Before this evenings performance at the KCF YUM! Center in Louisville, KY, Music icon Barry Manilow met and presented music educator Doug Elmore of Floyd Central High School as the local winner of his Manilow Music Project contest. Mr. Elmore will receive a $5,000 cash award and another $5,000 in “Manilow bucks” presented by Barry Manilow to purchase musical instruments for his school’s music program. Mr. Elmore along with family, friends and other educators at Floyd Central High School also received VIP tickets to the concert.
The Manilow Music Project has given away over ten million dollars’ worth of funds and music instrument donations.
The KFC Yum! Center participated in the contest by helping the Manilow Music Project secure nominations for deserving music teachers in their area for this award. There were over 110 local music programs initially nominated, of these a very difficult selection process narrowed the list down to the top 10 finalists. An open voting ultimately selected Doug Elmore as the award winner.
About the Manilow Music Project:
“It is wonderful to partner with our concert venues to identify schools and music teachers in their neighborhoods that deserve this small token of my gratitude, said Manilow. “Many school music programs have either been terminated, or their funds have been severely depleted. I always want to do my part through The Manilow Music Project to keep music in schools.”
When legendary singer and songwriter Barry Manilow was a high school student in Brooklyn, his school was ranked the most dangerous in all of America. Barry found a home in his high school orchestra class, which he credits for changing his life and molding him into the icon he is today.
More than thirty years ago Barry established scholarships at music programs all over the country to help young musicians gain access to top-notch education. Some years later, when a friend of Barry’s was raising money for a saxophone for his daughter, Barry was shocked to learn that even in well-funded school districts the music programs were still suffering from budget cuts. In response he formed The Manilow Music Project.
The Manilow Music Project supports music education in a variety of ways, having donated thousands of instruments including hundreds of brand-new Yamaha pianos to hundreds of schools nation-wide. In addition to instrument grants The Manilow Music Project also supports young musicians by offering merit and need-based scholarships to universities all over the US. To date, The Manilow Music Project has distributed more than $10 million in instruments and funds.
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Barry Manilow’s unparalleled career is made up of virtually every facet of music, including performing, composing, arranging, and producing. A 2002 Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee, Manilow has triumphed in every medium of entertainment. He has received a Grammy®, Emmy®, and a TONY Award® and has been nominated for an Academy Award®. Having sold more than 85 million albums worldwide, Barry Manilow is one of the world’s all-time bestselling recording artists. He’s had an astonishing 50 Top 40 singles, including 12 #1s and 27 Top 10 hits, and is ranked the #1 Adult Contemporary Artist of all-time, according to Billboard and R&R magazines.
Barry Manilow
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Manilow Music Project (MMP)
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KFC Yum Center
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