Music Kitchen – Food for the Soul will be hosting their 1st Annual Gala ‘The Gift of Music’ on December 21, 2010

For Immediate Release

Just days before the Holidays; Stars are set to gather for the sole purpose of feeding the souls of Homeless through music, at this year’s Music Kitchen Winter Wonderland Gala – ‘The Gift of Music’ featuring World Renowned Emanuel Ax & Mark O’Connor

(New York, New York) December 20, 2010, - Music Kitchen – Food for the Soul will be hosting their 1^st Annual Gala ‘The Gift of Music’ on December 21, 2010 from 6:45-10:30pm at the gorgeously majestic bi-level Bogardus Mansion at 75 Murray Street in TriBeca. With an impressive line-up of musical performances it has significantly drawn the attention of the local press & media along with a dozen supporting celebrities including Kwame Jackson, May Levy, Ice T & wife Coco, Lauren Rae Levy, Sachika Twins, Kelly Choi, Hal Linton, Tracy DiMarco, Epperson Rod, Faith Evans, Alisha Maria, Tia Walker, Liz Scott, Darnell Stapleton and many others who are confirmed to attend as well.

Kelly Hall-Tompkins: 'The Gift of Music' Winter-Wonderland Gala Invitational Dec. 21 NYC

[Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Emanuel Ax and Mark O'Connor]

On December 7 and 8, 2010 The O’Connor String Quartet (Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Mark O’Connor, violins; Gillian Gallagher, viola; Patrice Jackson, cello) will perform at the 92nd Street Y, New York City.

Kelly Hall-Tompkins cordially invites you to Music Kitchen - Food For the Soul's, first annual Gala - 'The Gift of Music' on December 21st from 6:45pm -10:30pm at the spacious and grand Bogardus Mansion at 75 Murray Street in TriBeca.

This two-part regal-high end Gala will be showcasing top musicians such as World Renowned Pianist Emanuel Ax and Violinist/Composer/Fiddler Mark O’Connor. The evening will include ample displays of the finest foods, holiday themed cocktails, swag bags & a silent auction. Please see below for further info or to purchase tickets - visit http://www.musickitchennyc.org

For sponsorship opportunities, press/media & celebrity or special guests inquires/RSVP, please contact Event Coordinator Veronica Lee Anne 646.467.4406

The Music Kitchen Mission is to bring top emerging and established professional musicians together in order to share the inspirational, therapeutic, and uplifting power of music with New York City’s disenfranchised homeless shelter population.

Ticket prices:

$200 (6:45pm-10:30pm)

$250 includes everything from the $200 with Premium seating

$100 (8:00pm-10:30pm)

Buy Tickets at http://www.musickitchennyc.org

On December 21, 2010 from 6:45pm-10:30pm Music Kitchen's First Annual Gala will be sharing the gift of music which defines their mission of hope, love and giving to New York's underserved communities. The evening's two-part concert has something to offer everyone: At 6:45pm the doors will open to welcome guests into a Winter Wonderland themed atmosphere where an ample display of the finest foods and Holiday themed cocktails will greet guests for the first portion of the evening at a seated classical concert played by world renowned artists pianist Emanuel Ax and fiddler Mark O'Connor, joined by Music Kitchen's Founder and President, violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins. As the first concert comes to an end, additional guests will arrive for the second portion, set in a cocktail atmosphere where passed hors d'oeuvres and cocktails will be flowing on both floors. Mark O'Connor's Hot Swing Group will headline the second performance of the evening, filling the chic cherry wood and velvet-outlined lower level club with jazz. The evening will end with some charming desserts, party music by The David Bixler Jazz Quintet, followed by the close of a silent auction, and on their way out, guests can pick up a generously filled swag bag.

Kelly Hall-Tompkins: 'Music Kitchen featured on CBSNews.com Now!'

[In my own voice; Kelly Hall-Tompkins, violin; MSR Classics MS 1278]

“Music Kitchen- Food for the Soul

April 27, 2010 1:59 PM

Kelly Hall-Tompkins is one of New York's most sought after violinists. When she's not touring the world, you can find her and fellow musicians playing at a soup kitchen near you.”

“Dear Friends of Music Kitchen,

Please click to view the latest Music Kitchen story by journalist Whitney Dehart directly on CBSNews.com. Thank you all for your well wishes and support of this project!

Sincerely,

Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Violinist/Founder/Director”

“Mission: To bring top emerging and established professional musicians together in order to share the inspirational, therapeutic, and uplifting power of music with New York City’s disenfranchised homeless shelter population. I believe a shelter exists to provide not only physical but emotional and spiritual support to those who, for whatever reason, have lost the foundation of their homes and communities. I believe that music reaches the core of our being and can play a vital role in nourishing hope, love and strength, particularly when performed at an extremely high artistic level and in a friendly, relaxed setting.”

Kelly Hall-Tompkins on ABC News Video: 'American Heart: the Music Kitchen Performs for the Homeless'

[Kelly Hall-Tompkins]

New York Musicians Put on Free Concerts in Homeless Shelters [Video]

ABC World News With Diane Sawyer

By Catherine Cole

April 1, 2010

“The melodies from the world's great classics play all over New York City, echoing from the great halls like Lincoln Center down to the deep tunnels of the city's subways. People pay to see performers at the top of their field, or they toss spare change at street performers.

“But one night last week on New York's Upper West Side, five soloists from the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church choir gave a very different performance. They sang music from the Renaissance to the Baroque, from Orlande de Lassus to Johann Michael Bach. They ended the night with an American spiritual called 'Give Me Jesus.' Their audience? A group of homeless men. Some of the audience showed up in the church basement, expecting to be served sloppy joes, not treated to a concert. One man said, 'I expected to come in here and eat, sleep and then get tossed.'

“Instead, they got to listen to the Music Kitchen. Its mission is to bring what founder Kelly Hall-Tompkins calls 'the inspirational, therapeutic, and uplifting power of music' to New York City's homeless population. Hall-Tompkins, a professional freelance violinist who has performed in the New York Philharmonic and is a member of the New Jersey Symphony, wears many hats for the Music Kitchen. She does everything that has to be done as the organization's founder, director, public relations manager, violinist, and chief fundraiser, to name a few of her responsibilities. 'Music Kitchen, I've presented, in five years, 42 concerts, engaged almost 70 of New York's greatest artists on a shoestring budget,' she said.”