Legendary Trumpeter Herb Alpert to Receive 2014 REDCAT Award | March 15th, 2014
CalArts’ REDCAT Gala
Los Angeles (PRWE
March 03, 2014
Award-winning musician and philanthropist Herb Alpert will be honored with the 2014 REDCAT Award at a March 15 Gala to be held at REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater). Steven D. Lavine, president of the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), described Alpert as “a legendary artist and visionary who brings much the same generosity of spirit and depth of creativity to his philanthropy. It is especially significant to honor Herb this year, which marks the 20th Anniversary of the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts – just one example of his thoughtful support for arts and culture, including CalArts.”
Each year, the REDCAT Award honors individuals who exemplify the generosity and talent that define and lead the field of contemporary arts and culture. Designed by architect Frank Gehry and fabricated by Tiffany & Co., the award celebrates the spirit of innovation and the transformation of ideas through creative acts. Past REDCAT Award recipients are Eli & Edythe Broad, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Mark Bradford, Roy E. Disney, Tim Disney, Robert Egelston, Harriett Gold, Glenn Ligon, Barry McGee, and Kara Walker.
The Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be Emmy Award-winning actor James Cromwell (American Horror Story, LA Confidential, Babe), an active supporter of Los Angeles theater and REDCAT. The co-chairs for the event are Maria Arena Bell, Neda and Tim Disney, Jamie and Michael Lynton, and Malissa and Bobby Shriver. REDCAT’s theater will be transformed for the Gala by the design team of artist/architects Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena.
The event will include cocktails, dinner and a special performance by Herb Alpert and his wife, Grammy award-winning singer Lani Hall. Alpert won his 9th Grammy award in January 2014 for “Steppin’ Out,” the Best Pop Instrumental Album.
Herb Alpert’s profound passion for arts and culture has taken many forms and changed thousands of lives. His multi-faceted artistic career continues to contribute to contemporary culture, most notably through the gift of his music, including his rich performing partnership with Lani Hall. Through the Herb Alpert Foundation, his extraordinary generosity has empowered and transformed generations of young and mid-career artists.
Alpert has built an illustrious artistic career as a world-renowned musician, record label co-founder, music producer, composer, arranger, visual artist, Broadway producer and philanthropist. After early success composing “Wonderful World” with Sam Cooke and Lou Adler, Alpert went on to co-found A&M Records in 1962 with Jerry Moss, which grew into the largest independent record label in history. In 1966, Alpert achieved the unmatched accomplishment of having 5 albums on Billboard’s Top 20 at the same time. He is the only artist to have a #1 record as a singer, “This Guy’s in Love with You,” and as an instrumentalist, “Rise” in 1979. He has sold over 75 million records and has 15 certified platinum and 14 gold.
A close association with California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) for nearly 25 years has led to the establishment of The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts (2008), and building the endowment for the Community Arts Partnership (CAP), which serves youth in some of Los Angeles’ most underserved neighborhoods. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts has given annual prizes to mid-career, risk-taking artists working in Dance, Film/Video, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts.
The Herb Alpert Foundation’s significant contributions include the 2007 formation of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and it’s 2012 addition of The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, creating a premier institution for the advancement of jazz. The Herb Alpert Scholarships for Emerging Young Artists provide recognition and support to talented California high school students, and at the other end of the spectrum, the P.S. ARTS/Lawndale Elementary School District Initiative has brought sequential and rigorous arts education into the elementary school classroom. The 2010 gift to the Harlem School of the Arts helped rebuild the school and Alpert’s generosity was honored in a building renaming into “The Harlem School of the Arts – The Herb Alpert Center.” More recently, a substantial commitment to the L.A. City College Music Department established the Herb Alpert Scholars to attract exceptional music students, regardless of their background.
In 2013, in recognition of his years of artistic and philanthropic contributions, Herb Alpert was presented the National Medal of Arts at the White House by President Barack Obama.