit gala (Photo by Andrew Chavez)

A standing-room only crowd of 250 friends and guests gathered at Hollywood's Catalina Jazz Club on Monday night for an enchanting evening benefiting Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA). ETM-LA's Fourth Annual Benefit Gala brought together an ASCAP-studded cast and some of the most legendary names in jazz and contemporary music, which included electrifying performances by Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band and the incomparable Patti Austin.

As part of the festivities, ETM-LA also honored music educator Vincent Houser and Grammy-winning Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band with Shining Star Awards for their inspiration and excellence in the field of music education. The event raised over $60,000 to help bring ETM-LA's string, guitar, recorder, and general music lessons to every child in its underserved partner schools.

A silent auction and cocktail hour on the patio kicked off the evening, followed by a live auction led by Advisory Board member and Grammy-winning composer Michael Giacchino. One of the big-ticket auction items was an opportunity to conduct a recording session for the hit show Lost, for which Giacchino composes the music.

Alongside the storied lineup of performers, perhaps the evening's most stirring moment occurred as honoree and seasoned music educator Vincent Houser conducted violin and guitar students from ETM-LA and The Buckley School in a performance of "Ode to Joy," specially arranged by honoree Gordon Goodwin. The children were joined on the piece by Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band in a gleeful, heartwarming performance.

"We are forever grateful to these artists for lending their time and talent to benefit our kids. Now more than ever, we need to come together to fight for arts in schools. As the state of the economy and unfathomable budget deficits are decimating entire arts and other crucial programs from schools, more and more children are being deprived of a quality music arts education. We simply cannot fail our children," says ETM-LA Executive Director Victoria Lanier.

ETM-LA is an independent 501(c)3 music education program founded in 2006 based on Education Through Music, Inc. (ETM®), a model with a history of over 18 years of success in New York. The organization works in schools with disadvantaged populations to provide instruments and weekly music instruction for every child as part of the core curriculum. Since 1991, ETM® has harnessed the power of music to enhance the academic performance and general development of its students. Its work provides these children with the skills to become better learners and the confidence to live in an increasingly challenging world.

Education Through Music - Los Angeles (ETM-LA, Inc.) makes music education a reality for thousands of children who would otherwise have limited or no exposure to the arts, and is a recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Irving Caesar Fund. For more information, visit www.etmla.org.