Frederic Chiu

The Westport Library is pleased to honor Frederic Chiu at the 2019 BOOKED for the evening. The Library's signature fundraising event honors an individual whose work reflects the purpose of the Library—to nurture the love of learning and to enhance our understanding of the world.

Honoree: Award-winning virtuoso pianist, collaborator, innovator, and entrepreneur Frederic Chiu

The Library's signature fundraising event was held on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.

The 21st annual signature fundraising event was the inaugural program in the Christian J. Trefz Forum, the Library's newly transformed, premier entertainment space.  

Frederic Chiu has performed on five continents, in all 50 states and in many unusual venues. He has played with orchestras worldwide including The National Symphony in Washington, D.C., The China National Symphony, The BBC Concert Orchestra Symphony and many more. His classical music collaborations with friends Joshua Bell, Pierre Amoyal and the St. Lawrence String Quartet, as well as jazz pianist Bob James and storyteller David Gonzalez, bring a vivid piano concert experience to all audiences.

Frederic’s 27 CDs include the most extensive recording of the piano works of Prokofiev. He is an internationally recognized expert on Prokofiev and a personal friend of the Prokofiev family. In 2020, Frederic will release a new recording that will include Beethoven’s Symphonies V and VII for Solo Piano, as transcribed by Liszt, to mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth. They are considered among the most technically demanding piano music ever written. Frederic is an innovator in programming. He has worked with Yamaha for 30 years, pushing the boundaries of technology and the piano. He tours with his “Classical Smackdown” programs, in which the music of two composers is performed in head-to-head comparisons and the audience votes for the winner. “Romeo & Juliet - The Choice,” his immersive, interactive production of the popular Prokofiev ballet, places dancers, solo piano and the audience together on stage, with the audience voting their preference for either Prokofiev’s traditional tragic conclusion or for his little-known happy ending. With his wife and collaborator Jeanine Esposito, Frederic created the arts nonprofit, Beechwood Arts & Innovation, here in Westport, fostering collaboration across all art genres and deepening community connection through art and technology.

Frederic Chiu photo credit: Chris Craymer

BOOKED for the evening is the Library's signature fundraising event. On this occasion, the Library honors an individual whose work reflects the purpose of the Library—to nurture the love of learning and to enhance our understanding of the world. 

Previous award winners are Tom Brokaw, E.L. Doctorow, Calvin Trillin, Wendy Wasserstein, Pete Hamill, Martin Scorsese, Arthur Mitchell, Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Halberstam, Oscar Hijuelos, Adam Gopnik, Will Shortz, Patti Smith, Barry Levinson, Jon Meacham, Nile Rodgers, Lynsey Addario, Ron Chernow, Alan Alda and Justin Paul.

2019 Committee

Co Chairs: Wendy Brown & Candice Savin
Martha Aasen
Stacy Bass
Jenn Falik
Theanne Feldman
Diane Sembrot
Julia Genser
Lori Goertz
Lucy Johnson
Melissa Kane
Maggie Mudd
Laura Curley Pendergast
Kelle Ruden
Nina Sankovitch
Tricia Schwartz

2019 Benefit Committee

Co Chairs:   Jenn Falik & Julia Genser
Paula & Mark Argosh
Stacy & Howard Bass
Wendy & Spencer Brown
Joan Curran
Allison & Glenn DiVincenzo
Karen & Rob Driscoll
Theanne & Matthew Feldman
Eileen Lavigne Flug
Kathie & Tim Fording
Anne Marie & Patrick Fox
Ivy & Benjamin Gosseen
Liz & Marc Greenberg
Alison Hoffman & Kevin Rakin
Suzanne & James Jesse
Dorian Kail & Sam Leaf
Meredith & Dave Kamo
Melissa & Jonathan Kane
Elizabeth & Michael Kessler
Celeste & Norman LaCroix
Nicole Laskin
Sandra & Larry Lefkowitz
Sara Lev & Michael Sloang
Simona & David Levin
Liz & David Martin
Maggie Mudd & Fulvio Dobrich
Trammi Nguyen & Michael Guadarrama
Celia & Ron Offir
Laura & James Pendergast
Melissa & Fred Post
Meredith Poster
Lisa & Jeremy Price
Joseph Pucci & Dara Lieberson
Eva & Lee Rawiszer
Kelle & Jeffrey Ruden
Megan & Greg Rutstein
Candice Savin & Daniel Gross
Johanna & Jeremy Simon
Jennifer & Sandy Smokler
Diana & Daniel Sussman
Nicole von Dohlen

Sponsors

Diamond
  • Jocelyn & Walter Barandiaran
  • Paula & Tom McInerney
  • Thomson Reuters
Ruby
  • Roz & Bud Siegel
Platinum
  • Nancy & Eugene Beard
  • Claudia & Arthur Cohen
  • Stephanie Ercegovic & Brian Foster
  • Candice Savin & Dan Gross
  • Luisa Francoeur& Jim Goodrich
  • Joan & Ted Gillman
  • Alison Hoffman & Kevin Rakin
  • Jonathan Kane & Fundraising
  • Post Road Capital Management
  • Candice Savin & Dan Gross
  • Judith Udell
Gold
  • Anonymous
  • Allison & Tony Allott
  • Robin & Brad Berggren
  • Maxine Bleiweis
  • Kris & Kevin Jandora
  • Elizabeth & Michael Kessler
  • Marianna & Mark McCall
  • Karen & Henry Myerberg
  • Tracey & Anil Narang
  • Diane & Steve Parrish
  • Pegeen & David Rubinstein
  • Ann Sheffer & Bill Scheffler
  • Julie Uman Whamond
  • Susan Thomsen & Norman Trepner
  • Jessica Waldman & Carl Thompson
Silver
  • Marjorie Golden & Russell Baris
  • Stacy & Howard Bass
  • Adria Belport & Michael Loeb
  • Christine & Ava Beninati
  • Jim Bennett
  • Bernstein Global Wealth Management
  • Lee & Duane Bollert
  • Diana Bowes & Jim Torrey
  • Wendy & Spencer Brown
  • Linda & Iain Bruce
  • Fran & Paul Burger
  • Ina Chadwick & Richard Epstein
  • Huguette & Jonathan Cunitz
  • Carol & Joel Davis
  • Emily & Joe DiMiceli
  • Jenn & Brian Falik
  • Pat & Dick Jay Theanne & Matthew Feldman
  • Kathie & Tim Fording
  • Julia & Andrew Genser
  • Kathleen Davis Groener
  • Judy & Mike Guthman
  • Deborah & Randy Herbertson
  • Mary-Jane & Terry Hogan
  • Cindy & Alan Zuckerbrod
  • Lucy Johnson & Bill Klein
  • Sandy & Peter Kolbrener
  • Darlene Krenz & John Goodrich
  • Celeste & Norman LaCroix
  • Roberta & Chris Lewis
  • Hedi Lieberman & Victor Teicher
  • Terry & Lance Lundberg
  • Jennifer Lupinacci & Jeffrey Pirkl
  • Lux Bond & Green
  • Mary Ellen & Jim Marpe
  • Howard Matson, Wells Fargo Advisors
  • Sharon & John Miller
  • Maggie Mudd & Fulvio Dobrich
  • Jennifer Murchie
  • Sandy & Peter Nathan
  • Alan & Frances Offenberg
  • Joyce Pauker
  • Marria Pooya & Greenwich Medical Spa
  • Meredith Poster
  • Joe Pucci & Dara Lieberson
  • Bobbi & Jon Roth
  • Kelle & Jeffrey Ruden
  • Irma & Joe Schachter
  • Lauren & David Sussman
  • Verrill Dana, LLP
  • U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management
  • Nicole Von Dohlen & Jeff Manchester

 

 

Bronze
  • Christine & Eduardo Andrade
  • Paula & Mark Argosh
  • Karina & Ramsen Betfarhad
  • Jennifer & Robert Bowman
  • Broder & Orland, LLC
  • Sharon & Sam Carpenter
  • Karen & Rob Driscoll
  • Cindy & David Eigen
  • Liz & Avi Kaner
  • Dworken, Hillman, LaMorte & Sterczala, P.C.
  • Wendy & Kenneth Epstein
  • Allison & Jack Feuer
  • Lisa S. Rome, MD
  • Amy & Gary Goldberg
  • Liz & Marc Greenberg
  • Claire & David Hertan
  • Mary Hoffman
  • Yvette & David Waldman
  • Diane & Rady Johnson
  • Shelly & Michael Kassen
  • Ellen Lautenberg & Doug Hendel
  • Lesley & Jeff Wolman Lillian August
  • Rebecca Martin & John Donoghue
  • Claudia Mengel
  • Stephanie & Karl Mergenthaler
  • Elise Meyer & Henry Feuerstein
  • Judge Alan & Mrs. Janet Nevas
  • Hilary Nordholm & Adrian Hinojos
  • Yvonne & Neil O’Kane
  • Nancy & Jeffrey Plotkin
  • Susan Ross & Andrew Sommer
  • Roni & Andrew Tarshis
  • Jennifer & Sandy Smokler
  • Soleil Toile Fine Lingerie & Swimwear
  • Cindi & Nick Sunjka
Media
Westport Magazine
crossmenuchevron-down linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram