Rochester Music Guild – Who We Are

 

For over 40 years, the Rochester Music Guild has been dedicated to promoting and enhancing music in our community.  Our mission is music appreciation, education and performance—today and tomorrow.

 

The Guild was first envisioned in 1963.  Seventy women attended the first Annual Meeting in 1964 at which Mary Lu Cervania was elected Founding President.  The Guild lent strong support to Rochester Civic Music and continues to raise thousands of dollars each year for the now-independent Rochester Symphony Orchestra & Chorale (RSOC).  In addition, the Guild supports RSOC in various capacities, such as arranging for ushers for concerts and supplying volunteers for music events (Radiothon, HoNk*SqUeAk*ScRaTcH*BoOm).

 

We are also very proud of our scholarship program – an annual competition for 15 scholarship awards to young musicians, fundraising projects (Garden of Note, Herberger’s Community Days), and educational events.  The latter has included Lunch & Learn informative programs to enrich musical knowledge and co-sponsorship of Young Musician Recitals with the Rochester Area Keyboard Club and the SEMSA.

 

Some of the special events the Guild has supported over the years include the following:  Rochester Symphony Balls, 1974-80; Kinderkonzerts and Yulefests, 1978-95; The Party at Apache, 1982-87; Geranium sales/Garden of Note, 1983-present; Recipes of Note cookbooks, 1988-1994; Kitchen tours, 1992-94; Decorators’ Showhouse, Historic Plummer House, 1999.

 

In 2004, the Guild celebrated its 40th Anniversary with a Scholarship Alumni Honors Recital on June 5.  The concert at Christ United Methodist Church was offered as a gift to the community during its Sesquicentennial Year.  Young musicians from coast to coast returned to perform.  Now professionals in a variety of fields, the former Guild scholarship winners say the Guild encouraged them to enjoy music for life.

 

 

40th Anniversary:  June 5, 2004 Scholarship Winners Honor Recital

  Judy Kereakos and Lois Kennel Co-Chairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


40th Anniversary:  June 5, 2004, Scholarship Winners Honors Recital

Front Row (L to R):  Glenna Muir (piano), Elizabeth McMillan (bassoon), Charles Frogner (piano), Emily Shin (flute), Catherine Anderson Benscoter (violin), Jeremy Hanson (organ), Erin Spackman Rushforth (violin)

Middle Row (L to R):  Susan Weeks Martino (introduction), Ben Woolman (guitar), Elisabeth Comeaux (voice), Elizabeth Swanson (introduction), Unknown, Hannah Kuipers (harp), Rachel Kuipers (viola)

Top Row (L to R):  Joseph Kuipers (cello), David Shaffer-Gottschalk (piano), Unknown, Don Schlosnagle (horn ensemble), Dominic Dousa (piano), Randy Stroetz (introduction), Dan Roellinger (saxophone)