We celebrated our 85th anniversary on Thursday, May 27 with a Gala Dinner at Salvatore's Italian Gardens.

We presented CMS Legacy Awards to conductor and pianist John Landis, opera singer and artist-teacher Genia Las and jazz musician Bobby Militello. In addition, special recognition went to Kenneth Atkinson who has retired as Chair of the CMS Piano Department after a record 32 years. The smiling award winners

are pictured below at the end of a wonderful evening filled with great food, excellent music by faculty and students, accolades for the School and award winners and terrific auction items.

We would like to thank M&T Bank - our Anniversary Sponsor, the companies and organizations that purchased Patron Tables, the donors and businesses who provided auction prizes, the fabulous musicians who entertained us, the guests who joined us for this special occasion and Stratton Rawson for serving as our Master of Ceremonies. We were so pleased with the kind words offered by Vic Chiodo on behalf of the Chromatic Club of Buffalo, our founding organization together with Welcome Hall Social Settlement.  

Vic Chiodo, President of Chromatic Club	Some Gala Committee Members

Pictured on the right above are just some of the people who master-minded the event: Ashish Vikram, Gala Committee Co-Chair Jennifer Gorczynski, Co-Chair Bryan Bechard, Carol Mayer (in front), Linda Mabry and Jack Trachtenberg. Missing are Reena Dutta, Sarah Liefke and Kathleen Rizzo Young.

Below are Phil and Gretchen Banaszak, City Fiddle, and student contralto Danielle Green who were some of the evening's entertainers.

Below (on the left) are faculty soprano Maria Goodrich with pianist Linda Mabry who also performed and Gala Committee members Jennifer Gorczynski and Kathleen Rizzo Young.

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