Keeping ‘soul filling’ music alive, one jukebox night to raise thousands
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale hosted its annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraiser, themed to be a musical time capsule of the 1940s, to keep the community’s music alive.
Established in 1998, the Santa Clarita Master Chorale hosts three annual concerts in its series, promoting fine choral music through quality, educational enrichment programs and involvement in community-based arts efforts.
Depending on the type of concert that is performed, an orchestra is usually involved.
According to Mary Purdy, a founding member of the Santa Clarita Master Chorale and event chair, the price of an orchestra estimates to around $6,500 per performance.
“Trying to put on a performance of the quality that we try to put on, it’s really expensive,” said Purdy.
The annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraiser acts as a means to fund the chorale’s performances through silent auctions, raffles and VIP tables.
For 2023 the chorale took the 140 attendees back into the 1940s with a live band, jukebox and decorations, all inspired by Glen Miller’s, “Juke Box Saturday Night.”
Purdy said the annual fundraiser has been put on for approximately 15 years. She and her husband are two of the four founding members left in the chorale.
“What keeps us coming back is the quality of the music we make,” said Purdy. “When we make beautiful music, it’s really wonderful and it’s so soul-filling, you know, it does good for our hearts.”
The chorale is still tallying up the receipts from the Feb. 25 fundraiser and is unable to provide the total amount raised at the time of this publication. Purdy said that every year the fundraiser typically brings in around $15,000 for the chorale.