MAW Gala: Roman Through the Piazza

The Music Academy of the West’s annual Summer Gala, set for Saturday, June 1, not only serves as an elegant appetizer to the enviable eight-week festival that follows, but also an official welcome to new Music Academy President and CEO Shauna Quill. The 2024 gala, appropriately titled “A New Era,” features an Italian-themed culinary journey complete with appetizers, full dinner, and desserts served al fresco, with a main course of a solo recital by cellist Joshua Roman, MAW alum and longtime supporter. 

Roman, who has returned to Miraflores several times since serving as a fellow in 2002, will be performing a program featuring the prelude to Bach’s “Cello Suite No. 1,” his take on Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” and an original composition called Immunity. That’s followed by a Q&A with new MAW CEO Shauna Quill, where the cellist-curator will share about the musical exploration of his ongoing experience with Long COVID, including his journey with the serious physical and emotional impacts of the illness and an acceptance that has led to a deeper commitment to sharing music.

Proceeds from the event go toward providing full scholarships for each summer’s fellows, subsidizing 3,000 Community Access tickets for live performances, and supporting the Sing! Children’s Chorus that serves 225 local youngsters.