Month: April 2020

On Thursday, April 23, CMC’s Gala will go online with a program featuring sensational faculty performances and community voices. Gala guests can expect to be uplifted with great music and candid moments into the lives of CMC students and faculty during an unparalleled moment in CMC’s history.

“It feels important to assemble our community, to celebrate our successes, and share stories during this time,” said Julie Rulyak Steinberg. “Music has a remarkable way of bringing people together, and we have much to celebrate!”

Exceptional faculty performances
There will be performances by The Curtis Family C-Notes and Marcus Shelby. Faculty members Beth Wilmurt, Marcus Shelby, Nola Curtis, and Maestro Curtis will be interviewed during the program, sharing their experiences of staying connected to their students over the past month of CMC’s closure.

“With an online Gala, we want to share the same inspiration and fabulous performances that you would experience at our in-person Gala,” said Development Manager Elenka Refsell. “We also want to provide a window into the ingenious ways in which music-learning is forging ahead.”

Student voices featured
At the online event, there will be a focus on student voices, in particular the Children’s Chorus. Beth Wilmurt, who directs the chorus, has been making practice videos for her students. For some families, these moments of practice are helpful in providing a routine during a topsy turvy time. As Yaron Milgrom, father of three Children’s Chorus students said in a recent interview,

“Days really blend together for our family. Having some semblance of normal music and singing songs they usually sing twice a week— it’s just part of keeping a sense of normalcy. Hearing their voices singing together feels like a break.”

Party perks
Other high points of the festivities will include a Salsa dance lesson with Luna Alonso, CMC Cuban Charanga Ensemble member, plus a curated playlist of Cuban salsa music for Gala guests. There will be party perks too like a recipe for a special cocktail to make at home during the Gala and a partnership with PRAIRIE restaurant to pre-order delectable dishes for pick-up.

The online Gala will be shared securely via Zoom.

RSVP