M-W faculty takes the stage Saturday for 23rd annual benefit recital

CENTRAL VALLEY — The Souza Scholarship for the Performing Arts and the Monroe-Woodbury Music Boosters will co-present the 23rd annual Monroe-Woodbury Faculty Recital, “A Celebration of Music” Saturday evening at 7 in the High School Auditorium.

The M-W Music Faculty Recital was established in February 1990 to raise funds in support of the Souza Scholarship for the Performing Arts, a group which was formed in 1980 to honor the memory of late Monroe-Woodbury music teacher Robert W. Souza. Since 1980, the scholarship fund has awarded more than $300,000 to promising performing arts students in grades seven through twelve participants in the Monroe-Woodbury school district.

The Monroe-Woodbury Music Boosters was formed in July 1991 to advocate for music education within the district. Since then, the Music Boosters group has continued to award scholarships students in grades 5-12 each spring, purchase music-related equipment, provide financial assistance to students for music trips and support various in-school arts programs.

Music Boosters scholarships are awarded annually to talented students to encourage and reward student involvement, development, and dedication to the performing arts in the areas of band, chorus, and orchestra. Thus far, it is estimated that between $150,000 and $200,000 has been disbursed to M-W music students.

According to Music Boosters president Doug Epple, the faculty recital has one of the group’s most successful fund raisers.

“Music Boosters has been fortunate to be able to give out $8,000 each year in scholarships, amounting to many thousands of dollars since the group was formed,” says Epple. “I’m glad the faculty concert has been reprised this year, and I’m sure the recital will be as wonderful as ever.”

Membership in M-W Music Boosters numbers between 120 and 130 families and individuals, whose dues also aids in the scholarship and fund-raising effort. Music Booster volunteers can always be seen at the numerous M-W musical events, where they sell flowers to proud parents and concert-goers, which also helps to support the group’s fund-raising efforts.

Music Boosters also sponsors music-related special projects, such as programs by the New York Philharmonic Brass Quintet, the Western Michigan Jazz Quartet, Barrage, the Potsdam Brass Quintet, the West Point Clarinet Quintet and many others.