Notations FALL 2015 40 YEARS NEWSLETTER KAREN SHERRY RETIRES; COLLEEN MCDONOUGH BECOMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Karen Sherry retired from her position as Executive Director of The ASCAP Foundation and as ASCAP’s Senior Vice President, Industry Aff airs as of June 30. Karen began her career at ASCAP 36 years ago and became head of The ASCAP Foundation in 1996 realizing her passion and commitment to its mission of identifying and nurturing new talent, promoting music education and expanding the Foundation’s humanitarian “Music Heals” programs. The ASCAP Foundation Board has appointed Colleen McDonough, the former Foundation Director, to the position of Executive Director eff ective July 1. Colleen previously held leadership positions at the Women’s Sports Foundation, the Public Relations Society of America and as Adjunct Instructor and Assistant Dean at Pace University. She received her M.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a B.A. from COLLEEN MCDONOUGH & KAREN SHERRY the University of New Hampshire. Over the past 15 years, with Karen as Executive Director and Colleen as Director, the two have worked together to boost Foundation funding by 175%, growing the Foundation from a local entity with limited resources to a national organization. Foundation programs increased 154%, now reaching more than 2.5 million participants annually. Funds spent on programs rose more than 200% and the Foundation now distributes over one million dollars annually for scholarships, grants, awards, workshops, recognition and community outreach programs to support and nurture diverse young songwriters and composers in all genres who might not otherwise be heard. Many of these programs were made possible through the generosity of the families of the great writers and publishers who built ASCAP as well as current ASCAP members who want to “give back”. With Colleen taking the reins, the Foundation looks forward to continuing the unique and valuable service it provides as a pathway to success for today’s creative talent while honoring those who have left their legacies and the gift of music to the Foundation. Founded in 1975, The ASCAP Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators and encouraging their development through music education and talent development programs. • ASCAP MEMBER NATALIE MERCHANT “GIVES BACK” ASCAP singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant recently shared her time and talent with summer campers as part of The ASCAP Foundation Summer Guitar Project at the Fresh Air Fund. Since 1999, The ASCAP Foundation and The Fresh Air Fund, a non-profi t organization that operates fi ve summer camps in Fishkill, New York, have collaborated so that each summer over 400 New York City children receive guitar and songwriting lessons at the camps through this music education initiative which is made possible by The ASCAP Foundation Irving Caesar Fund. During her visit, Merchant inspired, educated and entertained a group of teenaged girls from the Anita Bliss Color (ABC) Camp talking with them about music and, through the use of hand clapping, teaching them songs and rhymes SINGER/SONGWRITER NATALIE MERCHANT that have been passed down through the generations. This was a wonderful, TEACHES CAMPERS A NEW SONG and for many, rare opportunity to interact and learn from such a thoughtful, PHOTO CREDIT: THE FRESH AIR FUND/HANNAH BECK accomplished and prolifi c singer-songwriter. Natalie Merchant joined the rock band, 10,000 Maniacs while still in her teens. The Maniacs scored four Platinum albums during Merchant’s tenure with the group as lead vocalist and songwriter. She initiated her solo career in 1995 with the album,Tigerly, a multi-Platinum best-seller. Since then Merchant has delivered an additional fi ve acclaimed albums, including 2014’s Natalie Merchant, her fi rst CD of all original music since 2001. • ONE LINCOLN PLAZA, NEW YORK, NY 10023 ~ 212-621-6219 ~ [email protected] ~ WWW.ASCAPFOUNDATION.ORG ~ @ASCAPFOUNDATION Notations PAGE 2 40 YEARS NEWSLETTER REMEMBERING MICHAEL MASSER, 1941-2015 The ASCAP Foundation mourns the passing of ASCAP songwriter, composer, producer and ASCAP Foundation donor, Michael Masser, who died July 9, 2015 at the age of 74. Born and raised in Chicago, Michael was living in New York, where he was a theatrical agent, inventor and successful stockbroker before leaving it all behind at the age of 30 to move to the West Coast to pursue his passion for music. Once in Los Angeles, Michael found a mentor in legendary songwriter Johnny Mercer, who recognized Michael’s unique talent. Michael went on to write and co-write an amazing number of pop standards including “Touch Me in the Morning,” “Do You Know Where You’re Going To” both performed by Diana Ross; “The Greatest Love of All,” “Saving All My Love for You,” Didn’t We Almost Have It All” and “All at Once” recorded by Whitney Houston. His other hit songs include “Someone That I Used to Love” (Barbra Streisand/Natalie Cole); “It’s My Turn” (Diana Ross/Aretha Franklin; “Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You” (Roberta Flack/Peabo Bryson) and “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again” (Peabo Bryson). Michael also had a long-standing commitment to music education and a desire to give back, MICHAEL MASSER leading him, in 1987, to join forces with The ASCAP Foundation so that he could benefi t others. Michael created the Johnny Mercer Scholarship Fund and Michael Masser Children’s Fund at The ASCAP Foundation to enrich the lives of children in a variety of ways. Over the years he helped so many with his generosity, and his connection with The ASCAP Foundation represented more than underwriting scholarships. He was active in every stage of the programs’ planning and execution. He met and mentored many deserving young creators whose lives he forever changed. Michael wanted to inspire gifted young people to bring their music and beauty into the world and he did just that. His vision -- of supporting the educational advancement, professional training and development of students demonstrating talent in the arts -- lives on and we are forever grateful to him for that. • NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE ARE ALL “SMILES” OF ASCAP FOUNDATION AWARD RECIPIENTS THANKS TO HAROLD ADAMSON • Emily Bear’s CD, Diversity, was The estate of noted lyricist and ASCAP member Harold Adamson produced by Quincy Jones. (‘08 & has, since 2007, supported two lyric awards in his name – one in ‘15 Morton Gould Young Com- poser Award) musical theater and one alternating between pop and country. • John Fullbright received a We are thrilled that three new programs have recently been Grammy nomination for his 2nd established at The ASCAP Foundation with the goal of nurturing, album, From the Ground Up. (‘12 Harold Adamson Lyric Award) supporting and encouraging emerging songwriters. They are: • Lin-Manuel Miranda won 4 Tony The Harold Adamson Songwriting Workshop in Los Angeles Awards for In the Heights. His new (formerly the Lester Sill Workshop); The Harold Adamson Lyric play, Hamilton, made its Broad- Award, which will be presented to an outstanding songwriter way debut in July. (‘07 Rodgers New Horizons Award) HAROLD ADAMSON participating in that workshop; and The Harold Adamson Lyric • Jeanine Tesori received a 2015 Award in Rhythm & Soul. Congratulations to R&S workshop Tony Award for co-writing the participants Liana Banks, Sharina Doyle, and Leon “LT The Concept” Thomas recipients Best Musical Score for the Broad- of the inaugural 2015 Harold Adamson Lyric Award in R&S for their winning song, “Giant.” way hit, Fun Home. (‘97 Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award) Mr. Adamson received fi ve Academy Award nominations and was inducted into the • Joe Trapanese composed original Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. He contributed to many Broadway shows and scores for feature fi lms: Straight movies including: “Smiles,” “Gentlemen Prefer Blonds,” “An Aff air To Remember,” Outta Compton; Insurgent; The Raid; Oblivion and Earth to Echo. and “Around The World in 80 Days.” (‘06 Henry Mancini Fellowship, ‘09 Harold Arlen Film & TV Award) Would you like a program to be named after your loved one? To fund a “named” program at The ASCAP Foundation, please call Rebecca Kasilag at 212-621-8347. • THE ASCAP FOUNDATION IS A PUBLICLY SUPPORTED 501(C)(3) CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION. WE ARE FUNDED BY CONTRIBUTIONS, BEQUESTS, ROY- ALTIES AND GRANTS FROM ASCAP MEMBERS, OTHER FOUNDATIONS ƭ THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WE WELCOME YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, WHICH ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULL EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW. PLEASE SUPPORT THE TALENT OF TOMORROW BY MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TODAY. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MARILYN BERGMAN, LYRICIST CHARLES BERNSTEIN, COMPOSER ED LONDON, MUSIC BUSINESS MANAGER PAUL WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT, BRUCE BROUGHTON, COMPOSER JOHNNY MANDEL, COMPOSER ADMINISTRATION SONGWRITER/PERFORMER/ACTOR TITA CAHN, TRUSTEE, SAMMY CAHN ESTATE JAMES MCBRIDE, COMPOSER / AUTHOR IRWIN Z. ROBINSON, VICE PRESIDENT, JAY R. MORGENSTERN, MUSIC PUBLISHER COLLEEN MCDONOUGH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MUSIC PUBLISHER ALF CLAUSEN, COMPOSER JULIE LAPORE, PROGRAM MANAGER DAN FOLIART, COMPOSER STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, COMPOSER / LYRICIST DEAN KAY, TREASURER, VALERIE SIMPSON, SONGWRITER REBECCA KASILAG, DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE SONGWRITER / MUSIC PUBLISHER ARTHUR HAMILTON, COMPOSER / LYRICIST JOAN HILL, FINANCIAL MANAGER JAMES M. KENDRICK, MUSIC PUBLISHER CHARLES STROUSE, COMPOSER GINNY MANCINI, SECRETARY, DOUG WOOD, COMPOSER HENRY MANCINI ESTATE TRUSTEE ROBERT KIMBALL, MUSIC HISTORIAN.