The Medway Friends of the Performing Arts will present its second annual free Community Concert at 2 p.m. on Sunday April 3, 2016, in the Medway High School auditorium. All are welcome to enjoy an entertaining performance by The Rusty Scott Quartet, a professional jazz band. Complimentary refreshments will be served at the end of the performance.
The Rusty Scott Quartet will play from the ‘jazz standards’; Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Gershwin, as well as original compositions.
“This is a great opportunity for people to hear some great live music,” says Andrea Kerr, of the MFPA, who says that she looked for a band that “does work with children. Rusty’s group is a group that does a lot of work with school systems and work with children’s groups. They interact, talk to kids and educate them.”
This concert’s emphasis, she says, is jazz, different from last year’s. Last year, she says, the free concert featured The Brass Quintet, and “they were great,” says Kerr. Another change this year, says Kerr, is that the concert will take place on a more family-friendly weekend time.
“That’s why we’re shooting for a Sunday afternoon. We’re hoping to get more people,” she says.
The concert is sponsored by Medway Cable Access, David French Music, and supported in part by a grant from the Medway Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Kerr says she became involved in the Medway Friends of the Performing Arts when her daughter was a Kindergartner. At the time, there had been staff changes, and her daughter’s experience with the arts had been “less than desirable.” There was a desire among parents to “bolster performing arts programs,” something she believes the town, with a focus on sports, could use.
MFPA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose purpose is to enrich and enhance performing arts programs at all levels of Medway Public Schools and in the Medway community. MFPA supports efforts to encourage students to participate in school band, chorus, and drama groups, provides performing arts events and activities for students and the community, and provides financial support for school music and drama programs.
Recently, says Kerr, the MFPA gifted a portable sound system to Medway High School.
“They just put on their big High School Musical,” she says, “and it was a really big change. It was great.”
Some other things that the MFPA supports include:
• Providing funds to defray costs for HS and MS students to audition and participate in Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) District and All State Festivals.
• Funding accompanist fees for chorus concerts
• Band instruments
• Teacher stipends for added after school music/theater opportunities
• Bringing performances to the schools
• Financial aid for the after school lesson program
Kerr explains that on May 22, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Medway Middle School Gym, the MFPA will be holding a mattress fundraiser.
“It’s going to be our third one,” says Kerr, who adds,” It’s actually a really good series of products they’re selling and a really good deal. The mattresses are really good, and they cut out the middle man and they make them direct. The people that run it are really low pressure, and it was a great fundraiser.”
For information on MFPA, email medwayfriendsofperformingarts@gmail.com or see Medway Friends of Performing Arts on Facebook.
Issue Date:
April, 2016
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