University President Steven Knapp awarded the highest award he can give, the George Washington University President’s Metal, to crooner Tony Bennett and his wife, Susan Benedetto, for their dedication to the arts at the Corcoran building Thursday night.
“It’s a particular pleasure to recognize the contributions of Tony Bennett and Susan Benedetto to arts education at the home of the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, one of the most iconic buildings in our nation’s capital,” Knapp said in a press release.
The award ceremony Thursday included a private exhibit of 18 pieces of Bennett’s art, two of which are from the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection: a portrait of Duke Ellington and a painting of Central Park. Bennett’s portrait of Ella Fitzgerald is also housed in a Smithsonian collection.
University presidents award the President’s Medal to people who “have exhibited courage, character and leadership in their chosen fields and who exemplify the ability of all human beings to improve the lives of others,” according to the release. The award was established in 1988, and previous recipients include former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev, former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres and journalist Walter Cronkite.
Fellow singer Lady Gaga, who has recorded an album with Bennett, put in an appearance with her parents, as did Kim Sajet, the director of the National Portrait Gallery and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.
“I could never dream of anything this beautiful happening to me. After years of work and wondering where it is all going to end up, this is a great experience in my life,” Bennett said in the release.
Bennett received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from GW in 2001 when he was honored at that year’s Commencement ceremony.
Bennett was also an advocate for civil rights and marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, in addition to refusing to perform in South Africa during the apartheid. He also raises money to diabetes and cancer research, and his artwork is on the cover of the American Cancer Society’s holiday card every year.
Bennett and Benedetto founded the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Queens, where Benedetto previously served as a social studies teacher and the principal. The couple also founded the nonprofit arts education organization, Exploring the Arts, which has partnerships with 23 public schools in New York City and Los Angeles.
“All students deserve access to a high-quality education, and a belief in the profound impact of the arts, is what fuels our work,” Benedetto said in the release. “A very heartfelt thank you to Tony for exemplifying the power of the arts, the importance of giving back and inspiring us all in the process.”
Benedetto, who is a graduate of Fordham University and Columbia University’s Teachers College, was also the owner of an artist consultation and management firm Creative Artists Management.
