Hurricane Sandy Benefit Concert Success

WILLIAMSTOWN, N.J. - April 24, 2013 - PRLog -- Saturday night’s Hurricane Sandy benefit concert, sponsored by the Philadelphia International Music Festival, brought over 200 visitors to down to New Jersey’s shore town of Ocean City. Donations given by guests totaled to over $1,000, and have gone directly to the American Red Cross, who have sent thousands of workers, resources, and meals to New Jersey to help with clean up and take care of the residents who have been displaced since last October.  Months after the storm, the Red Cross has now turned their focus on long-term goals for shore restoration.

It was truly a night for women in the arts, Noelle Casella, Ellen Hannigan-Yousefian, Madison and Michal Marcucci, delighted their guests with pieces like Vivaldi’s Winter and Handel-Halveoson’s Passcaglia. These four talented women have performed and worked with the members of the Philadelphia Orchestra and PIMF for a number of years prior to this concert and enjoyed bringing their knowledge and experience to this event. Casella is an American born cellist who recently completed her Master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Ellen Hannigan-Youssefian is a wonderful a pianist and graduate from Ocean City High School. The Marcucci sister’s Madison and Michal- daughters of PIMF co-founder Sandy Marcucci and have been immersed in a world of classical music appreciate since they were a young age. Both Marcucci girls have also been students of the Philadelphia International Music Festival.

This charity event, could not have been made possible without the dedicated staff of Ocean City Tabernacle, the talented women musicians, and classical music lovers who made the trip and donated to the concert. The Philadelphia International Music Festival would also like to thank the media coverage received from the Press of Atlantic City and 6 ABC.

Additional information is also available via PIMF's Blog at: www.philadelphiamusicfestival.wordpress.com

About the Philadelphia International Music Festival:

The Philadelphia International Music Festival began as a 40-student program founded in the home CEO Sandra Marcucci. It has grown in 15 years to include three camp programs in two states and two countries, with more than 300 young musicians attending programs over annually. This year, we hope to mark the festival program’s largest attendance count. PIMF is a series of music programs offering students of all ages and skill levels in the U.S. and abroad the unique opportunity of spending 14-days immersed in classical music education and performance with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra. The summer music program includes full symphonic repertoire and is conducted on the exquisite, estate-like grounds of Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.