We hope this note finds you and yours healthy and safe during this uncertain time.
For nearly a decade, Pioneer Valley Jazz Shares has contributed to the cultural and musical vitality of western Massachusetts, presenting world-class musicians in venues across three counties. We rely on shareholders, business sponsorships, single ticket purchases, and donations to underwrite a calendar of unique and exciting events that offer intimate connection between performers and audiences.
Our presenting model is lean and mean. We are proud to report that 70% of all monies we raise go directly to musicians! And as the pandemic upends our lives, Jazz Shares continues to support artists. We were able to pay cancelation fees to musicians whose engagements were postponed last spring. Since March 2020, we have produced seven concerts, both outdoors and on-line.
We are writing today to ask you to help Jazz Shares weather the current crisis that has curtailed our traditional live events, but has also revealed opportunities for us to reimagine and move forward.
We recently entered a partnership with Amherst Media to present live streamed music. Amherst Media is one of the highest functioning community-based TV stations in the country, with professional equipment, technical expertise, and the public good in mind. We have collaborated on two events, thus far: Dreamstruck (Marilyn Crispell, Joe Fonda, Harvey Sorgen) and the James Brandon Lewis Quartet. The musicians traveled to Amherst to perform safely in a studio without an audience. You can sample those concerts here. Pianist Matthew Shipp will perform solo on Dec. 3. Until there is a safe, accessible vaccine or the New England weather allows us to gather outside, we will continue to present music in this way.
Since these virtual concerts are offered for free and can be viewed from anywhere, we are asking jazz supporters everywhere to help us to present more events. These concerts are more expensive to produce, revenue from individual ticket buyers has evaporated, and the number of shareholders and business sponsors are down by about 25%. Additionally, we have increased our typical artist fees. Our end of the year fundraising goal is $5,000 which will help us keep producing.
Wendell Berry has famously said that eating is an agricultural act; each of us is an active participant in creating the systems that feed us. In that same spirit, we invite you to be an active participant in nurturing new systems of supporting creative music.
Pioneer Valley Jazz Shares is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. To get more information and to donate, please visit: www.jazzshares.org
Thank you,
Glenn Siegel, on behalf of Pioneer Valley Jazz Shares Board of Directors
