Carnegie Hall Announces MCs Selected for Master Classes with Legendary Hip-Hop Artist Black Thought

Nine MCs from Across the US Selected to Participate in Master Classes, February 3-5, As Part of Carnegie Hall’s Series of Artist Training Workshops

The MCs Will Perform in a Public Showcase, Hosted by Black Thought, on February 5

Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute announced that nine rising MCs have been selected, after review of a significant number of applications, to participate in a free workshop led by legendary hip-hop artist Black Thought from February 3-5, 2020 as part of the Hall’s ongoing series of artist training workshops and master classes for young professional musicians. The MCs, who have been recognized as exceptionally talented rising artists in hip-hop, are:

• Bones Brigante (New York, New York)
• Dell-P (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• Le’Asha (Lanham, Maryland)
• Maimouna Youssef aka Mu Mu Fresh (Baltimore, Maryland)
• Mo.st (Orange Park, Florida)
• Queen Jo (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• Rahzel Jr. (Rye, New York)
• Saba The Godis (Lewisville, Texas)
• Shawn Smith (Lansdowne, Pennsylvania)

Marking the culmination of the inaugural hip-hop master class at Carnegie Hall, the MCs who have trained with Black Thought during the multi-day workshop focused on lyricism, flow, style, and delivery, will perform a final showcase, open to the public, hosted by The Roots front man. The performance will take place onWednesday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Weill Music Room in Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing.

Artists on the rise are given valuable access to world-class performers and composers through free workshops and master classes for young professional musicians (ages 18-35), created by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI). Participants are selected after responding to an open call for auditions. These up-and coming musicians receive personal coaching and mentoring from leading artists, helping them to reach their artistic and professional goals. Previous workshops and master classes presented by WMI have featured Joyce DiDonato, Renée Fleming, Marilyn Horne, Zakir Hussain, Abdullah Ibrahim, Bobby McFerrin, Brad Mehldau, Paquito d’Rivera, and more celebrated artists across multiple genres.

Black Thought Image by © Dario Calmese

Tariq Trotter, aka Black Thought, is an American rap artist and MC for the Philadelphia-based hip-hop group, The Roots. Trotter, who co-founded The Roots with drummer Questlove, is widely lauded for his complex and politically aware lyrical content and his sharply live performances.

The four-time Grammy Award winning artist – along with his band The Roots – are a staple in late-night television, starring as the house band for NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. As an influencer and innovator in the music industry for more than two decades, the rap lyricist has collaborated with numerous industry-leading artists. Tariq also served as a co-producer on the Grammy Award-winning original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton.

“Feel Good” At STORY At Macy’s

STORY at Macy’s teams up with Well+Good to demystify wellness with curated products, health tips and experiences at 36 stores nationwide

STORY at Macy’s, the ever-changing, narrative-driven retail concept inside 36 Macy’s stores nationwide, unveils its latest theme: “Feel Good.” Now through April 2020, Feel Good STORY brings a fresh focus on wellness and uses merchandise curation and events to explore simple and actionable ways for customers to find greater balance, energy and nourishment. In partnership with the award-winning fitness and wellness media platform, Well+Good, Feel Good STORY leverages its expertise in the field to help define and demystify what it means to live a healthy life through both editorial tips and product picks.

The wellness-focused retail narrative invites discovery through three curatorial spaces and each introduces merchandise and experiences to help you feel Balanced, Energized and Nourished. The Balanced moment is all about mindfulness and invites guests to pause for a complimentary meditation in partnership with Calm, the number one app for sleep, meditation and relaxation. To feel Energized, customers are invited to explore something new, from weighted arm bangles by Bala to an in-store barre fitness class. Finally in Nourished, healthy habits are the focus with new takes on snacking from Dada Daily and alcohol-free elixirs by Seedlip.

Bala – Bangles Resistance Loop Bands, Set of 5 $19.00

STORY at Macy’s product curation meets with editor-approved intel from Well+Good to add a simple, informative layer to the experience. For example, shoppers will discover that to get a good night’s sleep, editors suggest “cooling down your bedroom,” alongside the dodow, a glowing timer that teaches you to fall asleep. Additional tips cover topics like the benefits of dark chocolate, relaxation techniques, and how to maximize your crystals. Well+Good also supports STORY’s merchandise curation by leveraging its 2020 Wellness Trends to inform product selections like snack-able chickpeas. Within these broad moments, STORY at Macy’s and Well+Good take aim at trending topics like sleep, self-care, exercise, hydration, muscle recovery and healthy snacking.

Bala – Weighted 1lb Bangles $49

Bed of Nails – Pillow $49

“Well+Good decodes and demystifies wellness to help our community live a healthy lifestyle in a way that works for them,” said Alexia Brue, co-founder of the award-winning media company Well+Good. “Partnering with STORY at Macy’s allows us to share our rigorously researched editorial content in a new and exciting way, giving people in-person tips to feel more Balanced, Energized and Nourished.”

VIM & VIGR-Compression Socks $36.00

Well + Good 100 Healthy Recipes + Expert Advice For Better Living Cookbook $29.99

To bring the Feel Good experience to life, STORY energizes its in-store environment with meditation spaces in partnership with the Calm app at all locations and a range of community-centered events focused on wellness. The concept will host events featuring local experts in the health and wellness space for cooking classes, panel discussions, journaling and meditation workshops, a manicure bar, yoga and barre classes, and mocktail-faking workshops.

AcousticSheep -Sleepphones Headphones $100.00

The Growing Candle-Hyggelight Edith Sandalwood Growing Candle $28.00

Eat For Beauty by Susan Curtis and Tipper Lewis 25.00

The Wellness Project By Phoebe Lapine $25.00

A special selection of STORY at Macy’s wellness product will also be available on macys.com, curated by the three focus areas. From a lavender mimosa candle by Paddywax in Balanced and collapsible foam roller by Brazyn Life in Energized to a mocktail faking kit by Luckies of London in Nourished, online shoppers will be able to discover something that will make them feel good, too.

Statement on Collecting Objects Regarding the Impeachment of the President

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History actively engages with the history, spirit and complexity of the United States’ democratic experiment by collecting, documenting and sharing the American political system, including presidential history.

The museum’s political history curators are following the developments regarding the House of Representatives’ formal impeachment of President Donald J. Trump and the Senate Impeachment Trial starting on Jan. 21. In doing the work of a history museum, curators will determine which objects best represent these historic events for inclusion in the national collection.

The museum’s “The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden” exhibition includes a section on the limits on presidential power, including impeachment. Artifacts related to Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, who were both impeached by the House of Representatives, and acquitted by the Senate, as well as an object related to President Richard Nixon who resigned before the House voted on his impeachment, are on view.

The Smithsonian has been documenting American democratic practices since its inception in 1846 and the roughly 100,000 objects in this museum’s collection reach beyond possessions of elected leaders to touch the broader political life of the nation. The collection focuses on three areas of democracy: Political Campaigns (the voting process and people’s participation); Reform Movements (movements to expand or limit democracy and influence policy); and the Office of the Presidency and First Ladies history. This museum’s collection is home to some of the country’s most revered national treasures, from President Abraham Lincoln’s top hat, which he wore the night he was assassinated, to President Jefferson’s portable desk, which he used to draft the Declaration of Independence, to the First Ladies’ collection, which the Institution has stewarded for more than 100 years.

Laugh, Cry, Love, Thrill and Cheer as 14 All-Time Film Favorites Light Up Movie Theaters Nationwide in the 2020 TCM Big Screen Classics Series

More Than 60 Years of Incredible Hollywood History Will Be Back on the Big Screen, Playing Across the U.S. for the Enormously Popular Event Cinema Series

“Surely, you can’t be serious!” In 2020, 14 of movie history’s greatest romances, funniest comedies, scariest monsters, boldest visions, ultimate adventures, and most unforgettable dramas will be back in movie theaters across the country as Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies present the fourth annual, yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics series.

2020 TCM Big Screen Classics

Among the highlights are the first national theatrical release of 1933’s King Kong in more than 60 years; the tear-jerking Love Story for Valentine’s Day; the 60th anniversary of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho; and a rare big-screen appearance of Fiddler on the Roof. Plus, 2020 is the 40th anniversary of Airplane! We are serious. And don’t call us Shirley.

The 2020 lineup for the TCM Big Screen Classics series is:

• An American in Paris (1951)
• Love Story (1970)
• The Color Purple (1985)
• King Kong (1933)
• A League of Their Own (1992)
• Airplane! (1980)
• Annie (1982)
• The Blues Brothers (1980)
• Ghost (1990)
• Babe (1995)
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
• Psycho (1960)
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
• Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

Now in its fourth year, the TCM Big Screen Classics series continues to grow in popularity. In 2019, many events in the series experienced sold-out audiences and ranked near or at the top of box-office results – showcasing the enduring appeal and popularity of gathering in a darkened movie theater to see the sights and hear the sounds of the best Hollywood has ever created. Each film is presented with pristine digital projection and movie-theater-quality sound, further enhanced by fascinating pre- and post-feature insights presented by popular TCM hosts.

“2019 was a banner year for Fathom and the TCM Big Screen Classics series, with record levels of attendees and a bigger box office than ever before,” said Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas. “That success challenged us to search out some of the greatest films ever released, including iconic titles from over six decades, featuring world-renowned filmmakers, legendary stars, Best Picture winners, and epic productions – all meant to be seen on the big screen.”

“This is a slate of films to make every movie lover genuinely excited, and our partnership with Fathom Events means we can bring these films to a bigger audience than ever. This series celebrates the magic of the movies all throughout the country, proving that there is nothing that matches the joy of seeing these films in a movie theater,” added Genevieve McGillicuddy, vice president of enterprise and strategic partnerships, TCM.

Tickets for all films in the 2020 TCM Big Screen Classics series are available at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations for each event, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

The movies coming soon to a theater near you in the TCM Big Screen Classics are:

Love Story (1970) – 50th Anniversary from Paramount Pictures

Love Story

Love Story (1970) – 50th Anniversary from Paramount Pictures
Sunday, February 9, and Wednesday, February 12
One of the most romantic movies ever made remains one of the most enduringly popular. This heartfelt tale of the love of a lifetime received seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress. 
CAST: Ryan O’Neal, Ali MacGraw, John Marley, Ray Milland
SCREENPLAY: Erich Segal, based on his novel
DIRECTED BY: Arthur Hiller

The Color Purple

The Color Purple

The Color Purple (1985) – 35th Anniversary from Warner Bros.
Sunday, February 23
Resilient Celie endures decades of abuse, bigotry and violence, as she finds love – and family – amid her harsh and unforgiving surroundings. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and presented to honor National Black History Month.
CAST: Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, Akosua Busia
SCREENPLAY BY: Menno Meyjes, based on the novel by Alice Walker
DIRECTED BY: Steven Spielberg

King Kong

King Kong (1933) from Warner Bros.
Sunday, March 15
“No, it wasn’t the airplanes. It was Beauty killed the Beast.” When King Kong is captured and taken off his tropical island for the bright lights of Manhattan, an unexpected bond is formed between the great beast and a damsel in distress.
CAST: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher, King Kong
SCREENPLAY BY: James Creelman and Ruth Rose
DIRECTED BY: Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack

Carnegie Hall Presents Annual Gala Evening, The Stage of Legends, on June 3 in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage

Exclusive Event Includes Dinner on World’s Most Legendary Musical Stage, Plus an Intimate Performance by Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award Winning Soprano Audra McDonald

On Wednesday, June 3 at 6:30 p.m., Carnegie Hall presents a special event: The Stage of Legends: A Gala Evening at Carnegie Hall. This extraordinary evening features a private musical performance by six-time Tony Award winner and Carnegie Hall Artist Trustee soprano Audra McDonald, winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Emmy alongside pianist Andy Einhorn, and includes dinner on the legendary Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. The evening’s Gala Chair is Sana H. Sabbagh, also joined by Gala Co-Chairs Kyung Ah and Michael B. Kim and Tracy Chutorian Semler and Eric Semler.

Since the day Carnegie Hall opened its doors on May 5, 1891, it has been the aspirational destination for the world’s greatest artists and has set the international standard for excellence in performance. From Tchaikovsky, Dvorák, Mahler, and Bartók to George Gershwin, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Judy Garland, and The Beatles, every form of music has filled Carnegie Hall—the only prerequisite: that it be the finest. Carnegie Hall presents a wide range of performances each season on its three stages—the renowned Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, intimate Weill Recital Hall, and innovative Zankel Hall—including concert series curated by acclaimed artists and composers; citywide festivals featuring collaborations with leading New York City cultural institutions; orchestral performances, chamber music, new music concerts, and recitals; and the best in jazz, world, and popular music. Complementing these performance activities, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute creates extensive music education and social impact programs that annually serve more than 600,000 people in the New York City area, nationally, and internationally, playing a central role in Carnegie Hall’s commitment to making great music accessible to as many people as possible.

At this annual black-tie gala, now in its third year, guests will experience a rare opportunity to dine on the most celebrated musical stage in the world. A cocktail reception begins at 6:30 p.m. with dinner to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Gala tables are priced at $100,000, $60,000, and $30,000, with individual seats at $10,000 and $5,000 each. A limited number of individual seats and tables are available. To make a reservation, please visit carnegiehall.org/stageoflegends, call Carnegie Hall’s Special Events Office at 212-903-9679, or email specialevents@carnegiehall.org.

All proceeds from this gala evening benefit Carnegie Hall’s artistic and music education programs. For more information, visit carnegiehall.org/stageoflegends.

Macy’s Celebrates Black History Month By Embracing and Expressing The Diversity Of Black People and Culture

In 1976, the U.S. government introduced Black History Month in conjunction with the nation’s bicentennial to honor the achievements and cultural richness of the African-American community. Today, more than 44.5 million U.S. citizens identify as Black. As such, the company celebrates the gifts, voices and legacy of this diverse population.

Macy’s celebrates Black History Month 2020 at select locations nationwide with special appearances by influencer Monica Veloz, Hair Love writer, director and producer Matthew Cherry, comedian Phoebe Robinson, activist Marley Dias, NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, celebrity hair stylist Kim Kimble, and many more.

Macy’s Black History Month events will be held at the following stores:

• Macy’s Baldwin Hills (Los Angeles) – Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. with Monica Veloz
• Macy’s State Street (Chicago) – Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. with Matthew Cherry
• Macy’s Herald Square (New York City) – Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. with Phoebe Robinson and Marley Dias
• Macy’s Union Square (San Francisco) – Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. with Jerry Rice
• Macy’s Lenox Square (Atlanta) – Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. with Kim Kimble
• Macy’s Aventura (Miami) – Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. with The Workshop at Macy’s

The month’s events kick off at Macy’s Baldwin Hills in Los Angeles with a make-up tutorial and discussion about diversity and inclusion in the beauty industry from influencer Monica Veloz. At Macy’s State Street, Chicago native Matthew Cherry will screen his 2020 Oscar®-nominated short-film Hair Love and discuss how he used the power of family to tell a compelling story about real people. Comedian and co-star of podcast 2 Dope Queens, Phoebe Robinson, and 14-year-old activist and creator of #1000blackgirlbooks, Marley Dias, will appear at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City for an evening of insightful dialogue. Three-time Super Bowl® champion and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice will appear at Macy’s Union Square in San Francisco. At Macy’s Lenox Square in Atlanta, customers can enjoy a demonstration and celebration of the diversity of Black hair from celebrity stylist Kim Kimble. At Macy’s Aventura in Miami, representatives from Macy’s Diversity and Inclusion team and The Workshop at Macy’s will participate in a discussion on the diversity of Black people and Black culture as well as select a high potential Black-owned business to join The Workshop at Macy’s class of 2020.

artist lisa Hunt

In addition to appearances by these notable innovators, Macy’s will showcase Black History Month-themed windows throughout February in Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Macy’s locations. The windows were created in partnership with Maplewood, New Jersey artist, Lisa Hunt. “My work explores the spatial and meditative relationships found within repeat patterns,” she commented. “The windows are expressed with a minimalist approach inspired by Art Deco, traditional African and Eastern textiles comprised of graphic shapes, symbols, and re-imagined typographic elements. The screen printed patterns employ an aesthetic use of gold leaf as a nod to its adorning use throughout art history.”

ONYX, Macy’s Black Employee Resource Group, was instrumental in developing this year’s campaign including the theme, display windows, and volunteer opportunities across the country. Throughout the campaign, Macy’s will contribute a total of $10,000 to charitable organizations such as Jerry Rice’s 127 Foundation and local Urban Leagues.

“Macy’s mission is to embed diversity and inclusion into how we think, act, and operate. We are strongest when we are representative of the many communities we serve and we are thrilled to offer our customers engaging Black History Month events that honor and reflect the Black experience and its impact on global culture,” said Shawn Outler, Macy’s chief diversity officer.