W.I.S.H. STUDENTS PERFORM QUARTER Music For Kids For Life DURING THE FIRST WISHfest FUNDRAISING EVENT

In May 2017, students from W.I.S.H. (Westside Instructional String and Harp) program held their first fundraising benefit (WISHfest). The talented students demonstrated what they have learned during the school year. String instruments include violin, cello, harp and guitar using the traditional and Suzuki style learning method. Each student receives private and group Students from the W.I.S.H. (Westside Instructional String and Harp) program held a lessons. Many of the benefit (WISHfest). students go on to our high Howard Sandifer, founder of Chicago school orchestra. West Community Music Center, says: “Our mission is to harness the creative The 55 students, aged 4 to 18, potential of individuals through performed a selection of music education to inspire artistic and including classical compositions by J.S. cultural expression in such a way that Bach, Franz Listz along with swinging we help foster positive relationships jazz music by Miles Davis and George note across neighborhood lines.” Chicago West Community Music Center Benson. CWCMC Teams Up With China In A Cultural Exchange Program

In 2016, The MacArthur Foundation announced the awarding of a grant to Chicago West Community Music Cen- ter (CWCMC) for an exchange program with Shanghai, China. The purpose of the program is “to teach Chinese musi- cians about music from Chicago and for Chicago musicians to learn about the traditional music of Shanghai that can be shared through music lessons to youth from low-income families.” The Sandifers with Hong Lei, Consulate General of China to Chicago. Issue 5 CWCMC teams up with China, continued on page 4 Give today and help us reach our goal! gofundme.com/CWCMCgivingtuesday2017 About Chicago West Everyone’s Picasso at Daley Plaza Community Music Center

Our mission is to harness the creative potential of individuals through edu- cation to inspire artistic and cultural expression in such a way that we help foster positive relationships across neighborhood lines.

The activities presented by CWCMC have a unifying effect on the com- munity, as residents from neighbor- ing communities build healthy rela- tionships sharing common interests.

QuarterNote, Issue 5 Chicago West Community Music Center (CWCMC) Students from CWCMC had the privi- cago West Community Music Center Garfield Park Field House (The Gold Dome) lege of performing at the reenact- student musicians. 100 North Central Park Avenue, 2nd floor ment project, “Everyone’s Picasso” in Repertoire for the Picasso Celebra- Chicago, IL 60624-1912 August at Daley Plaza in downtown www.cwcmc.org tion included: Overture to Candide E-mail: [email protected] Chicago. (Bernstein); An American in Paris (Ger- Phone: (708) 386-5315 Fifty years ago, a major work of pub- shwin) and Finale from Symphony No

Howard Sandifer, CWCMC Executive Director lic art was unveiled in Chicago, the 5, C Minor, Opus 57 (Beethoven). Darlene Sandifer, CWCMC Managing Director Chicago Picasso. This year’s event The late Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Wilbert Crosby, Director of Jazz Studies unfolded just as it did around noon Gwendolyn Brooks wrote a poem for on August 15, 1967. Music was by the Donations & Gifts of support may be mailed the Picasso Project 50 years ago. Her to: Chicago West Community Music Center, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and daughter, Nora Brooks Blakely, read 100 N. Central Park Avenue, played by After School Matters’ Chi- the poem in her memory. Chicago, IL 60624-1912 or call Darlene Sandifer at (708) 386-5315

CWCMC 2017 Board CWCMC Sings Summer Tribute To Michael Roy D’Souza (CHAIR) SongVest Jackson,“THIS IS IT!” Everyone loves Michael Jackson. You, Thriller, I’ll Be There and Man Tim Binney (VICE-CHAIR) Houlihan Lokey After School Matters/Chicago in the Mirror. Chicago West Community Music Center West Community Music Center You could hear the love in their Doris Davenport (CWCMC) performed a summer Davenport Show, WPNA Radio AM1490 voices as they sang tribute to tribute to the late megastar at Jackson. Backed by the Chicago the city’s parks. John Blackburn, CPA (TREASURER) West Community Music Center “THIS IS IT! Tribute to Michael Orchestra, the student musi- Jed Enlow (SECRETARY) Of Counsel - Leavens, Strand, Jackson” thrilled audiences at cians performed such classics Glover & Adler, LLC Margate Park, Rosenblum Park, as Remember The Time, Heart- Fosco Park and Garfield Park break Hotel, I’ll Be There, I Want CWCMC Funders Fieldhouse. You Back, Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Chicago Community Trust The music fest opened with an Enough, The Lady In My Life, But- Chicago Park District terflies and We Are The World. City of Chicago overture of Jackson’s songs, City Arts Council including Off The Wall, Rock With Classics for Kids Foundation D’Addario Foundation DCASE (Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events) CWCMC Collaborates with Conn-Selmer DFSS (Department of Family and Support Services) Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance On August 21, 2017, Howard and Darlene visited the Conn-Selmer VIP Gary and Denise Gardner Foundation Illinois Arts Council Day event and toured the instrument factory to see how instru- John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation ments are made and prep for distribution. Chicago West Communi- Oak Park ArtsFund ty Music Center is a new partner with Conn-Selmer and we are both Sam and Helen Zell Foundation excited about CWCMC taking advantage of their educational pro- grams and services. Conn-Selmer is the only full-line American-made instrument manufacturer in the country. Conn-Selmer Corporate 2 Office is located at 600 Industrial Parkway in Elkhart Indiana. Chicago West Community Music Center’s It happened in 2017 CWCMC Teens Travel To Paris Fifteen CWCMC students who were enrolled in the After School Matters “Business of Music” Program had the privilege of traveling to Paris and participating in the University of Chicago Paris Centre’s “Black Metropolis: Between Past and Future” colloquium. The teens also performed in front of a packed audience at the Foundation des Etats-Unis where they received THREE standing ovations for their performance. They enjoyed other highlights including a dinner hosted by After School Matters board member, Clare Munana, met French students and toured many famous Parisian landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower.

CWCMC participants pause for a photo CWCMC Special Guests at Grambling State near the Eiffel Tower. University Legends Summer Series Chicago West Community Music Center’s Classical Quartet were the special guests at Grambling State University “Bring It Home” This summer Campaign Fundraising Reception in September at The Drake Hotel CWCMC paid in Chicago. L E G E N D S tribute to The Story Continues SUMMER 2017 The quartet was comprised of Elizabeth Kelly - violin, Maria Sales - a series of MAY 26 – AUG 25 viola, Kalie Holiday - cello and instructor/violinist Kyle Dickson. innovators and They performed the String Quartet in G Major by Florence B. Price. legends with our “Night Out Florence Beatrice Price was the first African-American woman to A TRIBUTE TO in the Parks” George Benson & Grover Washington Jr. be recognized as a symphonic composer and the first to have a Curtis Mayfield program. Blacks on The Great composition played by a major orchestra. White Way Westside Blues The Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed Price’s Symphony It kicked off No. 1 in E Minor at the Century of Progress Fair in 1933. with The Urban Presented by Chicago West Community Music Center Jazz Giants, a salute to singer- guitarist George Benson and the late CWCMC Performs at After School Matters saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. Gala Third Consecutive Year and featured Michael Ross and Tyrone Hines. Joining in on the music fest Chicago West were Howard Sandifer & Friends. Community Music Center’s Singer Carl King brought the musical Orchestra per- magic of the late Curtis Mayfield back formed Make into our hearts with “Keep On Pushin.’ Them Hear You The origin of the blues on the West from “Ragtime” Side was remembered by Larry Taylor at the After and the Soul Blues Healers. School Matters Annual Gala in The brilliant contributions of Blacks September at On Broadway were celebrated by guitarist Felton Offard and his special the Wintrust CWCMC participants pre-performance. Arena. It was the highlight of the evening’s performances. guest star Tony Award nominee, Feli- cia Fields, from The Color Purple. This was the third year the CWCMC students appeared at the gala which is considered one of the city’s major social events of the Each night of music was hosted by Do- year which was attended by 1,000 supporters. ris Davenport of “The Doris Davenport Show” radio program. The salutes were held at the Columbus Park Refec- 3 tory at 5701 West Jackson Boulevard. Media Coverage of Chicago West CWCMC teams up with China, cont from page 1 Community Music Center The first part of the exchange program took place in April when 10 students and six chaperones from Chicago West Com- munity Music Center visited three major cities in China (Shanghai, Hangzhou City and Ningbo) where they taught, collabo- rated and presented concerts with musi- cians and students. The second part of the exchange pro- gram took place July 30-August 6 when 10 students and six chaperones from the Shanghai Pudong New Area Young & Chil- dren’s Center visited Chicago where they collaborated and presented concerts with Chicago West Community Music Center. The Sandifers with Windy City Live hosts Val Warner and Ryan Chiaverni. The story of the Chicago West Community Music Center A highlight of the visit was when the (CWCMC) is a great story that needs to be told over and Chinese students joined the CWCMC musi- over again. This was a banner year for TV coverage of Chi- cians in singing Michael Jackson’s “We Are cago West Community Music Center. The World” at a special joint concert at Garfield Park Fieldhouse. Howard Sandifer and his talented teens appeared on “Windy City Live’ in revealing interviews with the hosts, Val Warner and Ryan Chiaverni. Sandifer recalled how he and Project Innovation Helps his wife, Darlene Sandifer, started Chicago West Commu- Support CWCMC And Eight nity Music Center from their kitchen table in 1999. It now reaches 800 students on the West Side of Chicago. Other Organizations It grew from the lack of after school music programs in the Chicago Public Schools. Howard was saluted as a 4 Star Chicagoan for inspiring more and more students to pick up instruments and pursue their creative passions. The program now offers music education at The Golden Dome in Garfield Park. The students participate in several programs worldwide including cultural exchange pro- Chicago West Community Music Center grams in China and Brazil They most recently visited Paris for the second time. Sandifer kicked off his TV appearances on FOX in June with coverage of their summer Michael Jackson Tribute. The Project Innovation has selected Chicago students were shown singing “Remember the Time” during West Community Music Center as one of the FOX telecast. the agencies that it funds. It is a program designed to seek out and support commu- NBC joined in the coverage with its “Making A Difference” nity-based agencies that provide innova- segment. Howard was saluted for how he inspires the tive programming for youth. students to recognize the power and soul of their voices as they performed songs by Michael Jackson. The agencies chosen for funding were focused on Science, Technology, Engineer- And ABC threw love to CWCMC with coverage of the Mi- ing, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) pro- chael Jackson summer tribute during the evening news gramming for youth. segment. In addition to CWCMC, the agencies se- On radio, Doris Davenport opened her show, “The Doris lected by Project Innovation are: Marwen, Davenport Show,” to the Sandifers where they discussed Project SYNCERE, Chicago Architecture the healing power of music and why it is so necessary. Foundation, Gary Comer Youth Center, Also, on radio, Darryl Dennard, host of “Chicago Speaks” on Alternative Schools Network, Leave No V103, featured Howard Sandifer and his mission to moti- Veteran Behind, A Knock At Midnight and vate the teens to pick up instruments and lift their voices Phalanx Family Services. as they denounce violence on the West Side. 4