On Friday, November 18, 2011, the “Rock the Schools” benefit concert took place at Gramercy Theatre in New York City. This event was co-hosted by Lauren Berger, The Intern Queen, as well as Trey Morgan from New York’s hit music station, Z100, and provides aid to New York City public schools. It featured such talented artists as Tyler Hilton, Ryan Cabrera, Bryan Greenberg (who is known for his leading role in HBO’s How to Make It in America), Dion Roy and Val Emmich.
Alaina Bendi and Christopher Trombley, the partners of BTF concerts, made the opening remarks. “We are proud to be promoting music education,” Trombley said. “Alaina and I came from a music background, and you can still make a career in this field. Music is an interdisciplinary subject that is equally as important as science and math.”
Ms. Berger noted her excitement for co-hosting this benefit acoustic concert. “We are here to raise awareness for a good cause,” The Intern Queen added.
According to Trey Morgan, radio personality from Z100, he remarked, “Music programs are very important to a well-rounded education. I am very happy and thrilled to be a part of it. This event puts music first and we literally ‘rock the schools’ tonight!”
Val Emmich, Dion Roy and Bryan Greenberg
Singer-songwriter and actor Val Emmich opened the show with “When I Grow Up.” It was followed by “The Only One Lonely,” “Galoshes on a Sunny Day,” “Eastern Standard Time,” “Gone” and “Sour,” where he showcased his rich, mellow voice. He concluded his seven-set mini-concert with “Get On With It.”
The second musician that took the stage was Namibian-born acoustic singer-songwriter Dion Roy. He opened his set with the soothing “Ocean,” and “Say It Loud.”
“This is so cool!” exclaimed Roy. “I am excited to be here.”
Roy continued with “This Moment is Mine,” “Nothing Without You,” “Hear Me Out,” and his newest single “Hey My Love.” Although Dion did not sing “The Wave,” he closed his set with “Leave Me Out of This” which featured a medley of such spitfire pop hits as Adele’s “Someone Like You” and Bruno Mars’ “Lighters.”
Following Dion Roy, Bryan Greenberg was the third performer to take the Gramercy Theatre stage.
Ryan Cabera and Tyler Hilton
Ryan Cabrera was the fourth musical act to perform. He sang such tunes as “40 Kinds of Sadness,” “Say,” “Photo,” and his hit ballad “True,” which he dubbed as his “beautiful love song”; moreover, he invited special guest and friend Constantine Maroulis (from American Idol and from the Broadway musical Rock of Ages) on stage, where he sang the classic “Stand By Me” while Cabrera accompanied him on acoustic guitar. Cabrera also sang “We Were Young” from his forthcoming studio album.
“Thank you so much for having me and for supporting ‘Rock the Schools!’” Cabrera exclaimed.
Cabrera concluded his set with his signature song “On the Way Down,” which garnered a huge response from the Gramercy Theatre crowd.
Immediately following Cabrera, Tyler Hilton (from One Tree Hill and best-known for playing Drew in Taylor Swift’s “Teardrops of My Guitar” music video) took the stage as the closing act, which was also well-received by the audience.
Conclusion
In summation, all five artists gave New York City’s Gramercy Theatre one night of music to remember, as they raised funds and awareness for a cause that is close to their hearts. They showcased the importance and ongoing need of music education in the NYC public schools. Alaina Bendi and Christopher Trombley did a remarkable job putting this event together, and the audience left the theater gaining a deeper appreciation for acoustic music and its significance for the education of our youth.
For more information on the BTF concerts, and their future events, be sure to check out their official website, and follow them on Twitter.
Markos Papadatos - Markos Papadatos holds over six years journalism experience, authoring over 700 articles, many of which are feature profile interviews.
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