Apogee Rolls Out Performing Arts Programs Across East Asia

The Apogee Foundation, a philanthropic corporation dedicated to the development of human excellence in the performance arts, announced today that it has added staff and begun implementing its full range of programs to identify, support, develop and promote elite performing arts talent across East Asia.

New York, Tokyo and Beijing, November 13, 2007 (FastPitchPress (US), PressBox (UK)) - The Apogee Foundation, a philanthropic corporation dedicated to the development of human excellence in the performance arts, announced today that it had added key team members and begun implementing its full slate of programs across East Asia.

The Foundation kicked off its East Asian operations by providing its first four Excellence Awards in China to the outstanding students and faculty of the Central Conservatory Music School in the nation's capital: pianists Wang Chun and Huang Nansong, and er hu (Chinese classical violin) artist Wang Xiao, were selected as the first Apogee Merit Scholars in East Asia, and Professor Zhang Jin, Head of the Central Conservatory's Piano Department and instructor of both Wang Chun and Huang Nansong, was named Apogee's first Achievement Award laureate in the region.

Above: Apogee President Kenneth Schneider (left) with Professor Xing Weikai, Director of the Central Conservatory Music School

This year, Apogee has begun the launch of its full slate of programs across both East and South Asia

To see videocasts of these and other Apogee Award laureates as well as Apogee Artists events around the world, visit Apogee Videocasting at: http://www.apogeefoundation.org/media/video.php

Earlier this year, the Foundation opened an Asia and Oceania bureau in Tokyo and appointed both Mr. Tadao Otsuki, one of Japan's leading business consultants, and Professor Yu Rongfu, the former Director of the Central Conservatory Music School, to the Foundation's global Advisory Council to assist with the rollout of Apogee's programs throughout the region.

In the course of the coming year, the Foundation intends to follow this initial set of awards and appointments by introducing its full slate of programs across East Asia, with work already underway now in South Korea and Vietnam as well as in Japan and China.

Professor Xing Weikai, Director of the Central Conservatory Music School, said "On behalf of the many talented young artists in China who deserve this level of international recognition and support, we welcome Apogee to our country and look forward to successfully expanding on this collaboration in the years to come."

Apogee Advisory Council member Tadao Otsuki.

Mr. Otsuki, a leading business consultant in Japan, is a strategic advisor for the Foundation's rollout in Asia

Apogee President Kenneth Schneider said "Apogee's mission of fostering human excellence in the arts and lives of gifted people is particularly well suited to the extraordinarily talented and dedicated artists now emerging from East Asia, as they prepare to enter upon the world stage more significantly than at any other time in history. It is a privilege for everyone at the Foundation to be able to play our role in this."

To view the full version of this release, including audio-video and photographic content, please visit the Foundation's website at: http://www.apogeefoundation.org/media/2007/east_asia_rollout.php

About The Apogee Foundation ®
Apogee is an international philanthropic organization dedicated to the development of human excellence in the performance arts. The Foundation is a global leader in discovering, developing and celebrating human creative potential.

Contact
Kenneth Schneider, President
The Apogee Foundation
1001 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10018-5460 (USA)
+1.646.224.6960 or +1.888.APOGEE.8
www.apogeefoundation.org