Category Archives: Uncategorized

GIVEBIG BEGINS!

Over the summer, our drum instructor Henry Rodriguez worked on a special duet with his student Matt. We want to share the music with you now, so that you in turn will share with someone else. This video is just a taste of what we do to develop passionate musicians here at Fender® Center for the Performing Arts.

While you probably know that Kids Rock Free® is a low cost music school, what you may not know is that we also offer scholarships to families with a financial need.

This November, help us keep sharing the music with the kids in our community. November 13 is GiveBig Day. Every $10 donation given will go to our Kids Rock Free program and help us qualify for additional gifts that will provide more access to music ed.

Give BIG Riverside County is a 24-hour web-a-thon that raises much needed funds for local nonprofits. Over the past three years, local Give BIG events raised over $1.4 million dollars for Riverside and San Bernardino County charities improving the lives of local residents!

Thank you, from Kids Rock Free!

This summer, Fender® Center for the Performing Arts is excited to announce that Bank of America has donated $5,000 to our Kids Rock Free® School of Music to benefit our local community.

“When I play I feel happy and relaxed. I’m thinking I’m doing it! Reading music makes me feel smart.” —Carson, age 9

Our program has currently enrolled more than three hundred students for the summer session, a great activity for the summer doll drums, and is expected to grow during our popular fall session when kids go back to school.

With this donation, we continue to promote local arts and are able to support up to 200 scholarships for eight weeks of music lessons for the children of Corona and Inland California.

We thank Bank of American for their continued support of Kids Rock Free’s music education program. At KRF we believe that music is an important method of expression. Music brings freedom to communicate, excite, and beautify. Music can communicate across time and between languages, and is a meaningful part of our children’s lives:

“Kids Rock Free has really changed my life! I love playing the drums. I’m always keeping a beat to something, or playing in the car, or even on the dinner table. I have been playing for 4 years and it’s my passion. Sometimes when I feel down, I like to play the drums or keep a beat in my head. I always keep my head up and love learning more!” – Sophie, age 12

Here at Fender® Center we offer a wide variety of music lessons for all ages and experience levels.

Summer Concert Series

Kids Rock Free® will host three major concerts at the Fender® Center this season, before we move into the Civic Center.

These concerts will sponsor free music lessons for kids. Indoor and outdoor concerts will not look the same after Kids Rock Free expands to the Civic Center and the City remodels the building into a Community Center.

“In the intimate Rhythm Lounge, audiences feel like they are a part of the concert surrounded by the cool rock ‘n roll décor. Outdoors the amphitheater is magical. Audiences shouldn’t miss one of the last chances to see a concert there,” said Gregg Hassler of Golden Crown Productions. At each concert there will be incentives to purchase tickets for the Laguna Beach Home raffle and silent auctions for Fender® Center memorabilia. Buy a raffle ticket for later, win a concert ticket now.

Acclaimed singer and songwriter Lukas Nelson and his band P.O.T.R. continue to make noteworthy musical contributions – together and separately. “We are so pleased to have the band return to support the Kids Rock Free® Music School,” said Pam Hogan, director. The Aug. 16th concert tickets are being sold at $25 for the concert only or $50 for a VIP ticket (includes wine at Meet & Greet with artist in the Fender® Museum & more). Doors open for VIP Reception at 6:30PM, for GA ticket holders at 7:30PM. Concert starts at 8PM.

On Sept. 20th Casey Abrams will perform his first concert at Fender® Center. See this local rising mega-star in the Rhythm Lounge. Tickets are on sale for $25 GA or $50 for a VIP ticket (includes Meet & Greet with artist & more). All concerts include a no-host bar and touring the Fender exhibits.

Lukas Nelson and Casey Abrams will each hold an unplugged Master Class on the day of their concerts. Meet the musicians and hear their stories, $15 per ticket at 2pm. KRF students may attend the master classes for free. Master Class and Concert ticket packages are available now at PurplePass.com or the office at 951-735-2440.

Bobby Kimball, Original vocalist of Toto, will light up the Fender® Center outdoor stage. Summer outdoor concerts are thrilling at the Steve Miller Amphitheater. Add in a Silent Auction of Fender® Center memorabilia and you have a winning night. VIP guests will be treated to a light dinner reception, Meet & Greet and concert seating up front. Tickets are $80 or $150 per couple. GA seats are $35. VIP reception opens at 6:30pm, GA gate at 7:00pm. A no-host bar and food for sale will add to the party on the grass. We are pleased to have Corona’s own Electric Ash open the concert and the Kids Rock Free® band to rock the audience.

Buy tickets

Museums Matter

For over ten years, CAM has celebrated May as California Museums Month. This year, with the introduction of ACR 115declaring May 2014 as California Museum Month, we are especially thrilled to celebrate the essential role museums play in the lives of Californians. If you have not already done so, please contact your assemblymember as soon as possible and ask him or her to support ACR 115 by signing on as a co-author of this important Resolution. You can take this action in four easy steps: (1) click on this link and find your assemblymember; (2) click on the link to “contact” your assemblymember; (3) complete the form and ask your assemblymember to sign on as a co-author of ACR-115; and (4) press “submit”. To make it even easier, click here to download some sample language.

 The month of May is also the perfect opportunity to invite your Assemblymember or Senator to visit your museum to observe a school group, tour an exhibition, participate in a public program, or get a behind-the-scenes tour of the collections.  Just think of the impact we could make if every CAM institutional member invited one assemblymember or senator to a museum during the month of May to demonstrate that MUSEUMS MATTER.

CAM has communicated with all legislators and will be meeting with Capitol leadership on May 14th to convey how museums benefit California’s citizens and contribute to a healthy, thriving state. But only the museums we serve can reinforce these messages with real experiences and demonstrate first-hand the impact on a legislator’s district.

How do you get started?

Be sure to allow as much time as possible to schedule your appointment (i.e. start now!) Would it help if you had a template or checklist to get started? If so, CAM provides a checklist, pointers, and invitation template to make this as easy as possible. There are also many other advocacy resources available at www.calmuseums.org/advocacytools and www.calmuseums.org/advocacyresources.

URGE CONGRESS TO CONFIRM NOMINEES TO LEAD NEH AND NEA

On April 10, President Obama announced Dr. William “Bro” Adams, president of Colby College, as his choice to serve as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Two months earlier, on February 12, Obama announced Dr. Jane Chu, president and CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, as his choice to serve as the next Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. These two nominees must now be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Take two minutes to ask the U.S. Senate to confirm Dr. Adams and Dr. Chu today. Please urge the U.S. Senate to confirm these nominees swiftly so these talented leaders can get right to work supporting our nation’s cultural and educational treasures.