It’s hard for me to believe that more than ten years have passed since ACGS Educational Outreach began, in one class in one school with about 15 students. The program has grown dramatically, we’ve had the privilege of helping to build 25 school programs in the Austin area alone (and over 100 elsewhere!)– and served thousands of young people along the way.
Where did it all begin? McCallum Fine Arts Academy!
The McCallum Chamber Guitar Ensemble, stunningly six-time winners of the UT Brownsville National Guitar Ensemble Competition, have just been selected to be a showcase ensemble at this year’s Guitar Foundation of America Convention in Charleston, South Carolina.
McCallum is also presenting a benefit concert by Austin’s own award-winning, super creative Mother Falcon on Friday, May 18, 2012 at 8pm in the new McCallum Arts Center. Tickets are $20 and they are online here or available at the door.
This benefit concert is the first in the McCallum Arts Center Emerging Artist Series. Proceeds will help send McCallum classical guitar students to Charleston
McCallum’s guitar director Andrew Clark said, “Of the three age groups chosen, we are the only public school. We are honored to play at one of the largest and most prestigious international classical guitar festivals in the world.”
Mother Falcon is the natural choice for the opening of the MAC Emerging Artist Series. This innovative ensemble, which ranges from 10-20 musicians, features 10 McCallum Fine Arts Academy graduates, including Claire Puckett, a graduate of the McCallum Classical Guitar Ensemble. Claire said, “It is an honor for me to contribute in any way to the betterment of the McCallum Fine Arts Academy, whose Classical Guitar program cultivated a love of music in my heart that will last me the rest of my years. Mother Falcon is living proof of that love, and I am both excited and humbled to be able to share it with you. Congrats on going to the GFA convention!”
I’m so proud of McCallum – and I, and the education team here at ACGS, look forward to hearing them on May 18th when they open for Mother Falcon, and then again in Charleston!