Through the Years with the Charleston Community Music Association
The Charleston Community Music Association (CCMA), formed in 1933, has been working diligently for over 70 years to bring the finest in music and dance to West Virginia. Throughout these many years, the dedicated efforts of the board of directors and the many volunteers have remained constant. As a result, the most celebrated names in music and dance, together with the stars of tomorrow, have always found a platform and audience in Charleston.
Performances are financed through the sale of pre-season memberships. These funds pay for the performers, staging, backstage union workers, and instrumentals. There are no paid positions in the organization. On a personal note, I remember my father saying he and Si Galperin use to sell memberships from Si's store, Galperin Music Store. Today, the store is long gone and memberships are sold mostly over the telephone.
The Artists
This private, non-profit organization has presented many acclaimed artists and performers, including: Jascha Heifetz, violinist; the New York Philharmonic; Beverly Sills; Luciano Pavarotti; Roger Wagner Chorale; the Canadian Brass; The Mikado; Wynton Marsalis Jazz Quartet; the Pittsburgh Symphony; Rudolph Nureyev and Friends of the Paris Opera Ballet; and dance companies from all over the globe. One of these concerts was the St. Petersburg Ice Ballet for which an ice rink was built on the Municipal Auditorium stage. In 70 plus years, audiences have totaled more than 700,000 for the performances.
In 1989 Charleston Community Music Association took a new direction to bring in younger members and families to the audience. We brought in artists such as Marvin Hamlisch, Tommy Tune, Sandy Duncan and Jack Jones. These concerts have been very successful and we are continuing to bring in diverse artists for our audience.
In the beginning new venues for performances were constantly being sought. CCMA held concerts at Charleston High School, on the east side and the Masonic Lodge, downtown. At the instigation of our president, in 1938 an auditorium was built for concerts of all kinds. That auditorium was the Municipal Auditorium and it has been home to CCMA since, as well as other organizations seeking venues for various activities. It was built as a project of the Federal Works Progress Administration and dedicated in 1939. It is a fine example of art deco design. Recently it has attained status on the National List of Historic Places.
Good Night
Charleston Community Music Association was innovative in bringing the Good Night Festival to Charleston and the surrounding area when they presented the first Good Night New Years Eve concerts in 1995. Last year we celebrated the tenth anniversary of this event with a special concert. This festival, to celebrate the end of the year, has grown with each passing year. The 2005 Good Night celebration will have 13 venues for the free concerts on New Years Eve. Twenty-five artists have agreed to perform gratis for this celebration. The performances at each venue are staged hourly starting at 6:00 p.m. and ending by 10:00 p.m.
We are proud of our Case Management association with Piedmont and Chandler Schools. This year we hope to add several more schools to this project. We provide tickets to the children and chaperones to attend concerts to enlighten and broaden their education. Where educational and cultural resources are strong, quality of life is high, business flourishes and new businesses are attracted to the area. An investment in the arts is an investment in our future and the future of our children.
It is our hope that Charleston Community Music Association can continue to bring the finest artists and performers to the Charleston metro area.
