At its Birthday Bash Concert on Sunday, March 16, Upper Valley Music Center announced planned investments in music making for the Upper Valley. Foremost in the plans is adding an elevator to its home in downtown Lebanon to increase access throughout the building for people and large instruments, as well as creating two specialized studios for group classes and high-volume instruments that will include cutting edge technology for composing and teaching. UVMC is significantly expanding its group class offerings in order to meet the surge in demand for music making. This year, the Music Center is launching group classes in keyboard, guitar, voice and more, and making instruments available to students while they are enrolled in the class. UVMC also announced a new free Tune Up program to help people start playing again–from an Instrument Tune Up to provide guidance about restoring an old instrument to working order, to a Technique Tune Up to brush up on the fundamentals of singing and playing. Lesson Tune Up will include a free lesson once a year to work with one’s former UVMC teacher, or to experiment with a new instrument, for anyone who has previously taken a full semester of lessons or more at UVMC and is no longer enrolled. The Birthday Bash included recognition of the newly-established Deecie Denison Instrument Fund, which will support UVMC’s ability to purchase and maintain instruments, from beginner instruments that help students get started to exceptional high-quality instruments that inspire students and faculty to go farther with their music making. With support from the Deecie Denison Instrument Fund, UVMC has already begun work on its pianos, including acquiring a Steinway piano that was delivered last week. In the months ahead, there will be a special opportunity for community support to raise the bar for the quality of all of the Music Center’s pianos, which are used by musicians throughout the region. Upper Valley Music Center also announced a philanthropic gift to support faculty grants for special projects, and the establishment of the Louis Cornell Musical Impact Award in recognition of Louis Cornell’s pivotal role in UVMC’s founding and growth as a catalyst for music making in the region over the past 30 years. Today UVMC serves nearly 2,000 adults and children each year, and partners with more than 70 social service, civic, and cultural organizations. This spring, UVMC will launch Sing & Play 30 for 30 - 30 hours of music celebrating 30 years - as a cornerstone of its community-wide music campaign to invest in people, instruments, and facilities, and the Byrne Foundation has offered a $100,000 challenge match! For 30 hours on May 17-18, people throughout the Upper Valley will sing and play to raise community support to bring these plans to fruition–a kind of “musical Prouty.” If you would like to be part of making music, spreading the word, and inspiring giving to music, be in touch with Upper Valley Music Center. If everyone gives what they can in May during this 30 hour push, the community will exceed the match goal and leave its indelible stamp on music making in this region for generations to come. ABOUT UVMC The Upper Valley Music Center is a nonprofit community music school based in Lebanon, NH, serving nearly 2,000 adults and children a year from across the Upper Valley. Founded in 1995, UVMC’s programs include ensembles, group classes, lessons, early childhood music, music camps during the summer, and sponsors the Upper Valley Symphony Orchestra and the Community Chorus at UVMC. UVMC partners with more than 70 social service, civic, and cultural organizations. Learn more at uvmusic.org
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