Among the featured all-star cast of performers were saxophonist and longtime Audio-Technica endorser Mindi Abair, R&B/jazz vocalist Patti Austin, new age/adult-contemporary superstar and Audio-Technica endorser Jim Brickman, smooth jazz saxophonist Dave Koz, vocalist Monica Mancini, trumpeter/pianist/composer Arturo Sandoval, gospel/R&B music legend BeBe Winans and Canadian jazz-pop vocalist Nikki Yanofsky.
In commemoration of the event, all eight performers have decided to donate their performance honoraria to different music education programmes and institutions, helping promote the importance of music education and assisting students in their pursuits.
Greg Pinto, Audio-Technica US vice president of marketing and consumer sales, stated, "It was thrilling to have Phil Ramone produce the concert, and to have these eight world-class artists perform at our anniversary celebration in Anaheim marking 50 Years of Passionate Listening and it is a special honour that they are donating these funds toward music education, a cause that is very near to the hearts of the A-T family."
Phil Ramone donated his honorarium to The Salvation Army's Phil Ramone Orchestra for Children. Abair has decided to donate to the Berklee College of Music Five-Week Summer Performance Program, creating the Mindi Abair/Audio-Technica Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Scholarship. Austin is also donating her honorarium to the Berklee College of Music. Brickman is giving to his alma mater Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM), creating the Jim Brickman/Audio-Technica Scholarship. Koz is proud to donate to the GRAMMY Camp (held at and in partnership with the USC Thornton School of Music), creating the Dave Koz/Audio-Technica GRAMMY Camp Scholarship.
Mancini selected The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, thereby creating the Monica Mancini/Audio-Technica Donation for Music Education. Sandoval chose the Young Musicians' Camp at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, creating the Arturo Sandoval/Audio-Technica Scholarship for the Young Musicians' Camp. Winans is donating to Juilliard's Summer Jazz Workshops, creating the BeBe Winans/Audio-Technica Scholarship. Yanofsky has selected the Schulich School of Music and its Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (CIRMMT) at McGill University, creating the Nikki Yanofsky/Audio-Technica Scholarship.
Audio-Technica endorser Abair stated, "Audio-Technica has been helping me achieve my sound for more than 18 years on the road and in the studio. I was honoured to play for their 50th Anniversary and even more honoured to give back with a scholarship to Berklee's five-week programme. I grew up musically and personally while getting my degree at Berklee. I was encouraged to be an individual there and create my own musical vision. That's priceless. I couldn't be happier to pass that gift along to another individual."
Beverly Tryon, director, corporate and foundation relations, Berklee College of Music, remarks, "We are very grateful to Mindi Abair for selecting her alma mater to receive this generous scholarship support, and to Audio-Technica for making it possible. This scholarship will allow a deserving young person to participate in this life-changing summer experience at Berklee."
(Jim Evans)
