Join us for Diller-Quaile’s Gala, benefiting the Need-Based Scholarship Fund, empowering tuition-free community music programs that bring the joy of music to children and adults across NYC, and sustaining the excellence of the School’s onsite programs and faculty.

The Diller-Quaile School of Music Gala

Thursday, May 8, 2025
6:00 - 10:00 PM

Metropolitan Club
One East Sixtieth Street
New York, NY 10022

BLACK TIE

Host
Emmy Rossum

Emmy Rossum is an acclaimed actress, singer, producer and director. Best known for her work on the award winning series Shameless and the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Rossum also executive produced and starred in Peacock's limited series Angelyne. Other notable film and TV credits include Apple's The Crowded Room, The Day After Tomorrow, Poseidon, and Mystic River. Rossum recently marked her off-Broadway debut in WALDEN at the Tony Kiser Theater.

Honoring
Jennifer Jahn

Artistry & Education Award

Jennifer Jahn has been a faculty member at The Diller-Quaile School of Music since 1986, teaching and mentoring young musicians. In addition to her longstanding role at Diller-Quaile, she has been on the faculty of the 92nd Street Y and served as principal cellist of the Bronx Opera for 30 years.

As President of the Fontainebleau Associations, she spends her summers in France at the Festival, where she first attended as a participant in 1998. Inspired by the school's rich history, she joined the Board in 2001 and, in 2002, initiated the first Gala to support scholarship programs for talented students.

She completed both her undergraduate and graduate studies in cello performance at the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto, where she also established the area’s first Suzuki program at Seneca College. Her studies continued in Vienna on a Canada Council scholarship with Vladimir Orloff and in New York on a Dolan Prize with Claus Adam.

As a performer, Jennifer has played with the Hamilton Philharmonic, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, and the Cecilia String Quartet. She has appeared in renowned venues and festivals, including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Meet the Virtuosi series at the 92nd Street Y, the Donnell Library, the Sancerre Festival, and the Château of Fontainebleau.

Honoring
Diane Spann & Bernardita Kurtz

Leadership Award

Diller-Quaile is proud to recognize Diane Spann and Bernardita Kurtz with this year’s Leadership Award in celebration of their profound commitment to music education and community engagement.

As Executive Director and Education Director of Addie Mae Collins Community Service, Ms. Spann and Ms. Kurtz have been tireless advocates for expanding access to high-quality music education. Through their participation in Diller-Quaile’s Preschool Partnership Program, Summer Music Partnership Program, and Teacher Training initiatives, they have helped strengthen the longstanding relationship between our institutions, enriching the lives of countless students and families.

The Leadership Award honors those who exemplify collaboration and dedication to our mission. This recognition celebrates the vision, generosity, and steadfast support of representatives from our valued community and philanthropic partners, whose contributions have enriched our ability to inspire and ensure music for all, music for a lifetime.