Grants bring jazz concerts to Medina

Medina's Public Square is a charming, picturesque tribute to our small-town heritage. Four nights of the year, it comes alive during the Jazz Under the Stars professional summer concert series presented by the Ohio Regional Music Arts and Cultural Outreach (ORMACO). Rain or shine, the sultry ballads, swinging melodies, and arpeggios of inspired solo riffs draw hundreds of listeners with lawn chairs and picnic baskets in tow.

Now approaching its eighth season, the Medina County Community Fund is proud to have supported this cultural gem from its inception as part of our efforts to enrich Medina County in the areas of arts, education, health and community services. Since 2011, MCCF has awarded grants totaling $10,000 to support this unique concert series.

Thomas Sigel, executive director and founder of ORMACO, settles for nothing but the best as he prepares for each summer's concerts. As a frequent guest of the concert series, I can attest to its excellence. Last summer, I attended all four shows and enjoyed magnificent performances surrounded by the dazzling city square atmosphere. I will savor these Saturday night events through 2018 and beyond.

In addition to Jazz Under the Stars, ORMACO offers outreach programs in our schools, libraries and senior centers; road trips to cultural destinations in Cleveland and New York City; and public concerts through its World Tour of Music series. ORMACO provides these experiences for free or at a low cost to make music, arts and culture accessible to all. For more information about ORMACO, visit www.ormaco.org.

By Terry Pfleiderer
MCCF Advisory Board Member