Linzi Stoppard and Ben Lee Headline Performance on the Rocky Steps, Philadelphia for Lankenau's 150th Anniversary

    LONDON, ENGLAND, February 19, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Linzi Stoppard and Ben Lee, aka FUSE, entertain more than 550 friends and supporters of Lankenau with a special performance at the Philadelphia Museum of Art to celebrated the institution's 150th anniversary.

This spectacular evening marked not only the milestone of 150 years of defining medicine, but the significant renaming of Lankenau's campus as Lankenau Medical Center. The Gala, which grossed more than $1 million to advance Lankenau's mission of providing world-class healthcare services. Both President Barack Obama and Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell have congratulated Lankenau on its 150th anniversary with proclamations.

Proceeds from the Gala will support patient programs and services and further benefit the campus renaissance of Lankenau Medical Center -- a multi-year, multi-million dollar initiative to renovate and expand our campus in an effort to combine state-of-the-art facilities and technology with Lankenau's nation award-wining care.

To honour this historic occasion FUSE, the world's leading and most coveted electric violin group flew in from London to entertain the VIPs guests with their trademark brand of rock violin anthems. To literally add a sparkle to proceedings Linzi Stoppard & Ben Lee performed on their exclusive Swarovski Crystal violins worth an astonishing $1,500,000 each. Following in the footsteps of international superstars Madonna, Michael Jackson and Kylie Minogue, FUSE's Linzi Stoppard and Ben Lee joined forces with Swarovski to embellish each of their bespoke Bridge instruments with an incredible 50,000 crystals each, every one hand-applied, creating the world's most expensive electric violins.

FUSE bridges the gap between pop, classical and heavy metal. Wanting to stand out from the crowd Linzi and Ben purposely stayed away from the classical cliches developing the unmistakable FUSE sound using analogue guitar backline and valve amps mixed with the latest technical wizardry. The results were breakthrough culminating with the release of their new album in 2010 on Universal.

The album features 14 lovingly interpreted anthems taking the listener on an uplifting journey never heard before. Tracks include 'Beat It' by Michael Jackson and Coldplay's 'Fix You', hits by Kiss, Led Zeppelin and Europe. In 2010 FUSE performed live on TV to audiences of over 200 million including appearances on GQ Men of the Year Awards, headlining the Istanbul Cross-Over Festival, London & Paris Fashion Weeks, several performances at the Royal Albert Hall and Glastonbury.

With the event being held at such a towering landmark where better for FUSE to perform than on the museum steps made famous by the film Rocky - The Rocky Steps.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year. The Museum, at that time housed in the Centennial Exposition's Memorial Hall, opened its doors to the public on May 10, 1877 but construction of the current building began in 1919. The institution describes itself as "one of the largest museums in the United States", and its collections comprise more than 225,000 objects.

Besides being known for its architecture and collections, the Philadelphia Museum of Art has in recent decades become an icon of American cultural, and perhaps spiritual, life, thanks to the symbolic role it has played in the Rocky films - Rocky (1976) and four of its five sequels, II, III, V and Rocky Balboa. Visitors to the museum can frequently be seen mimicking Rocky's famous run up the front steps, now known widely as the "Rocky Steps". A bronze statue of Rocky was briefly placed at the top of the steps for the filming of Rocky III.

These steps made a stunning backdrop for FUSE's entrance track Fleetwood Mac's The Chain, followed up by Coldplay's aptly named hit Fix You.

For more information visit:
http://www.mainlinehealth.org/Lankenau
http://www.philamuseum.org/visit/
http://www.fuseofficial.com

Linzi Stoppard & Ben Lee (FUSE) specialize is blowing away preconceptions about the violin - re-writing the classical stereo type and showing that in the write hands the electric violin can be as versatile as the more common place guitar.

Website: www.electricstringquartet.com

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