We have exciting news to share that Upper Valley Music Center’s Board of Directors has launched a campaign to help bring us together again in a way that is safe for students, faculty and families.
During the past year, the Upper Valley Music Center community has been tremendously resourceful, inventive, compassionate, and determined to keep making music, to stay connected, and to share music, giving comfort and strength to our family, friends, and neighbors.
UVMC brings people together through music, and while we have built successful online programs, returning to in-person music making is essential to continuing our mission. There have been many silver linings to online programming, and some programs have been so successful online that they will likely continue. However, the core of the UVMC community remains gathering to learn and share music.
Throughout the past year we have stayed focused on what it will take to return to in-person music making. While there are many layers to offering low-risk in-person activities for students, faculty, and their families, a primary limitation is the lack of ventilation in our historic Lebanon home.
In order to continue UVMC’s mission to bring people together through music, the Board of Directors has launched a campaign to install a new ventilation system to bring filtered, fresh air into every room in the building. We are excited to announce that UVMC has received a $75,000 challenge gift from the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation in support of this campaign.
The campaign will launch at this year’s Faculty Showcase Concert, which will be held online on Saturday, March 20 at 4 pm.
In addition to responding to health and safety risks, we have an opportunity to address known facilities needs and environmental stewardship at the same time. UVMC’s current heating and cooling system is nearing the end of its functional life and will need to be replaced in the near future. Through the design of a new system, we can be responsible stewards of our environment, prioritizing energy efficiency and the capacity to connect to renewable energy.
With the convergence of the health and safety of our community, the need to replace aging infrastructure, and environmental stewardship, we have a unique opportunity that will bring people together to make music now and for generations to come.
