The Lebanon-Sweet Home Community Concert Association faces perhaps the greatest challenge of its 43-year history. Community Concert Association, an East coast booking organization, has been supplying top quality performers for nearly all the 43 years of the Lebanon-Sweet Home Community Concert series.
This organization is now facing bankruptcy, which will leave the local association without performers for next season. In fact, the final concert of this season was in danger of being canceled. An emergency meeting of the board generated enough personal contributions from board members to guarantee the program will go on as planned.
The final concert of the season for this 43-year-old organization will be Proteus Seven, a brass quintet with percussion.
They will be on stage Thursday, March 20, at Lebanon High School. The concert begins at 7:30.
For 75 years, Community Concerts has brought quality music to the stage of small towns across the country.
This now bankrupt organization booked the current concert season for the local organization. “Now we are learning some of the artists of this season have not been paid,” says Tony Hayden, president of the local group. “This is unconscionable.”
Furthermore, Hayden states, “We made a promise to our local members and we are doing everything we can to honor that promise and will have Proteus Seven on stage in concert on March 20.”
“We are proud that members of our board of directors have stepped forward to finance the final concert of this season,” says Hayden. “We are dedicated to bringing musical talent to the stage of our communities; I am sure we will find a way to continue in the future. However, we no longer have the support and resources of the national organization.”
Members of the board of directors have decided to explore other possibilities to sponsor musical programs in the Sweet Home and Lebanon communities. At the final concert on March 20, they will be asking members for suggestions for future musical offerings.
The community is invited to attend this final concert. Individuals not holding season tickets can pay $15 at the door. Children under 12 will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Students in choir or band will also be admitted free.