Preserve ... Protect ... Promote and Educate
2016 was an excellent year for the Fox Valley Music Foundation in terms of accomplishments and laying the groundwork for future programs and many of you were a big part of that success.
A big heart-felt thanks goes out to all of you who contributed time and effort and provided donations and sponsorships. Without your contributions, the Foundation would not be successful, nor would we exist. Because of you, we are making a difference.
The Foundation established a Singer/Songwriter and Performance Workshop program with six events held over the summer, alternating between the West Branch of the Aurora Public Library and the Batavia Public Library. The workshops were conducted by Fox Valley area musicians Kevin Trudo, Greg Boerner, Dave Ramont, Noah Gabriel, Gerald Dowd and Scott Tipping. Attendance at these free events was excellent and included a range of age groups.
2016 marked the second year in which the Foundation formally assisted, by way of our Blues Month program, in the promotion of the Blues on the Fox festival as they celebrated their 20th anniversary this past summer. As you may know, most of the board members of the Foundation were instrumental and key in the development, and advancement, of the festival dating back to its early beginnings. We currently provide advice and guidance when it comes to selecting the festival artists.
A big part of the Foundation’s Blues Month program has included a mini-concert to whet everyone’s whistle for the upcoming Blues on the Fox festival. In 2015, we sponsored a free show featuring John Primer in the atrium of the Paramount Theater. In 2016, we kicked that up a notch or two, joining forces with Water Street Studios, Kiss The Sky and Batavia Main Street to create the Blues on Water Street festival.
Blues on Water Street, a one-day festival, took place within the friendly confines of Kiss The Sky and Water Street Studios and featured performances by Toronzo Cannon, Andrew Diehl & The Nightmen, Edward David Anderson, Bubbles Brown and Ross Berman. A huge success - completely sold out -- with attendees stating that they couldn’t wait until next year!
We hosted a seminar during Blues Month at the Batavia Public Library, featuring Scott Tipping and Steve Warrenfeltz, who presented an overview and discussion of the 1937-1938 Leland Bluebird Blues recordings made in downtown Aurora atop the Leland Hotel. A repeat presentation was held for a standing-room only crowd in attendance at Fermilab, prior to a performance by Corky Siegel’s Blues Chamber Ensemble in September in the Ramsey Auditorium.
We sponsored a free screening of the film, In Search of Blind Joe Death; a Blues-themed art exhibit featuring the work of BOTF poster artist Rex Bohn in the Paramount Theatre Gallery; a window-decorating contest in downtown Aurora called Paint The Town Blue; North Aurora’s Thursday in the Park concert by The Jake Mack Trio; and Downtown Aurora’s Music In The Plaza series featuring Scott Tipping. We collaborated with the City of Aurora, Aurora Downtown, and the Cultural Creatives, Inc. to reach out to local writers for a display of their work during June as part of the on-going “Poetry in Public Places” project.
As we reflect upon the year gone by, we look forward to 2017. We continue to seek a permanent home for the Foundation. Discussions are underway with potential partners so we can repeat the Blues on Water Street event (scheduled to take place on June 10) and expand the Singer/Songwriter Workshops. Future History Salons are scheduled, as we collect material for our Fox Valley Music History database and plan for an Education Program.
And, while we hopefully have your attention, we are partnering with Sky Club Records and The Leland Tower in the presentation of a concert and tribute to the original Bluebird recordings that took place in downtown Aurora, IL back in 1937 and 1938. The band Leland will be performing at the Copley Theater, also located in downtown Aurora, on Sunday, February 19 at 7:00 pm in celebration of The Leland Sessions record release. For more information, and to purchase tickets to this event, check it out on the Sky Club Records Facebook Page or the EventBrite website.
Again … thank you for your support … we hope that you will journey with us along the Fox Valley Music path as we expand, grow, and develop more programs. We welcome your membership, financial contributions, and donation of your time as a volunteer. Visit our website (www.fvmf.com), “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, or contact Steve Warrenfeltz at: 630-335-0598 for more information, and to stay tuned to our happenings.
Sincerely …The Fox Valley Music Foundation
|
