Dear Friends,

As I welcome Symphony fans to another exciting concert season, I also invite you to become a supporter of FanFare. This active committee of the Symphony’s Board of Directors is pleased to carry the exciting mantle of developing and implementing the Symphony's community engagement initiatives. Our programs reach out to the young and old in Santa Fe and neighboring communities, encouraging and developing love and appreciation for the performance of great music.

Through our mentoring program, Santa Fe Symphony & Chorus musicians and area college graduate students deliver small group lessons regularly to music students throughout Santa Fe.  We now provide more than 340 hours of hands-on music instruction in the Santa Fe Public Schools from Eldorado Elementary to Capital High, working with youngsters in strings, brass, winds, voice, and percussion. School music educators tell us that the musical growth of the students makes a tremendous difference in the children’s self esteem, sense of accomplishment, and a rising motivation for staying in school.  FanFare also presents small ensembles in the schools and retirement homes and provides instruments to up-and-coming local music students.

Our annual Discovery Concert reaches over 1500 area 4th graders. Prior to the concert, each attendee receives a booklet (published by FanFare) and a lesson in music class, illustrating and explaining the instruments in the orchestra. Last year’s concert, made possible by the Ralph B. Roger’s Foundation, was an abbreviated version of Holst’s magnificent The Planets along with a narration supplied by Dr. José Francisco Salgado and extraordinary photos from the Adler Planetarium on the Lensic Big Screen. This year we will be presenting Voyages of Discovery III: Bach on the Brain.

Thanks to the vision and efforts of Mat and Meri Frauwirth, FanFare has been awarded the ASOL Gold Book online award for the We are the Music project. This two-year project was gifted to all schools and is a captivating DVD featuring local children narrating and performing in varied venues—an amazing range of music and dance reflecting the cultural diversity of Santa Fe.  The program meets the criteria for music, history and social studies in the lower grades and includes a study guide written by local teachers and Debbie Everett.  The Rogers Foundation enabled us to publish study guides and a bilingual version of the DVD. 

Although big projects require designated grants, membership in FanFare helps pay for our mentors and ensemble presentations. Being a FanFare supporter is a great way to enter the fun of volunteering as well as bringing our inspiring programs to life. FanFare is an innovative and friendly group that recognizes the needs of our community, loves our children and is dedicated to enhancing their future.

Our dues are only $40.00 a year for a family membership and $25.00 per year for a single membership. For more information about FanFare, please call the Symphony office at 505-983-3530 or send an email to fanfare@santafesymphony.org. We also gratefully accept special gifts and grants for designated programs. 

Warmly, 

Ruthe Coleman, FanFare President