Helping Others Through Music

The 6th annual concert bringing together different religious and musical groups to benefit at-risk children from the Edward Williams School in Mount Vernon will be held on Saturday, November 17th at 7:00pm at St. James the Less Church in Scarsdale in collaboration with Westchester Jewish Community Services and Westchester Reform Temple. The musical theme for the event is Celebrating Kings of the Old Testament/Torah.

This unique concert is a joint effort of the Episcopal and Jewish communities in Scarsdale. Their five previous concerts have raised over $215,000 and have sent over 300 disadvantaged children to the Wagon Road Camp in Chappaqua for 7 weeks each summer.

The Children’s Choir of the Edward Williams School along with children from Scarsdale will join forces (40 children) to sing a song of inspiration with orchestra to celebrate the 6th Anniversary of this Benefit. Internationally acclaimed Canadian violinist Marc Benzekri will be the guest artist performing Saint-Saens’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccio.

Orchestra musicians from the greater New York City area donate their time and talent for this special performance of classical music. The concert will include Mozart’s Overture from The Magic Flute, 2 world premieres for choir and orchestra by Maestro Bischof, a spiritual for choirs and orchestra and Brahms’ legendary Symphony No. 4. For most of the children, this event is the first time they will experience classical music. On the day of the concert, the children attend the dress rehearsal and get to meet the professional musicians and ask them questions about music and their lives as performers.

“Our first five years have been both exciting and inspiring,” said Dorothy Yewer, Co-Founder and Benefit Chair. “The community has been incredibly supportive of our work and the crucial need that exists so close to home. The children are empowered by participating in the Benefit and we are looking forward to growing our audience and helping even more children as we begin our next five years.”

The beneficiaries all attend the WJCS Amazing Afternoons Program in Mount Vernon during the school year. The program gives 125 at-risk elementary school aged children a safe place to learn and grow after school during the critical 3-6pm time frame when their parents or guardians are usually at work. During the summer there is a void in these children’s lives and many desperately need a safe, productive environment that their families cannot provide for them.

To purchase tickets please call 914.723.6100 extension 203 . Tickets are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.