Luther Burbank Center for the Arts' Annual Music for Schools Celebration Returns Saturday, May 12

Luther Burbank Center for the Arts (LBC) announced today it will host its annual Music for Schools celebration on Saturday, May 12 between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., featuring performances by more than 215 youth from local schools who are supported by LBC's instrument lending library, the only program of its kind in the Bay Area and one of the few in the country. The popular free outdoor concerts are one of the highlights of the spring events at the Montgomery Village Shopping Center (911 Village Court, Santa Rosa).

Each year, students from local school bands that participate in the LBC Music for Schoolsprogram take the stage to perform the culmination of their musical studies supported by Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in collaboration with North Bay schools. This is also an opportunity for members of the community to come together to support LBC's instrument lending library, which provides instruments to more than 400 children in the community. The Center works directly with schools and music teachers to place these instruments with students who could not otherwise afford to participate in their school's band or orchestra program.

This year's celebration is particularly significant. Approximately 400 instruments from LBC's instrument lending library were destroyed in the Tubbs Fire last October. Thanks to the generosity of Redwood Credit Union Community Fund and their partnership with the Press Democrat and the Office of Senator McGuire, LBC is the beneficiary of a grant to replace the lost instruments. Additional outright and in-kind donations have been generously provided by Alan and Susan Seidenfeld, the music students at Sonoma State University, Santa Rosa Symphony, and many others. This significant support from the community means the extensive collection of wind, brass, percussion, Orff, and stringed instruments, as well as educational resources, will be replaced and the library restored to its full capacity. LBC will also welcome donated instruments from the public at the Montgomery Village instrument drive, but the response from Redwood Credit Union Community Fund and the community ensured there would be no interruption in the belovedMusic for Schools program this year.

"This outdoor concert will be a special opportunity to hear the kids who directly benefit from the Music for Schools program as we emerge from the loss of the fire and experience the very personal nature of the healing power of the arts," said Rick Nowlin, President and CEO of LBC. "We are so grateful to Redwood Credit Union Community Fund, the Press Democrat and the Office of Senator McGuire for their support so we can continue to help students access music education."

At this fun and lively event, children of all ages who have learned to play music through theMusic for Schools program will perform with local school bands throughout the day.

The performance line-up is:

10:55 a.m. Windsor High School String Orchestra
11:30 a.m. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts Mariachi Ensemble
Noon Elsie Allen High School Drumline
12:30 p.m. Elsie Allen High School Jazz Band
1:00 p.m. Mark West District Music Students
1:30 p.m. Waldo Rohnert Elementary Band Students
2:00 p.m. Hillcrest Middle School Jazz Band
2:30 p.m. Cali Band
3:00 p.m. Biella & Lehman Elementary Schools Band

For more information on the Music for Schools program, visit www.lutherburbankcenter.org/education.

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