Contact: Victoria Lanier
For Immediate Release
Phone: (818) 433-7600
Email: press@etmla.org / Website: www.etmla.org
PASADENA, CA – On July 30 at the Valley Hunt Club in Pasadena, a private soirée benefiting music education programs in Los Angeles County schools featured special guests Emmy-Award Winning Actress Jane Lynch (Glee, Hollywood Game Night), Actress Kate Flannery (The Office), and the Tony Guerrero Trio. The exclusive 6th Annual Keep the Music Playing event, hosted by Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA), welcomed approximately 75 guests to drinks, hors d’oeuvres, speeches and a private cabaret-style concert.
While Lynch and Flannery’s TV personalities – Sue Sylvester on Glee and Meredith Palmer on The Office, respectively – may not always jive with others, off-screen, both artists harmonize effortlessly as a singing duo. Accompanied by the electric Tony Guerrero Trio, Lynch and Flannery performed such powerful songs including “Far From the Home” from Fiddler on the Roof and “The Party’s Over” from the show Bells Are Ringing. The two have collaborated in Lynch’s touring cabaret show, “See Jane Sing,” and on Lynch’s 2016 Christmas album, “A Swingin’ Little Christmas,” produced and arranged by Guerrero.
Both artists have been vocal about the importance of keeping music in schools.
“Music is such a civilizing force. It’s the great equalizer. It makes you happy, and you work as a team and as a unit,” Lynch said. “That’s why I’m very happy to be a part of this organization which is advocating music programs in schools.”
Flannery was an honorary chair for ETM-LA’s 10th Annual Benefit Gala as well as a guest artist at its 1st Annual Keep the Music Playing benefit event in 2012.
“I believe that so many emotional and spiritual issues can be worked out with music. Music is a healer,” Flannery said. “It’s the most amazing feeling, and when you get to play with other people – that’s super empowering.”
ETM-LA provides quality, yearlong, in-school music instruction in disadvantaged Los Angeles County schools as part of the core curriculum for every child.
“We could not do this important work without the support of such dedicated champions and artists like Jane and Kate. We are incredibly grateful to them for sharing their artistry and passion for our mission,” shared ETM-LA Executive Director Victoria Lanier.
Since its founding in 2006, ETM-LA has grown to serve over 12,000 students at 25 partner schools in Los Angeles. Next year ETM-LA plans to expand to partner to 30 schools reaching 14,000 students.
“To see the transformation of the schools kind of shocked me,” said ETM-LA Board Chairman Booker White. “To see that music could mean that much to kids. […] We’ve got to get into more schools – this is making too big of a difference in the schools we’re in.”
View photos from the event here.