More than 100 people came out for a pasta dinner and an evening of entertainment on October 12th, in support of the Northwest Indiana Youth Symphony Orchestra’s 2014 overseas trip. The fundraising event featured a spaghetti dinner, raffles, prizes, and many of the orchestra’s musicians in solo and duet musical performances.
“This is the first time we've ever done something like this,” said Marilyn Stuckert, manager of the youth orchestra. “We wanted something to help provide funds for the students going to Germany, and we wanted something that the students could be actively involved in as opposed to just selling things. We've done that before and we're still doing that, but we wanted something more.”
Besides sharing their musical talents, students who will be traveling abroad with the orchestra next summer worked as waiters, waitresses, bus boys, and food preparers, and all will reap a portion of the evening’s profits, Stuckert said.
Conductor Phil Bauman added his thoughts, “I think we have been looking for various ways to engage the community. Having a way to bring people together that is somewhat musically related but that there are other reasons why they are here. They are here to support the kids on their trip, yet they are here to have a meal and to be entertained.”
Bauman said the group went to Canada a couple of years ago, but the orchestra mostly travels for only a weekend away at a time, primarily around the Midwest. This is the first trip overseas in the more than 10 years he has been with the organization.
“It’s pretty exciting,” he said. “It’s been on our minds to do something like this.”
He said that while the group will be doing a lot of sightseeing while in Germany and Austria, they will be performing as well. Additionally, they will look to tap into a music festival for young musicians that will occur in Salzburg around that time.
“We’ll find more ways for people to help support the orchestra on this tour,” Bauman said. “This is not the last opportunity to help us out.”
Chef Robert Conn from U-Cook cooking school in Merrillville volunteered his time to prepare the food for the fundraiser.
Conn said he comes from a musical family, so when he was asked for help, “I jumped on board immediately and enthusiastically,” he said.
Conn said U-Cook does a lot of fundraisers. “It’s really important to us,” he said.
U-Cook is part education, part entertainment, he said. “Doesn't matter if you haven't picked up a knife before or if you're a professional chef, there is literally something for everybody.”
Julianna Shamel, age 16 and violinist in the orchestra, played contemporary pieces to entertain the guests.
“I think it’s very good that we are inviting the community to get together and have everybody in one space and eat a meal together. It's kind of cool,” she said. “The only thing we've ever done before is chocolate sales and pie sales, and door-to-door things, and sometimes people just shut the door on you. And here they can come in and eat and talk to you and reap the benefits of whatever we’re doing. They can actually see the people playing and using their talents.”