(New York, NY) - On Monday, April 23, Carnegie Hall awarded its fifth Medal of Excellence to photojournalist Bill Cunningham at a gala benefit at The Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. The award recognizes Mr. Cunningham's extraordinary devotion to chronicling fashion for nearly fifty years, as well as his role in inspiring great philanthropy, recognizing the important place that arts, culture, and non-profit causes hold in the life of New York City. The Medal of Excellence was presented to Mr. Cunningham by Mr. Sanford I. Weill, Chairman of Carnegie Hall's Board of Trustees.  In addition, Gala Chair Annette de la Renta introduced a brief clip of the award-winning documentary Bill Cunningham New York.   World-renowned tenor Vittorio Grigolo performed as part of the evening's program as introduced by Gala Chair Sarah Jessica Parker. After the dinner the Empire Ballroom, guests moved to the Vanderbilt Ballroom for a chic after-party featuring the talents of DJ Cassidy.  The gala, which was attended by more than 450 guests, raised nearly $1.5 million.  On behalf of Bill Cunningham, all proceeds benefited the music education and community programs of Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute.

Sanford and Joan Weill served as the event's Honorary Gala Chairs. Annette and Oscar de la Renta, and Sarah Jessica Parker were Gala Chairs. Mercedes T. Bass, Diane von Furstenberg and Barry Diller, and 2008 Medal of Excellence Honoree Terry J. Lundgren and Tina Lundgren, and 2010 Medal of Excellence Honoree Henry T. Segerstrom and Elizabeth Segerstrom served as Gala Co-Chairs. Mr. Cunningham's longtime employer, The New York Times, joined the event as Gala Lead Sponsor.  In addition, the after-party was hosted by Junior Committee Members including James G. Brooks, Jr., Lee Hallman, Lara Meiland-Shaw and Claude Shaw, and Sarina Sassoon Sanandaji and Kasra Sanandaji.

About Bill Cunningham

For more than fifty years, Bill Cunningham has dedicated his life to chronicling American fashion trends on film, all the while bringing invaluable exposure to many remarkable philanthropic organizations and causes. Currently a photographer for The New York Times, Mr. Cunningham runs two columns that celebrate the vibrant landscape of New York City life. Both ?Evening Hours? and "On the Street" have long served as staples in the Fashion & Style sections of the Times, featuring his images on a weekly basis.

Mr. Cunningham moved to New York in 1948, initially working in advertising and soon after designing hats under the name "William J." He then was drafted and served a tour in the U.S. Army, after which he returned to New York and began writing for the Chicago Tribune. During his years as a writer, he contributed significantly to fashion journalism, helping to introduce American audiences to Azzedine Alaļa and Jean-Paul Gaultier. While working at the Tribune and at Women's Wear Daily, he began taking photographs of fashion on the streets of New York. As the result of a chance photograph of Greta Garbo, he published a group of his impromptu pictures in The New York Times in December 1978, which soon became a regular column. Mr. Cunningham continues to photograph people daily on the streets of Manhattan and at various philanthropic fundraisers throughout the city. In 2008, he was awarded the title Officier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.