New York Life Insurance Company has contributed $10,000 to the UNLV music department for its assistance in developing a musical piece for the company's 150th anniversary celebration this year.

Two UNLV music students won prizes in a musical composition competition sponsored by the company.

The celebration will culminate with a star-studded gala at Madison Square Garden for its agents and employees in July. In preparation, New York Life contacted eight leading music schools to offer them the opportunity to prepare a thematic musical segment for a special "Sesquicentennial Suite" to be performed live by an orchestra during the festivities.

The "Sesquicentennial Suite" is an original musical composition consisting of eight movements, each representing a New York Life value.

Jie Bu, a graduate student studying composition at UNLV, won $1,000 and a trip to the celebration in New York for his contribution to the suite. He based his movement on the New York Life's value of personal and professional growth. Eric Whitacre, a UNLV senior music major, won the $500 second place in the composition competition.

"I'm honored to present this contribution to Dr. Isabelle Emerson, chair of the UNLV music department," said John Habermehl, managing partner of New York Life's Las Vegas general office. "By drawing on the outstanding creative talent of the department, our 150th anniversary will be that much more special."

Other schools that contributed music for the suite include UCLA (accountability), Middle Tennessee State University at Murfreesboro (have fun), the University of Indiana (teamwork), Carnegie Mellon University (innovation), the Manhattan School of Music (openness/trust), the Juilliard School (sense of urgency), and the Royal Academy of Music in London (integrity).