Encore: 'The Piano Cottage Rocks!' will rock your socks off

On July 26 and 27, The Crescendo Foundation and co-sponsors Sightline Display Co. and Keyboard World will proudly present a two-hour concert, "The Piano Cottage Rocks!" -- performed by kids 8-16 -- at Peter Wege Auditorium (Wealthy Theatre), 1130 Wealthy St. SE.

Launched in 2012 to serve low-income children with limited access to music education in West Michigan, The Crescendo Foundation, 1400 Colorado Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, is the brainchild of dynamic musical duo Wright McCargar, winner of six local Grand Awards, and his wife, Jody Deems-McCargar. The nonprofit's mission is to cultivate access to tuition-free, quality music education in West Michigan.

The Crescendo Foundation nurtures learning in an inspiring and joyful environment where music sparks motivation, and discipline and focus guide each student's path to achievement. The performing students are selected through a rigorous audition and rehearsal process. The culminating concert features classic rock, pop, jazz, and blues. The kids produce the professional concert from concept to completion: logo, music selection, lighting, special effects -- you name it.

The Piano Cottage Rocks! 2012 concert received positive reviews from the community, sparking over 100 phone calls the next day from interested potential students, parents, and donors. Because music lessons for children in our community are often too costly for most to afford, the students decided it should be paid forward somehow for other kids to experience the benefit of learning an instrument.

Tickets for The Piano Cottage Rocks! are available online at for $10 each. Proceeds will go toward Crescendo's mission to create a tuition-free music conservatory in West Michigan.

Get involved:
- Visit Crescendo Foundation's website.
- Donate to the Crescendo Foundation.
- Be an instrument of change.
- Play it forward.

Source: The Crescendo Foundation website
Writer: Victoria Mullen, Do Good Editor

Images: Courtesy of The Crescendo Foundation website