Date

May 07, 2023
Expired!
Benaroya Hall

Benaroya Hall, Seattle, Washington


Thank You for Joining the 2023 Spring Salon Fundraiser

Play Video

You Raised the Bar of Excellence

2023 Spring Salon Fundraiser

▲ Student winners received prizes and high praise from professional musicians during the awards ceremony of the Spring Salon Fundraiser at Benaroya Hall. Over the weekend, over 40 students participated in our annual Solo String Festival where they competed for scholarships and prizes

Because of your support, we crushed and exceeded our goal of $150,000 to provide music lessons for underserved students in South King County!  To date, we’ve raised over $195,000—your investment helped us set a new organizational record! 

You’re amazing and we’re so thankful for your generosity in supporting our students’ music education and overall wellness during our Spring Salon Fundraiser at Benaroya Hall. We can now serve more students because of you! Thank YOU!

Students Win Seattle Symphony Solo Debut

Eden Pawlos, Avi Spillers and Madison Cole wowed the audience with their performances during the Spring Salon Fundraiser. All three students were selected as winners of the Key to Change Concerto Competition, which awards them an opportunity to make their professional solo debut with the Seattle Symphony in October at the IKEA Performing Arts Center in Renton. 

Vivian Phillips Accepts the Key to Change Community Achievement Award with Family Members looking on

Vivian Phillips, a respected arts advocate and consultant was honored during the Spring Salon Fundraiser with the inaugural Key to Change Community Achievement Award for her dedication to youth, arts & culture, and the Black community. Members of the community, including a recorded congratulatory video by Governor Jay Inslee sung Vivian’s praise and recognized her enormous contributions. During her acceptance speech, she gave an inspiring speech with words of wisdom to all of the youth in the audience. 

Watch the presentation:

Play Video about Vivian Phillips

The Solo String Festival and Spring Salon Fundraiser was funded by the Seattle Symphony Community Stages Fund, supported by the Tagney Jones Family Fund, 4Culture, Douglas Smith and Stephanie Ellis-Smith, the Nesholm Foundation, US Bank, City of Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, Renton Municipal Arts Commission, Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation, United Negro College Fund, and Rafael Carraba Violins. 

Thank you for your support of Key to Change 

Emcee

Emcee Mark Wright

Mark Wright

Journalist and Podcast Host

Mark Wright is an award-winning journalist, podcast host and community leader from Seattle, Washington. He worked as a broadcast journalist for 35 years—most recently as evening news anchor for KING 5 (NBC) in Seattle. Mark is a four-time Emmy Award winner for his work as a documentary producer, anchor and reporter. His work has aired in markets including Boise, Spokane, Salt Lake City, Seattle and nationally on NBC Nightly News.

Community Award Recipient

Vivian Phillips

Vivian Phillips

Founder of Arte Noir

Vivian Phillips is a communications professional and arts leader. She is the founder of ARTE NOIR, which launched in May 2021 as an online publication celebrating Black art and culture from the African diaspora. In September 2022, ARTE NOIR opened as a physical space in the historic Central District. In 2020, Vivian teamed with veteran arts journalist Marcie Sillman to create and produce the doubleXposure podcast, giving voice to the ways in which arts, creativity, and culture shape our lives and community.

Also, returning this year

David Simms Cooks

Chef David Simms

Owner, Eatible Delights

Chef Simms wowed guests last year during our 2022 Spring Salon Fundraiser. He returns to cater our fundraiser this year and we're confident you will love the food! Chef Simms is the Chef and Owner of Eatible Delights Catering, based in Philadelphia. Eatible Delights was formed in 1996 during the same year Chef Simms was selected to participate in the All-Star game where he worked with Aretha Franklin. Eatible Delights caters over 250 events each year. It's client list includes government officials and world-famous musicians, such as Jill Scott, Elton John, and Patti LaBelle.

Unable to Attend?

Quick Ways to Invest in a Student’s Success:
$500 – Supports one student’s 30-minute group string lesson for one trimester (12 weeks)
$1000 – Supports one student’s 60-minute group string lessons for one trimester (12 weeks)
$1500 – Supports one student’s 30-minute group string lessons for the entire year -or- one student’s trimester of private string lessons 
$2400 – Supports 12 weeks (one trimester) of private lessons for a Young Artist Academy student
$3000 – Supports one student’s group lessons for the entire year 
Matching Opportunity!
Two generous Key to Change donors, Douglas Smith and Stephanie Ellis-Smith will match 1:1 donations of $1,000 up to $10,000
Your investment in our students allows them to thrive, both in our string studio and in their academic studies and personal endeavors. You are literally the “key” to all of their successes.
Become a Sponsor!
Join the amazing journey of witnessing the growth of our talented students by becoming a sponsor today!

Become a Sponsor of Key to Change

Learn more about the Spring Salon Fundraiser in our Sponsor Packet and find out how you can become part of the amazing journey of the students at Key to Change.

RSVP
Share this on Social Media