Performathon 2012: A Report

The 2012 Performathon was on March 10.  This gala day of student musical performances and art exhibits is scheduled every two years.  Though contributions are still trickling in, this year's event will have raised at least $6,500!  The Performathon is the major fundraising event for the scholarship programs. These programs provide vital aid to students in financial need and to talented young people to pursue their study of the arts. Since 1993, over $75,000 has been raised and more than 650 students have received scholarship support.

Performathon Action Committee: Thank you to this year's committee members Anis Stenger, Rick Uplegger, Laura Hauer, Ellen Prall, Kathy Brancato, and Varsie Geisler. 

Volunteers:  Thank you to the following people who volunteered their time on March 10:  Georgia Price, Kristin Duffy, Kathy Brancato, Phil Carpenter, Anis Stenger, Karyn Harrelson, Naoko Bingham, Mahjabeen Karim, Melanie Kozinski, Terri Mann-Lamb, Lynn Vogl, Jenny Ruff, Rick Uplegger, Ellen Prall, Mark Schneider,  Kathy Love, Nancy Davis,  Eileen Garvin, Allison Kozinski, Karin Podolski, Carolyn Wright, Lina Lin, Brian Prall, Karen Weckerly,  Mei Li, Stephanie Alvendia, Maddie Alvendia, Eric Schroeder, and the Rodriguez family, Laurie, Josh, Miriam, Sariah, and Benjamin.  It takes a lot of people to make a major event run so smoothly!

Performathon is a great performance opportunity for the students enrolled in the program, as well as a way to help others. Students who perform make a pledge to help raise money by mailing pledge requests to relatives, friends, and supporters. Local businesses are asked to support the event through the donation of raffle prizes and advertising in the event's program booklet.

Performers:  We heard four hours of wonderful performances this year!  Thank you to Sophie  Kennedy, Miriam Rodriguez, Gregory Harrelson, Sariah Rodriguez, Benjamin Rodriguez, Savanna Taylor,  Katie Cassidy, Rachel Taylor,  Josh Laurie, and Miriam Rodriguez, Chantel Davis, Brooke Stumm, Ellen White, Evan Stumm, Emma Hejmanowski,  Maddie Alvendia,  Jimmy Henry,  Kevin Krause, Eli  Briscoe, Nora Duffy,  Rena Jones, Schuyler Podolski,  Maddie Schneider, Ella Uplegger, Owen Wragg, Olivia Uplegger, Alexander Wragg,  Maeve Wallace, Patti Wragg, Jesse Mai, Melody Griffith, Aaron Brancato, Ben Briscoe, Jessica Briscoe, Rick Uplegger, Francisco Solares-Larravo, Jennifer  Griffin, Eliza Bowers-Chen, Dennis Dziekan, Megan Graham, Merrick Haji-Sheikh, May Phan, Christopher Wiesner, Michael Wiesner, Grace Verbic, Eric Schlosser, Alex Schlosser, Hanna Bingham, Kelsey Chelberg,  Erin McGaughey,  Laura Hauer,  Robert Carpenter, Chelsea Eldridge, Celia Carpenter, Emma Fredericks, and Georgia Harrelson.  Accompanists:  Laura Hauer and Linc Smelesr did a wonderful job as accompanists.  Visual Artists:  On display in the Recital Hall lobby were four photographs by Elaine Wilcox and a self-portrait drawing by Heather Doty, both visual arts students in the community school.

How Performathon works: Pledge sheets and information are distributed to all community school students early in spring semester. Students share pledge sheets with family, friends, and neighbors. At the same time, students contact the community school office to let us know that you are planning to perform on the big day. The scheduling process begins!

OTHER PERFORMATHON ACTIVITIES

Prizes: Thank you to all the students who sent out pledge forms to family and friends to help raise money.  Receiving a prize were five students who sent out the most pledge forms. They were Chantel Davis, Emma Fredericks, Rena Jones, Ellen White, and Maddie Alvendia.

Used Music Swap: Everyone was invited to shop for “new” music. We received lots of donations of old music from people in the community and added this to our already sizable collection.  This is a very popular feature of Performathon.

Raffle: Wonderful prizes donated by local businesses, were on display throughout the day. 
Thank you to the following businesses:  Austin's Violin Shop, KishHealth System, NIU Art Museum, NIU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences External Programs Office, NIU Employees Federal Credit Union, NIU School of Theatre and Dance, Northern Rehabilitation Physical Therapy Specialists, Seman Violins, Trittenhaus Design, Barnes and Noble, Bliss Beads,  Cardogan's Pianoland, Egg Haven Pancakes & Café, Ellwood House Museum, Moxie, NIU Bookstore, O'Leary's, Ollie's Frozen Custard,  Panera Bread, Sycamore Family Sports Center, Village Commons Bookstore, Walmart. and Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

Painted Violin:  Anna Kennedy, a wonderful artist and parent of violinist Sophie Kennedy, painted a gorgeous violin that was raffled at Performathon.  The theme of the violin was Jest Fiddlin'.  The winner was Fred Pugh, who works in the Graduate School at NIU.  He and his wife Fran (who works in the community School office) decided to give the violin to 14-year old violinist Chantel Davis, who played Fiddler on the Roof at Performathon.  Chantel is a student of Ann Montzka-Smelser.  This year's Performathon teeshirt featured the violin.  The painted violin raised $350!

Click here for a the artist's statement and to see a picture of the violin on painted violin flyer.

Bake Sale:  The bake sale was the best ever this year!