The sound of music
Her political party may have taken a beating Tuesday night, but first lady Michelle Obama certainly was not singin’ the blues on Wednesday.
Mrs. Obama, glowing in a silver dress, sparkling brooch and elegant updo, welcomed actresses Kerry Washington and Alfre Woodard and philanthropist Teresa Heinz Kerry, among other distinguished guests, to a White House ceremony where she handed out 2009’s Coming Up Taller Awards to arts education advocacy programs that serve disadvantaged youths. The 15 winners were selected from among 400 nominations.
“Welcome to the White House! I love saying that,” Mrs. O began. Teaching young people to sing, play instruments and recite Shakespeare not only empowers “the imagination” but also teaches “hard work and discipline,” she continued.
“If you ask a kid to dream, they’ll dream,” she said.
The first lady was joined onstage in the State Dining Room by Jim Leach, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and George Stevens Jr., co-chairman of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
Mr. Stevens is best known for his role as the producer of the Kennedy Center Honors, an annual event that pays tribute to artists who have made extraordinary contributions to their fields.
He quipped that he’s going to start calling the Kennedy medals “the Coming Up Taller Awards for seniors,” referring to the award recipients usually being a little long in the tooth.
The first lady warmly embraced the winners as they came onstage but seemed especially buoyed by the Chicago program, the National Museum of Mexican Art, as the recipients are from her hometown.
As soon as the first lady wrapped up the ceremony, she dashed across to the East Room, press pool in tow, to hear musicians, many of them children, play classical compositions as part of the White House Music Series.
Dubbed the “Classical Music Student Workshop,” the concert featured, among other musical prodigies, world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell and 8-year old cellist Sujari Britt, who, Mrs. Obama pointed out, is “the same age as Sasha,” her youngest daughter.
Next top designer
“Fierce!” - the favorite word of Christian Siriano, 23-year-old fashion designer and winner of season four of the hit show “Project Runway” - was heard more than a few times Tuesday night at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, where the pint-size prima donna was present for a discussion of his career and new book, titled, you guessed it, “Fierce Style: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self.”
The expressions “genius” and “fabulous” also peppered the conversation of the Annapolis native, who gabbed about everything from D.C. style (improving) and pop sensation Lady Gaga (he’s known her for years and styled her outfit for an appearance on the “Today” show) to his Halloween getup: Ariel from the 1989 Disney animated film “The Little Mermaid.”
Mr. S., known for his unique haircut, donned a long red wig and traded in his stylin’ glasses for contact lenses to complete his siren look.
Evidently, he has a thing about sea creatures. Tattoos of a squid and an octopus adorn his arm, and he has explained that they are constant reminders of his life growing up near the ocean in Maryland.
Perhaps Mr. Siriano’s most surprising revelation was that his mother, Joye, loves to shop at the less-than-chic retailer Chico’s, known to cater to middle-class suburban housewives.
Not exactly Alexander McQueen, who is Mr. Siriano’s fashion idol.
Rachel Cothran, the public relations coordinator for the Corcoran who writes the popular fashionista blog Project Beltway, said the Corcoran’s auditorium was packed to capacity and that she was especially impressed with the large number of children and young people present.
Miss Cothran also told us Mr. Siriano’s visit to the Corcoran had nothing to do with Tim Gunn.
Mr. Gunn, the “Project Runway” mentor and a Corcoran College of Art and Design grad, has referred to Mr. Siriano as “this generation’s Marc Jacobs.”
• To contact Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Glover, e-mail under cover@washingtontimes.com.
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