Two Concerts to Benefit Sandy-Stricken Long Beach

Hundreds of local families will gather to sing, dance, and play at two concerts for young children hosted by a group of Music Together directors from centers throughout Long Island and Queens in honor of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Rockville Centre-based early childhood music program and to raise money for the Long Beach School District, which was devastated in Superstorm Sandy.

On Saturday, March 2, the concert will be held from 3–5 PM at Knights of Columbus Hall in Patchogue (38 West First Street). The concert on Sunday, March 3, will take place in Rockville Centre at Central Synagogue of Nassau County (430 DeMott Ave) from 2–4 PM. At each location, the one-hour concert begins 30 minutes after doors open. Tickets for each show are $13/adult and $8/child over 8 months of age (children under 8 months are FREE) and may be purchased online at www.musictogetherliq.ticketleap.com.

The concerts will feature teachers from several Music Together centers in Long Island and Queens singing favorite Music Together songs—and a special guest appearance by recording artist Gerry Dignan. “Uncle Gerry” is featured on the CDs given to the hundreds of thousands of families worldwide who take Music Together classes each year.

“We are so excited to have Uncle Gerry here with us on Long Island. All our families are very excited to finally meet the person behind his unmistakable voice. We are looking forward to singing with him and hope that lots of families, whether they’ve taken Music Together classes or not, will join us to help raise funds for the youngest victims of Superstorm Sandy,” says event co-coordinator, Judy Leff, owner of While They’re Little, one of several Music Together centers sponsoring the event.

In addition to celebrating Music Together’s longevity as a beloved early childhood music education program, the event is also a fundraiser for the Long Beach School District. Local businesses from all over Long Island (including Safari Adventure, iSchool of Music & Art, and Minuteman Press in Rockville Centre) have donated products and goods for a raffle contest that will take place during the show. All proceeds from ticket sales and the raffles will be donated to the district and earmarked for West Elementary School’s Art & Music Department. West Elementary School has not re-opened since the storm, and the Long Beach school district is looking at recovery and repair costs estimated at around $20 million.

Leff says, “Music Together is all about improving the lives of children, and all of the directors decided that, as part of our anniversary celebration, we would like to do our part to help families in need right here in Long Island. We hope to raise money that will ensure children in the Long Beach area have access to arts programs for many years to come.”

Celebrating its 25th Anniversary this academic year (2012-2013), Music Together is an internationally recognized early childhood music and movement program for children birth through age seven. The Music Together curriculum, coauthored in 1987 by Kenneth K. Guilmartin (Founder/Director) and Rowan University Professor of Music Education Dr. Lili M. Levinowitz (Director of Research), is based on the recognition that all children are musical: all children can learn to sing in tune, keep a beat, and participate with confidence in the music of our culture, provided that their early environment supports such learning. Music Together offers programs for families; schools; at-risk populations; and children with special needs, in over 2000 communities in 40 countries around the world. The company is passionately committed to bringing children and their caregivers closer through shared music-making and helping people discover the joy---and the educational value---of early music experiences. Classes are offered at many locations throughout Long Island and Queens. For more information about classes, please visit www.musictogetherLI-Queens.com.