Bennett Shines at
Spielberg Benefit

Steven Spielberg and Tony Bennett

Steven Spielberg hosted an August 11th benefit for the Shoah Visual History Foundation, a charity he founded in 1994 after filming Schindler’s List to record and distribute tapes of Holocaust survivors. The foundation has recorded more than 50,000 eyewitness interviews about the Holocaust. The event took place at the private home of Arne and Milly Glimcher in East Hampton, NY with Yamaha providing a C7 conservatory grand piano to accompany guest performer Tony Bennett.

Star-studded guests such as Roger Waters, Jimmy Buffett, Ralph Lauren, Ronald Lauder, Alan Alda, Calista Flockhart, Harrison Ford, Billy Joel, and Jerry Seinfeld paid $2,500 per ticket to help benefit Shoah and to hear the legendary performer during the four-hour event. The benefit raised more than $450,000.

“Not surprisingly, the piano sounded incredibly well and maintained its tune and pitch, which is the best testament to the magnificent quality of the instrument.”

Bennett performed in his usual spot — in the curve of the polished ebony C7. Bennett gave Joel an acknowledging wave when he performed New York State of Mind.

“The Yamaha C7 piano was delivered on an extremely hot and humid Friday before the Sunday evening event — and it was housed outdoors under a tent for the duration of those heated days,” notes Tom Young, sound engineer for Bennett. “Not surprisingly, the piano sounded incredibly well and maintained its tune and pitch, which is the best testament to the magnificent quality of the instrument.”

“Tony Bennett and his quartet were incredible — he captivated the room,” says June Beallor, Shoah Founding Executive Director. “Lee Musiker (Bennett’s pianist and musical director) played the piano so beautifully. Bennett made the event the special evening that it was. The legends were there to see the legend.”

 

---