LONG ISLAND CITY, NY.- In celebration of its 25th anniversary this year, The Noguchi Museum, in Long Island City, Queens, held its Annual Benefit Concert and Dinner, on May 4, 2010.

This year, the Museum honored its six founding trustees: Donald H. Elliott, Hugh Hardy, Richard S. Lanier, Priscilla Morgan, Shoji Sadao, and Isaac Shapiro. They—along with the late Sherman Lee—worked alongside the artist over two decades ago to establish the foundation that became The Noguchi Museum. Their ongoing leadership and dedication to Noguchi’s original vision has been instrumental in ensuring the Museum’s position as the vibrant institution it is today.

Following cocktails in the Museum’s sculpture garden, guests moved indoors, where internationally acclaimed composer and pianist Philip Glass performed solo works on the piano prior to a seated dinner. Dinner was catered by Robbins Wolfe Eventeurs.

The evening included a silent auction of Squirrel (1984), a bronze sculpture by Noguchi that is one of the artist’s most playful works. Museum Director Jenny Dixon and Board Chairman Samuel Sachs II made brief remarks, highlighting the deep commitment and enthusiasm of the six founding trustees through the years.

This year’s gala and auction raised $195,000 for the Museum.

More than 200 guests, including Museum Trustees and friends, artists, and representatives of the cultural community, joined founding trustees Hugh Hardy, Richard S. Lanier, Priscilla Morgan, Shoji Sadao, and Isaac Shapiro on this special occasion. Guests included Charles Bergman, Susan and Coley Burke, Andrew Cogan, Evan Dando, Ambassador Robin Chandler Duke, Maggie and Talley Embry, Christy Ferrer, Christiane Fischer, Maxine and Stuart Frankel, Arne Glimcher, Jennifer Goodale, Andrea and David Holbrook, Eileen and Peter Jachym, George King, Lucy Lamphere, Al Maysles, Elizabeth McCormack, Ambassador and Madame Nishimiya, Jennifer and Malcolm Nolen, Ellen Phelan and Joel Shapiro, Jock Reynolds and Suzanne Hellmuth, Samuel Sachs II, Sheila and George Stevenson, Alan Suna, Sarah Nash Sylvester and Michael Sylvester, and Noguchi Museum Director Jenny Dixon and Curator Bonnie Rychlak, among others.