2019
Honorees

​

The Wonderful World annual gala, hosted by Wonderful World: Friends of Music Therapy Inc (WWFMT), honors the legacy of Louis Armstrong and his commitment to bettering the lives of others through music. Proceeds are given to our beneficiary, The Louis Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine (LACMM) in NYC. 

Each year we recognize a dynamic group of musicians, artists, physicians, philanthropists, and patients for making the world a better place. This year, our honorees include GRAMMY Award winning bassist/composer and the host of NPR's Jazz Night in America, Christian McBride, who will be receiving the Phoebe Jacobs Award; the prolific composer, conductor, and French hornist, David Amram, will be receiving our Lifetime Achievement Award; Deborah Korzenik, Senior Associate General Counsel of the Mount Sinai Health System, will be honored for her work in patient care and medical ethics; and artist Julia Justo who will be honored for her incredible artistry and resilience as a music therapy patient.

EVENT DETAILS

The evening will include a reception that will be sonically animated by a 90-minute set from one of the leading timbales artists in Tropical Music and Latin Jazz today, Tito Rodríguez, Jr.; a silent auction; and an opening performance by Bruce Sabath from the Broadway production, Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. Masters of Ceremony for the evening's program are Mercedes Ellington and Bill Daughtry, with music performances from saxophonist Erik Lawrence and the Garry Dial Trio, plus a memorable award presentation for our honorees.

​