Celebrating “The Power and Magic of Music in Movies” on Oscar Day in Support of Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research

LOS ANGELES (March 5, 2023) – Every year, the day of the Oscars provide a fundraising opportunity for worthy causes and nonprofit organizations. Among them this year is the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (IMBCR). This center, quietly located in West Los Angeles, with a team of dedicated researchers, has taken on one of the most challenging cancers today — Multiple Myeloma (MM).

To support this great cause on March 12th 11:00am – 2:00pm, “The Power and Magic of Music In Movies,” held at the Writers Guild Theatre 1355 Doheny Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90211 will be celebrated with a powerful presentation from Mark Watters, a former conductor for the Academy Awards, composer for film and television and six-time Emmy award winner. All proceeds from this event will support IMBCR’s cancer research (501(c) organization).

Mark Watters, a six-time Emmy Award winning composer, will show how the “right music” enhances the feeling, character, plot, and mood in movies. He’ll also demonstrate how music that doesn’t fit with the movie, makes it fall flat. Before Mark’s program, there will be a champagne brunch, silent auction, Oscar Pool to pick the winners, and a stimulating Q&A after his demonstration.

Scores of people have lost their productive lives to this complicated disease which remains incurable. In 2021, the first African American Secretary of State, Colin Powell succumbed to complications of COVID-19 after living with Multiple Myeloma which severely compromises the immune system. Multiple Myeloma puts patients at great risk for infection and robs their ability to adequately fight it. Infection is a major complication and a leading cause of death in patients with MM.

“It is our mission and daily work of our research team to cure Multiple Myeloma. It is through research that life expectancy for our patients has lengthened and has helped to find lifesaving treatments,” said IMBCR founder Dr. James Berenson. “However, more awareness and support are needed from the public and the global medical community to assist us in saving the lives of those currently fighting this deadly disease and prevent Multiple Myeloma from taking hold on scores of others who are newly diagnosed,” he said.

Many notables who have passed after having Multiple Myeloma include actor Peter Boyle (Everybody Loves Raymond), Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro, Jurassic Park Special Effects Supervisor Stan Winston, Advice columnist Eppie Friedman, aka Ann Landers.

Olympic Silver Medalist Greg Foster and Veteran newsman Tom Brokaw are among the millions around the world currently in treatment in need of a cure for MM.

“Donations are needed to continue the great progress that has been made. While many groups hold “Oscar watching” events, we’ve produced a unique program focused on the industry’s powerful music created for film and we hope to build public awareness for MM at the same time. We’re grateful for those who are helping us by spreading the word regarding our upcoming event and will be attending,” said event chair, Debra Berenson.“

IMBCR is dedicated to advance the treatment of myeloma by connecting possibility through scientific innovation leading to personalized and continuous optimized patient care. Research at IMBCR has helped to identify new classes of drugs and combinations that have allowed our patients to live better and longer lives as we continue our work toward eradicating Multiple Myeloma.

Mark Watters is a six-time Emmy Award winning composer and conductor whose diverse career spans over 400 television episodes, feature films, DVDs, video games, concert works and music for the theater. He holds the distinct honor of having served as music director and featured composer for two Olympics. First, in 1996 for the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta and again in 2002 for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. For the ’96 games, Mark composed the Emmy nominated song, “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” Performed by opera legend Jessye Norman and featuring lyrics by Grammy-nominated lyricist, Lorraine Feather, the song was the triumphant finale to the Opening Ceremonies. He has served as guest conductor for such orchestras as The Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Tokyo Philharmonic, The London Symphony, The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, The Detroit Symphony, The New York City Pops, The Baltimore Symphony and The Atlanta Symphony. In 2002, film score legend John Williams asked Mark to co-conduct the 74th Academy Awards. In addition to his composing and conducting career, Mark is an associate professor at the famed, Eastman School of Music where he heads the Media Composition curriculum and is the director of the Beal Institute for Film Music and Contemporary Media. For more information, visit www.markwatters.com.

For more information about “The Power and Magic in Movies” go to: IMBCR.org/Events. Complimentary parking is available by entering the alley just north of the Theater. To support cancer research, go to: IMBCR.org/Donate

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