Fundraiser set for Dec. 6 at Sacred Grounds new location
Posted: 11/13/2014 05:01:06 PM MST
When the founders of the Chamber Music Festival of Ruidoso retired and moved away last year, many thought that was the end of the organization.
Not so, said Will and Rebecca Ponder, who sit on the board of the organization.
The Ponders, along with a handful of others, have resurrected the organization and will present a 2014 Winter Music Festival beginning in December.
'Our focus is not only to save the festival, but to improve it and expand its focus into other types of music and performance arts beyond chamber music,' said Will Ponder. 'As a result, a new community board has been established and a new mission of the Chamber Music Festival has been developed.'
According to the group's mission statement, in broad terms, the new mission of the Mountain Entertainment Group for the Arts, Inc. is to:
Expand the Festival to include other types of music and performing arts including bluegrass, jazz, Native American, country, blues, folk and dance while at the same time expanding the classical music offerings of the festival;
* Expand the current one-day festival into a multi-day affair held two to four times during the year in the off seasons;
* Increase and refresh the festival audience and give out-of-town visitors an additional reason to visit Ruidoso in the off seasons;
* Develop a wider and more broad-based local audience and encourage surrounding communities to support and be involved in promoting and staging neighborhood musical activities;
* Hold performances in a variety of Lincoln County locations and venues with lower, and sometimes free, ticket prices;
* Build operating reserves through grants, private contributions, and other funding mechanisms to enable more free future festivals and festival events to be held throughout Lincoln County;
* Collaborate with and support other performing arts groups and associations in neighboring towns and communities.
'We are very happy and excited to announce that the first new and improved festival presented by the Mountain Entertainment Group for the Arts will be held Dec. 5-13,' said Rebecca Ponder. 'It will be held in multiple locations in and around Ruidoso. We're calling this first festival, the 2014 Winter Music Festival.'
The festival kicks off Dec. 5 with a free performance by classical guitarist Hector Garcia, accompanied by local groups at the St. Joseph's Apache Mission Church in Mescalero.
A fundraiser for the group will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 following the Festival of Lights parade at the new location of Sacred Grounds Coffee & Tea House at 2704 Sudderth Drive featuring pianist Dr. Lisa Cheryl Thomas, who will perform selected pieces from her Dec. 8 program. Cost for the fund-raising performance is $20.
Thomas also will perform a piano concert Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. at the Mescalero School auditorium. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend. She will conduct lectures for school children at Mescalero and Ruidoso schools on Monday, December 8.
The Ruidoso High School Band Christmas Concert follows at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the Ruidoso High School auditorium. Admission is free. The high school choir will present a Christmas concert Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m., also free.
The Winter Music Festival comes to a close on Dec. 13 with 2013 Van Cliburn Competition bronze medalist Sean Chen. Chen will perform at the Ruidoso High School auditorium at 3 p.m. Admission is $15 for students and $25 for adults.
'In the past, money was raised in a variety of ways to support the cost of festival activities as ticket sales alone were never sufficient to pay for artist fees, venue rental, advertising, mailings and program printing,' Will Ponder said. 'The new board is committed to presenting festivals within our budget and to keep our budget as low as possible while still featuring world-class performers.'
'If you have been a supporter of the Chamber Music Festival in the past or would like to become a supporter, we are asking for your support by making a tax deductible cash contribution to the Mountain Entertainment Group for the Arts; by purchasing tickets and attending festival activities; by gifting tickets to your clients, friends and family; by promoting festival activities within your own social network or by volunteering and by letting us know about performers you would like to see and hear in future festivals,' Rebecca Ponder said.
To purchase tickets or for more information on supporting the Mountain Entertainment Group for the Arts call 575-937-0411 or visit www.megarts.net.
Entities 0 Name: Rebecca Ponder Count: 3 1 Name: Mountain Entertainment Group Count: 3 2 Name: Lincoln County Count: 2 3 Name: Ruidoso High School Count: 2 4 Name: Chamber Music Festival Count: 2 5 Name: Thomas Count: 1 6 Name: Ruidoso Count: 1 7 Name: Ruidoso High School Band Christmas Concert Count: 1 8 Name: Dr. Lisa Cheryl Thomas Count: 1 9 Name: Mountain Entertainment Group for the Arts , Inc. Count: 1 10 Name: Sacred Grounds Coffee & Tea House Count: 1 11 Name: St. Joseph 's Apache Mission Church Count: 1 12 Name: Mescalero Count: 1 13 Name: Van Cliburn Count: 1 14 Name: Sean Chen Count: 1 15 Name: Sudderth Drive Count: 1 16 Name: Chamber Music Festival of Ruidoso Count: 1 17 Name: Hector Garcia Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/14hyYuC Title: Ojai Music Festival to fete Pierre Boulez, but without Boulez Description: The 2015 edition of the Ojai Music Festival will honor the 90th birthday of composer and conductor Pierre Boulez with five concerts dedicated to his music and influences. But a festival representative said the renowned French maestro won't be in attendance at the festival, which is scheduled to run June 10 to June 14.
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