The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) today announced that it will honor famed pianist and vocalist Diana Krall and her sister, Michelle Wigmore, with the Spirit of Hope Award at the 14th annual MMRF Fall Gala, scheduled to be held October 30, 2010, in Greenwich, Connecticut. Krall, a member of the MMRF’s Honorary Board of Directors, will also provide a performance as the event’s featured artist. Legendary singer and songwriter Paul Simon will also perform as the MMRF’s special guest.

The rich tradition of Jewish composers' contributions to film history is celebrated at Cinema Judaica, a concert by the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony (LAJS) on Sunday, August 8, 2010, 7:30 pm, under the stars at the Ford Amphitheatre. The orchestra, lauded for its exploration of Jewish culture and led by Artistic Director Noreen Green, pays tribute to Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, Steven Schwartz, Danny Pelfrey, Charles Fox, Yuval Ron and other major composers with performances of their scores from memorable movies whose themes, resonating with Jewish heritage, are as significant today as when the films were made. Guest artists include Yuval Ron himself, percussionist Jamie Papish, and Israeli-born pianist Andy Feldbau, a scholarship recipient of the America-Israel Culture Foundation, which is sponsoring his appearance. For more information, see www.lajewishsymphony.com].

The magical setting of Lago di Como Italy, home to the International Piano Academy and the Rockefeller Bellagio Center, has been a peaceful retreat and muse for artists... American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow came to write there, as did composer Franz Liszt. For the first time, the LakeComo Festival has named a Compositore Ospite, American composer/pianist Michael Glenn Williams (http://www.michaelglennwilliams.com). Director of the festival Floraleda Sacchi said: "Amadeus Arte, the organizer of the festival, is thrilled to invite Mr. Williams to establish our Composer-in-Residence program."

Chamber music lovers and opera fans, take note. The concert schedule of Viva Virginia – a two-week opera and chamber music festival starting June 21 – includes a clarinet quintet and romantic pieces for violin and piano. Other powerhouse pieces to be performed are Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 for Strings by J. S. Bach and Il Tramonto by Respighi for voice and string quartet. The festival will bring together luminaries from the opera and chamber music worlds, who will gather to coach and mentor a new generation of superstar performers. The festival will offer concerts, lectures, and master classes open to the public, with tickets available at www.VivaVirginia.org.

Atticus Music Group is excited to announce the collaboration of dance and film composer Cory Gabel with famed choreographer and dancer Lawrence Pech. The two will create an original dance piece for the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) 2010 Summer Intensive. ABT is a national ballet company that tours the United States annually, striving to ensure that the traditions of dance are sustained and carried on, through training, education, exposure and celebration. The new work will be presented at the Austin, Texas regional intensive. The program will run from July 11 to August 6, 2010, and will culminate in a final performance of ABT repertory and new works, including the new piece choreographed by Pech and composed by Gabel.

ArtistWorks, Inc. (AWI) Guitar virtuoso Andreas Oberg, leader of the Andreas Oberg Guitar Universe, has released a new recording, Six String Evolution, on Resonance Records. Produced by George Klabin and Joe Donofrio, Six String Evolution presents the Swedish guitarist in the company of heavyweight players from around the globe. They include pianist Dave Kikoski, bassist John Patitucci, drummer Lewis Nash, singer-saxophonist Darmon Meader, and several others. Song excerpts and a complimentary bonus track from Six String Evolution can be heard here.