News Posts List

April 8, 2013

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Gregory Dubay, Community Music Center Director

503-823-3177

Portland Parks & Recreation’s Community Music Center Presents a Faculty Showcase Concert

To Benefit Music Scholarships

What:    Community Music Center Faculty Scholarship Benefit Concert

Where:  Portland Parks & Recreation’s Community Music Center

3350 SE Francis Street, Portland, 97202

When:   Saturday, April 27 at 7:00 PM

Admission: Adults: $15, Students (6-18)/Seniors: $7; Family: $30. 

Community Music Center: www.communitymusiccenter.org or 503-823-3177. Purchase tickets online at https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/cmc/event.jsp?event=176

Portland Parks & Recreation’s Community Music Center (CMC) celebrates the amazing talent and expertise of the our performing-artist-instructors on Saturday evening, April 27 at 7:00 in a program of chamber music from Brahms to Piazzolla, followed by a reception in a beautiful SE Portland home.

Thanks to generous sponsorship from First Citizens Bank and Brown Lumber -- as well as the players who are donating their time, and the volunteers assisting with the event -- all proceeds will support CMC’s need-based scholarship program for music students.

The event also marks Jeff Ashton’s and Shera Sinell’s 25th years of tenure on our CMC faculty. Ashton has been playing guitar for more than 45 years – here and abroad - and teaching for more than three decades.  He gives lessons at the University of Portland, Ashtone Guitar Studio, and anchoring the entire CMC adult guitar program. Jeff is a composer & arranger in addition to being an active performer – he’s even written his own text books for the classes he leads. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Art degree in history & art history from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Art degree in guitar performance & Master of Arts in Teaching Music from Portland State University. 

Shera Sinell has been teaching young children for over 30 years, and is a founding member of CMC’s early childhood faculty.  Between the preschool & grade-school classes on her weekly roster, she helps expand 100 young minds a week.  Shera holds a Bachelor’s degree in music, and has been a music specialist at Sojourner Elementary School for 15years.  

“I love teaching at CMC for many reasons,” says Sinell. “I enjoy making music with children and am proud of being part of a community that makes music lessons available to all, regardless of ability to pay.  It is a great pleasure to be able to teach the very youngest children, continue to instruct them year after year, and watch them grow into young adults and often wonderful musicians.”

Performers include: Jeff Ashton, recorder & guitar; Anna Briscoe, voice; Travis Chapman, violin; Jonathan Cheskin, cello; Hong Chou, violin; Daphne Clifton (guest), recorder; Andrew Ehrlich, violin; Chris Fotinakis, viola; Jules Elias (guest), clarinet; Ben Fitch (guest), recorder; Luise Grube, violin; Jana Haschett (guest), piano; John Hubbard, cello; Zita Jefferson, piano; Fletcher Nemeth, bass; Phil Neuman, recorder; Gayle Neuman, recorder; Cindy Markham, recorder; Shera Sinell, harp; Denise Van Leuven (guest), piano; Jeremy Waterman, viola; Terese Wagner, flute. (Program subject to change.)

The Community Music Center (CMC) is a Portland Parks & Recreation facility in partnership with an all-volunteer nonprofit organization CMC, Inc., that raises money to help subsidize tuition fees at the school.  CMC and CMC, Inc., serve families across the Portland area and support those with limited economic means by increasing access to music performances and educational opportunities. 

For more information, call 503-823-3177 or visit www.communitymusiccenter.org

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