Music & More Summer Concert Series

2019 Season Finale Concert

To see photos from the concert, click here!


Performers:


Nick Daly, tenor

Alejandro Alumbreros, piano accompanist


Young Strings:

Rebecca Arnold, cello

Matthew Piper, violin

Sean Steinbach, violin


Mark Paffrath, vocal & guitar

Alejandro Alumbreros, piano

Dave Titus, vocal & bass guitar

2019 Youth Music Scholarship Recipients

  • Mia Guion Award

    Kai Nakayama, started learning violin at age five, trombone at age 10 and ballet training at the age of 7 at the Studio of Classical Dance Arts in Racine.  From a very young age, Kai has been passionate about music and ballet. At the studio, Kai played various roles in studio showcases as well as the Nutcracker, Carmina Burana, and Amahl and the Night Visitors. Last year, Kai trained at the Milwaukee Ballet Academy and played principal roles in the academy productions.  In high school, Kai played trombone in various band and jazz ensembles.  In January, Kai accepted a full scholarship to the Los Angeles Ballet year-round program for his senior year where he will study until graduation.  Kai looks forward to continuing to explore his two passions of music and ballet, particularly dance as an expression of music. He would like to thank his parents and sister for their encouragement through the years. He would also like to express his heartfelt gratitude to the Mia Guion Youth Music Scholarship fund for their support of the performing arts.

  • Mearl Mahl Award

    Cellist Noah Mercadillo will be a junior this fall at Tremper High School where he performs with the Concert and Symphony orchestras, chamber orchestra, and is part of the Tremper Golden Strings. He is a member of the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory Symphony Orchestra   and Chamber Orchestra and performs on occasion with the Lake County Symphony Orchestra.  Noah is grateful for the guidance of his private study instructor Barb Cannon and Fumi Nakayama for her support and accompaniment with   his performance.  Noah plans to pursue a degree in music performance—cello.

  • Randall K. Bush Award

    Tenor Nick Daly is a recent graduate of Bradford High School in Kenosha.  Nick will begin his college career in the coveted Musical Theatre program at the University of Michigan this fall.  Recent roles at KUSD Theatre have been Ozie Powell/Ruby Bates (The Scottsboro Boys), Trent (In Transit), Adam (Freaky Friday), Cain (Children of Eden), Gabe (Next to Normal) and Quasimodo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame).  Nick earned a Jerry Award this past season for his portrayal of Cain and also received a Superior rating for his musical theatre solo at the International Thespian Festival.  Gold and Bronze medals were awarded to Nick at the National ACT-SO Competition (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics).

Youth Music Scholarships

RANDALL K. BUSH YOUTH MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP—Rev. Dr. Bush is currently senior pastor of East Liberty Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA, where he has served since 2006.  Before that he was pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Racine, WI, and earlier served a Presbyterian Church in Zimbabwe, South Africa.  He began his piano studies at age seven and attended the University of Kansas as a piano performance major.  He earned a master of divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Marquette University.  While serving at First Presbyterian Church in Racine in 1994, Rev. Bush started a summer concert series called Music & More.  The free noontime  series was founded as a way to showcase area talent –– as well as the church and Downtown Racine –– while raising money for worthwhile causes.  When Rev. Bush returned for the 20-year Anniversary celebration of Music & More in 2013, a youth music scholarship was established in his honor.


MEARL MAHL YOUTH MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP—Mearl Mahl was a dedicated member of First Presbyterian Church where he served as a deacon and helped with the Music & More program. He was a civic-minded volunteer who gave his time to many community   organizations. Mearl was always willing to offer a hand wherever it was needed. Mearl worked at SC Johnson for 32 years as a microbiologist, before retiring in 1998.  He died unexpectedly on the last day of 2014. To honor his memory, the Deacon Board started this fund.


MIA GUION YOUTH MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP—Mia Guion lost her life in a car accident in 2018. The youngest of three sisters, Mia attended Jefferson Lighthouse and The Prairie School, graduating in 2013. While at Prairie, she was involved in track, cross country, theatre & music, and played the violin & viola. Mia earned her Bachelor of Arts in Advertising from Iowa State University with a minor in Business, graduating in 2017. She was a  Washington Media Scholar and was awarded 1st Place in the 2017 Media Plan Case Competition, which took place in Washington, D.C. and was featured in the Washington Post. Mia enjoyed country music, spending time with her sisters, caring for her dog Rizzo, painting artwork, and going for long runs. Her warmth, bright smile, infectious laugh, gentleness, strength, sense of humor, and kind spirit will live on in all of the hearts and lives she touched.


2019 Grant Recipients

  • Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin

    The mission of Veterans Outreach is to assist homeless and at-risk veterans as they strive for normalcy in life by providing food, clothing, shelter, and other basic human needs.  Their  philosophy: “The measure of a person’s character is how they treat those that they cannot benefit from.  Many men and women who have served our great nation with pride and honor end up falling on hard times, but still ask for nothing in return for their service.  Despite their best efforts, sometimes help is needed.  Join us and a "Be a Hero to a Hero!”

    Veterans Outreach provides a food pantry three days a week to Veterans in need.  Housing and a homelessness recovery program are available through James A.   Peterson Veteran Village and SC Johnson Community Center.  The Village offers housing consisting of 15 tiny homes and the Community Center provides 24/7 access to bathrooms, showers, laundry room, a full-sized kitchen, group therapy   area, and recreation area.  Support and guidance for Veterans benefits, job readiness, and life skills are also provided.  Jeff Gustin is the Executive Director; Office is located at 1624 Yout St., Racine 53404; Phone (262)221-8350. 


    www.vetsoutreachwi.us

  • Racine Arts Council

    Founded in 1967, RAC is dedicated to promoting the positive power of art.  The RAC encourages, supports, and advocates on behalf of emerging and established artists, artistic groups in our community, and  young people interested in the arts.  Opportunities are provided to exhibit in our ArtSpace Gallery.

    An ArtSeed grant program  encourages and enhances the arts in the Racine area and fosters excitement, support and growth in the arts in our community.  Artists from Racine County may apply for an ArtSeed grant to help fund projects.  Past grant  recipients have included the Choral Arts Society, Racine Art Museum, Over Our Head Players, and many others.  ArtStart makes art accessible to our community no matter their socio-economic status, and adults and children alike are provided with the opportunity to experience and appreciate art in all its forms. 

    Lonely Instruments Need Kids (LINK) is designed to give donated instruments to children who are financially unable to purchase or rent an instrument of their own.  Kathi Wilson is the Executive Director.  Their office is located at 716 College Ave.,   Racine 53403 (second floor); Phone: (262) 635-0261.


    www.racineartscouncil.org

  • Health Care Network, Inc.

    This organization began in 1987 in donated space in the basement of First Presbyterian Church.  This agency provides free or low-cost health care to residents of Racine County who are medically uninsured and have limited income.  Services are provided at the HCN office and throughout the  county by 360 health care    professionals who volunteer their time, offices, and skills.  More than 210,490 appointments have been made and over 90,379 prescriptions have been filled.  This represents a value of over $47 million! In the last fiscal year, 2,208 clients were served and 6,134 appointments were provided.

    Some of the services provided are: medical and dental visits, diagnostic tests,    pharmaceutical assistance, referrals to specialists and community health agencies, and Spanish language interpretation.  HCN provides a critical safety-net for low-income, uninsured residents in our community.  In 2018, a Capital Campaign was launched for a building at 500 Wisconsin Ave.  Allison Sergio is the Executive Director.  Their office is located at 904 State St., Racine 53404; Phone (262) 632-2400. 


    www.healthcarenetwork.org