The The Wall Street Journal picked up on our hard work in 2020!
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-face-of-charitable-giving-during-the-pandemic-11611334800
“The pandemic has inspired a wave of charitable giving—some through traditional methods, some by more innovative means.”
Here’s our mention…
‘Mark Rapp, a trumpet player in Columbia, S.C, has used music to help others. “Within 48 hours after Covid hit in March, my entire calendar was wiped out of gigs,” he says. All the fellow jazz musicians he spoke to were in the same boat.
“I thought how do we keep the community engaged and musicians working?” Mr. Rapp says. “That Wednesday, we did our first streaming benefit concert.” He and his jazz colleagues have played over 40 weekly concerts so far, raising more than $16,500 to pay out-of-work musicians. “The community has given fantastic support,” Mr. Rapp says.
Next, when a four-day summer jazz camp Mr. Rapp has organized for the past three years was canceled, he created an online version with 40 courses, including jazz history and music lessons. Thanks to some sponsors, including the South Carolina Arts Commission, each one-hour course cost only $15. In 2019, by comparison, camp attendees were charged an all-in-one fee of $285. More than 100 people “attended” the camp, Mr. Rapp says. “And all the musicians got paid.”’
++ In print on Monday, January 25th. ++
PLEASE NOTE:
It takes a village and we are so thankful for all of YOU who make stories like these possible! We are deeply grateful for our incredible jazz community.
