Arts Views is a monthly e-newsletter for Medina County Arts Council patrons & Medina County residents to promote & build community excellence through the arts.

2020 MCAC Grants Awarded

Congratulations to this year’s Medina County Arts Council grant recipients who represent just a few of the many deserving local organizations throughout Medina County that provide our communities with creative support and inspiration:

Medina Chorus, Inc.

The mission of Medina Chorus is to give people who love to sing an opportunity to perform challenging choral works. Under the leadership of a professional music director, this non-auditioned chorus is dedicated to enriching and engaging our community through its performance and sharing of choral music.

The Medina Chorus plans to rehearse and produce Fall/Winter choral concerts at the Medina United Methodist Church as well as gratis performances at the Western Reserve Masonic Home and the Medina County Home. They also hope to host a community sing-along during the holiday season.

Medina County Band Association

MCBA’s purpose is to support the efforts of the Medina Community Band to continue the 159-year-old tradition of presenting band concerts to Medina County residents.

The Medina Community Band presents 8-10 free concerts for the public during the summer season, with ice cream socials hosted by local groups, at the Medina’s historical Uptown Park. The band also performs a Veteran’s Day concert for the community at St. Francis Xavier Church and several other indoor concerts during the year. All concerts are free and open to the public.

Sing for Their Supper

Sing for their Supper (SFTS) provides free performance opportunities to Medina’s youth while collecting non-perishable food and donations for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church’s Free Farmers’ Market. The SFTS event will be held in December consisting of several concerts over the course of one weekend.

The concerts will take place at the Performing Arts Center at Medina High School and gives young people the opportunity to perform solo in a professional setting with a professional pianist. There is no charge for participating students and admission is donations of food for St. Paul’s Free Farmer’s Market.

The Society for Handicapped Citizens-Camp Paradise

TSFHC partners with individuals with disabilities and their families to provide a full range of services to assist in living a quality life in their chosen community.

Camp Paradise empowers individuals with disabilities to develop independence, self-esteem and life-long friendships in a supportive environment. Plans: The grant will be used to provide guest artists for Art Therapy for the five weeks of summer camp.

Wadsworth Community Band

WCB’s mission is to provide a musical and social outlet for Wadsworth residents who enjoy playing music, and musical entertainment and social opportunities for our fellow citizens.

WCB will rehearse for and perform a holiday concert scheduled for December 13 at O.J. Work Auditorium. The funds will provide a band director, music, and equipment to facilitate the free public concerts.

Wadsworth Community Radio

WCR’s mission is to enhance the sense of community among the residents of Wadsworth by providing news and information about the community, for the community, and by the community.

The station will be able to expand their live on-air broadcasts of local music to include a variety of local musicians and artists. They will also expand their holiday performance lineup including adult and children choirs, Wadsworth Community Band, Wadsworth Community Chorus, and performances by individual local artists.

 

MCAC Scholarship Winner

Congratulations to the 2020 winner of the Medina County Arts Council Annual Scholarship - Philip Alberts - a Senior at Medina High School. Philip will complete his senior year at Medina High School this spring (2020). Philip is the son of Gary and Sharon Alberts and started playing the alto saxophone in the 5th grade but quickly added the baritone, tenor and soprano saxophones to that list.

His private lessons teacher, Mr. Thomas Lempner, encouraged Philip to join Tri-C Jazz Academy as well as Cleveland Youth Winds Symphony. As a 5th year member of the Medina High School Marching Band playing tenor saxophone and current band co-president, he is also part of the high school Symphony Band and Stardusters Jazz Ensemble all under the direction of Mr. Jason Locher.

Philip had the honor of playing in the American School Band Directors Association-Ohio Chapter Honors Band this year in Wooster and has successfully performed at multiple Ohio Music Education Association Solo and Ensemble adjudications.

Throughout high school he has been a part of several pit bands for Medina High School: The Music Man Musical, various Showtime Choir Productions, Encore Entertainment Company Show Choir competitions, Hiland High School Cinderella Musical in Berlin and St. Francis Christmas Cantata in Medina.

He plans to continue his music education by starting at Cuyahoga Community College and continuing on to a 4 year college with a major in music and minor in business. MCAC wishes him well in his endeavors.
 

Due to the extension of the Ohio Stay-Safe-at-Home Order, MCAC has sadly decided to cancel the “Summer Soiree & Service to the Arts Awards” event planned for June.
 

Dining For the Arts

Dealing with this pandemic is challenging for all of us. Medina County Arts Council supports local arts with funds we usually raise at our annual “Summer Soiree & Service to the Arts Awards” event in June.

The MCAC Board of Trustees has decided to cancel this event for 2020, but our mission to advocate for, support, and nurture the arts in Medina County continues … so we need to get creative.

Although some adjustments will be made, we plan to continue “Dining For The Arts” this year because the brunches and dinners hosted by our friends were such a big hit last year … and a successful fundraiser!

To comply with social distancing this year, instead of purchasing tickets at the Soiree, reservations will be made online. And, you can chose to dine with the hosts and guests this fall, or have your meals delivered to you at home to share with family and friends. In addition, you can chose to be a chef and make dinners for the hosts or for home delivery.

So, if you want to host a tea party, brunch, or dinner event in your home, or want to cook dinners, please email us and we’ll help you get it planned. Events can be scheduled anytime before May 31, 2021 and will begin this fall, unless situations change.

MCAC will share more details on the next newsletter and our website.

Be sure to check out the Arts Community Events page of our website to see what our communities are doing virtually to be creative while staying at home. And, please continue to support your local Arts organizations and programs now more than ever. Thank you!