In the afterglow of the Wind Symphony’s Carnegie Hall performance, Howard Gourwitz chatted excitedly with students, praising the leadership of his dear friend, Kevin Sedatole.

He could see it in the students’ eyes. This experience had changed their lives.

And Gourwitz helped make it possible.

“I know firsthand that the power of music can make a tremendous difference in a young person’s life, so I’m thrilled to support the College of Music and its students,” Gourwitz said. “This is an outstanding night for MSU and a particularly outstanding night for the College of Music. As these students go on to become teachers and performers, they’ll always have this experience and it will be one they’ll never forget.”

Gourwitz, a donor to the College of Music and member of the College’s National Leadership Council, helped sponsor the Carnegie trip, offsetting travel and performance costs. Other important sponsors who helped make this trip possible can be found in the program listing below.

The trip, months in the making, was a team effort, Gourwitz said.

“Kevin is like a great coach,” he said. “He knows when to push and when to back off. And Jim Forger is a terrific, vibrant, vivacious leader.”

A successful attorney, Gourwitz, is a major donor to MSU and is recognized in the Abbot Society. His donations have benefitted the Wind Symphony, the Spartan Marching Band, Jazz Studies Program, and the Community Music School-Detroit.

“Any time you play for a full house in Carnegie Hall, get a standing ovation with one of America’s leading composers and many people from the New York music scene are present, it raises the bar,” he said. “And that’s what Kevin and the members of the Wind Symphony did today – they raised the bar and they showed they were a world-class ensemble.”

Source: MSU Today, “Getting to Carnegie Hall: an ensemble effort”

Presenting Sponsors:
William David Brohn
Byron and Dolores Cook
Jeffrey and Ann Feld
Howard Gourwitz
Gordon Guyer and Mary Gettel Guyer
Merritt and Candy Lutz
James and Nancy Osborn
Roy and Lou Anna Simon
William and Janice Simpson

Concert Sponsors:
Jonathan and Carly Adamsky
Larry Alterman
Hubert Arnold
Marvin Balliet and Wendy Robb Balliet
John and Alexandra Barbo
Brian and Ashley Beck
Bill Kolb Jr. Subaru
Kenneth and Ann Bloomquist
Kurt and Cheryl Burmeister
William and Joanne Church
Christopher and Judith Corrado
James and Judy Dale
Patrick and Gail Donohue
Michael Driscoll
Eve Eaton
Gregory Hauser
Bruce Helmer
Norman and Hanna Kelker
Jeffrey and Liat Kimmel
Robert and Joanne Kobel
John Leipprandt
Frederick MacEachron and Allison Bailey-MacEachron
Cecil and Clare Mackey
Robert Maruca and Amy Rademacher
Jason Merritt and Beckett Fabbie-Merritt
Mark Moore and Lorraine Monchak
MSU Alumni Band
MSU Alumni Club of Greater New York
Craig and Lisa Murray
Eric and Jenny Neff
Steven and Sarah Noll
Michael and Veronica O’Connor
Clayton Pelon
Rodney Pope and Robin Stone
Craig and Cecilia Stanley
Ronald and Maryann Stell
James Tilley
Roger Topliff
James and Kathleen Tumbrink
Martin VanderPloeg and Laura Williams
John and Dortha Withrow

Special thanks to Dean Trailways for assistance with transportation.

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