Music For Mankind® Events 2012

Starting a new year! Wow. It's amazing to realize this is our sixth year. So much has happened in the past five years, it's incredible to think that more can still happen, but it can, and does and will.

2011 was quite an exciting year. I was involved in several events; an opera, a musical, a dance contest, and the audition for America's Got Talent; outside of our normal concert series, and at the same time the concert series did better than ever. As if that wasn't enough, I sang the National Anthem at stadiums all around the Northeast, at each event promoting Music For Mankind®.

2012 brings a whole new set of events. In December 2011 I studied Show dance, then in January took lessons in Tap dance. I added quite a bit more dance; Jazz, Show, and Tap; to the show.

During this time I worked with stage director Diana Stugger of Opera Theatre of Weston to fully stage Give My Regards To Broadway. The concert is now a show, with a lot of movement, and themes to each song. Having grown up in theatre and musical theatre this feels right to me, as though I've come back home. I'm enjoying the show now on an entirely new level, and the response is wonderful.

Here's what Dorothy Sullivan, Activities Director of Wheelock Terrace said about our show earlier this month.
 
"Kelly Moore's performance of Give My Regards To Broadway is nothing less than spectacular! His singing is absolutely beautiful and he presents himself with confidence and professionalism. Add to that, his new found talent, tap dancing!

The audience thoroughly enjoyed Kelly's performance. The songs from Broadway shows were very well received as they are known and loved by those who came to hear him. The hour performance went by too quickly and we look forward to having Kelly perform again in the near future.

I would highly recommend Kelly Moore and his program Give My Regards To Broadway to others. This performance is not to be missed!"

--Dorothy Sullivan, Activities Director, Wheelock Terrace, Hanover, NH

We've started this year off with several concert "shows" in Vermont and New Hampshire, and later this week I head to California for several dates in San Diego, my first performances of Give My Regards To Broadway on the West Coast!

When I return from California there are several performances booked in April and May, then more later in the year, including singing the Star Spangled Banner in July for the Vermont Lake Monsters.
 
Dates are booked throughout the year, so keep an eye on our Events page.

I wish to thank our sponsors Luxbrush Painting Company, Maple Street School, The Image Loft, Graph-X and Manchester Carpet Care, and everyone who reads this for your support and enthusiasm for Music For Mankind®.

Best wishes to all,
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
President/CEO
Music For Mankind, Inc.

Our Sponsors Are Angels!

We would like to gratefully thank our new Angel Sponsors for their generous contributions to Music For Mankind®, helping to fuel our work in doing all we can to alleviate chronic global hunger. No one should go to bed hungry.

You will see their logos on our website, newsletters with links to their websites, and read about them in our press releases. If you wish to become a sponsor, please contact us at info@musicformankind.net or 802-362-3806 or go to our Sponsorship page.

Our sincerest thanks!

Thank You and Happy New Year!

What A Year!

A year ago at this time I was in rehearsals for Mozart's The Magic Flute. I had no idea at that time that this year would turn out the way it did. And now it's drawing to a close. Looking back, it's still hard to believe that all of this has happened in just one year.

I owe a lot of thanks to a lot of folks for making this possible.

Thank you Nan Nall and Lise Messier of Opera Theatre of Weston, my vocal coaches and Producers of "The Magic Flute; Paul Opel, Kent Baker and Gary Schmidt, my pianists - 32 performances of Give My Regards To Broadway since we started, in Vermont, New York, Massachussets, and New Hampshire. Thank you to all our gracious hosts for having us.

Rip Jackson, Mitch Rosengarten and Diane Chart of Grace Congregational Church in Rutland for the opportunity you gave me to perform in Miss Saigon; and all the cast and crew. What an amazing and emotional experience that was.

Thank you Katie Gartner and Manchester Music Festival for the opportunity to sing with you this summer. Suprises are such fun!

Bernadette Robins and all the folks of Dancing With The Rutland Stars, and especially my dance partner, Nicole Fabian; thank you for giving me the opportunity to dance! What a joyful time we all had.

Thank you Kristi Segura, Jim Raposa, Ashley Hensel-Browning, and Erica Schmidt for all the dance lessons. What a joy to be dancing again.

My sincere thanks to The Vermont LakeMonsters, Tri-City ValleyCats, Pittsfield Colonials, Lowell Spinners, and University of Vermont Catamounts for the opportunity to sing The Star Spangled Banner. I am deeply honored.

My sincere thanks to my Board of Directors for believing in me and believing in my vision. I simply could not do this without you.

Jayne West, I cannot thank you enough for your incredible work on the Music For Mankind® website, your help with all of these emails, your friendship and support. You are a gem!

My deepest gratitude, however, goes to those of you, friends, family, and folks I've never met, who have so generously contributed to this cause.

I still remember standing in that stone hut in the mountains of northwestern Nicaragua in 2008, handing simple bowls of food to children who walk eight miles every day up and down mountainous, dirt roads just to go to school and receive what, for many of them is the only food they will eat all day; that simple look of gratitude in their eyes will stay with me all of my life. It brought tears to my eyes. It's because of you who contribute that make this possible to continue yet one more day. I so wish you could stand in that hut with me and see that look.

I feel as though this year has been a big stepping stone. I'm not completely sure where it's going. I have some glimpses. We'll see. But it has been absolutely amazing.

Thank you, with all of my heart, for all that each of you have done with me this year. Here's to 2012! May it bring happiness, peace and prosperity to all of you.

Best and warmest wishes to all,

Letter From The President

Five years ago in March 2007, after six months of planning and hard work, my dream of Music For Mankind® became a reality when we performed our first Music For Mankind® concert at the Riley Center For The Arts at Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester, Vermont. Since that day we have fed nearly 40,000 people and counting.


I didn't do this by myself. It has taken the care and efforts of many people to get us where we are today.

Two years ago I started the Music For Mankind® Annual Fund Drive to help us in our efforts; through concerts, lectures, documentary presentations, and food drives; to help those who struggle every day to survive, and my heart is deeply touched with gratitude every time we receive a donation.

Music For Mankind® continues to grow. Your help is needed at this time to help us in that growth. Materials and supplies are needed for our new programs that we will be launching in 2012. These programs can put us on a new and bigger "stage" with the ability to help many more people, here at home, and around the world.
 
I'm personally reaching out to you at this time to ask you to please give, even a little. In our Declaration of Hope Sponsorships page you can learn about giving a one-time donation, or sign up for our new monthly subscription. There are several levels of giving, and any level in which you can give will help tremendously. Please take a moment to visit and give. Every little bit really does help.

Thank you for your time, consideration and support.

Sincerely,

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kelly Moore
President/CEO
Music For Mankind, Inc.

Music For Mankind Sponsorships

You can tell these children that I met in Nicaragua in 2008 suffer from severe chronic malnutrition. Every day 25,000 people die from hunger or malnutrition; 18,000 of them are children. Think about that a moment. Yet there are enough resources on this planet to feed 10 billion people. This is a problem with a solution.

At Music For Mankind® we are doing all we can to help. So far the contributions from our concerts and other efforts have fed tens of thousands of people, these two included! And we are now partnering with Feeding America, the national food bank.

 Please join us in helping others with a one-time gift or monthly Sponsorship Subscription to our Annual Fund so we may continue to move forward with our concert series, lecture series, documentaries and other fund raising initiatives. It's easy to do. Visit our Sponsorship page.

Your contribution can add immensely to fueling our work and helping those who struggle every day just to survive.

We'd like to thank you for your gift with a Music For Mankind® bumper sticker. And on our website you can learn about the the other available benefits, too.

When I left Nicaragua, a part of my heart stayed behind. People need our help all over the world.

As I like to say, " If everyone in the village brings just one brick, together we can build a foundation." Please help by sending in your generous gift today!

Thank you for your continued support!

In gratitude,

Kelly Moore

President/CEO

Music For Mankind, Inc.

2011 Is An Exciting Year

2011 started off with a bang! Right out of the chute, I spent three weeks with the Opera Theatre of Weston rehearsing and performing in Mozart's The Magic Flute. What a wonderful experience that was. I felt like a kid in a candy shop.

First of all...Mozart. Magical, beautiful, heart-warming, stunning music and arrangements, touched my heart so many times, so deeply.

Then, the singers. Oh my, the singers! Where do I start? Pablo Bustos as Tamino. A beautiful, high tenor (Db above High C!), and such tonality, he often reminded me of an oboe. Katy Kaplan as The Queen of the Night, singing fantastically high, fast, demanding passages; vocal fireworks on display, nailed it every time. Such power and flexibility, we cheered backstage each time she finished.

Mark Womack as Papageno is a powerful, rich baritone, and a very funny actor, too. He brought such humanity to the show, a real delight to watch him.

Christopher Besch as Sarastro, a resonant and clear bass; LR Davidson, as Papagena, a bright, shimmering soprano, and an incredible comic who practically stole the show. And Matthew Knickman as Monostatos, is a strong and clear tenor.

I  have saved my favorite for last. Meagan Brus, who played Pamina, sings in a clear, honey-rich soprano with incredible emotion. I was startled every time she sang. I felt as though I was hearing her for the first time, every time, and I'd never heard anyone sing with that tonality before. She consistently sang and acted with a maturity that was beyond her years.

I truly felt honored to be a part (Temple Priests Chorus and Slave) of this production. Everyone in the production was a delight to be with and to work with. The conductor, Maestro Karen Keltner of San Diego Opera; our Music Director, Angela Gooch; our Director, Diana Stuggar; the eleven-piece orchestra, all the cast and crew alike, were thoroughly professional and fun to be with. We performed to very appreciative audiences and a great review. Suffice it say, I had a blast!

Shifting gears from that is interesting. I learned a lot as a singer, and now am focused on my own concert series, Give My Regards To Broadway. I'm performing with a new pianist, Kent Baker, of Castelton State College and the Enerjazzbigband. He is a gifted pianist and delightful guy to be with. We start the 2011 series on March 2, and have concerts booked into September. Plenty of open dates, yet, and I would love to fill them.

I am so excited about the incredible response we received last year to this new series, and the excitement continues. There are some very interesting ideas we're working on to book this into new venues and new regions. Anyone with ideas for venues in their area is more than welcome to contact us. You can email me at kelly@musicformankind.net or call me at 802/362-3806. I'd love to hear from you.

Keep an eye on the website event pages for our schedule, and Event News.

Of course I continue to contribute the proceeds of the concerts to the UN World Food Program, and last year was able to start donating some to Feeding America, as well as the local Feeding America foodbank in Vermont. We have fed over 40,000 people now with our contributions from concerts, food drives, merchandise sales and donations.

The support you have given me in this effort is really remarkable. I am deeply honored and grateful for your support, and the incredible things you have said about this effort. There are many moments in my life when your support has helped pull me through the difficult times. Music For Mankind® is alive and breathing, because of all of us working together. Thank you for all you do!

Hope to see you at a concert soon.

Best and warmest regards to all!
Kelly Moore

Give My Regards Concerts Huge Success!

Music For Mankind® - Give My Regards To Broadway Concerts A Huge Success

Starting at the end of July, with Rutland pianist Paul Opel, I've been performing the "Give My Regards To Broadway" concerts all over Vermont, in New Hampshire, Massachussets and upper New York State to incrediby touching enthusiasm.

Starting the new series in retirement homes, sharing songs that I grew up with in musical theatre as a teenager, with octogenarians and up who were introduced to these same songs in their adulthood, the bond created singing together is powerful and emotional. You can hear a sample of the concert here.

I'd like to share a couple of personal stories here. Several times, after the concert I've been approached by a concert-goer in tears who has held my hand, thanked me profusely, and told me, "You have no idea the memories you have brought back."

And another, clearly in her mid to late eighties, who told me, "You made me feel young again. Thank you!".

Already this concert series is doing much more than I anticipated. It's so sweet when the audience is singing along on songs that mean so much to them, and to me, as well. And at the end, when we sing "Edelweiss" together, and everyone joins in, even those who hadn't sung previously, and those who smile who hadn't smiled the entire concert, I feel such a gratitude to be able to bring this experience to them and to share it with them.

When I sing "Try To Remember", and in the third verse I get to the line of "Deep in December it's nice to remember the fire of September that made us mellow", sometimes I get choked up myself thinking about what this means to them, and what it means to me now, and what it will mean to me when I'm their age, and I'm touched and honored that what I can do is able to do this much for them.

To perform these concerts, to touch people's hearts, and to be able to contribute to organizations like the UN World Food Program and Feeding America, and help those who struggle every day just to survive, is a double dose of humility for me. I'm very thankful that I've been given this gift of music. It does things in my heart that I can never express, but just to let it out. I go around thinking, "If only people could feel what I'm feeling!", and possibly they are.

I've been showing my documentary, "Nicaragua - On The Ground", as well, and oftentimes am asked, "How can I help?".

We're continuing to book the "Give My Regards To Broadway" concerts, and expanding our reach into tour bus groups, resorts, corporate conventions and other events. Perhaps you have or know a group who would enjoy this music. Please let me know. That's how you can help. You can email me at kelly@musicformankind.net or call me at 802-362-3806.

Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm.

Kelly

Links:
Nicaragua - On The Ground
Give My Regards To Broadway

Music For Mankind® - Ride For The Hungry™

Music For Mankind founder, Kelly Moore is starting the first of several fundraising motorcycle rallies.

Proceeds to be contributed to the United Nations World Food Program and Feeding America.

July 11, 2010


Registration 9:00 - 10:00 AM at Ronnie's Cycle, Rte. 9, Bennington, VT
Depart 10:30 AM
1st stop in Manchester, VT 11:00 AM (call 802-362-3806 for location)
Anyone who wishes to start the ride here is welcome.
Leave Manchester at 11:30 AM
Lunch at Matterhorn Inn, Rte. 100, Dover, VT
Return after lunch to Ronnie's Cycle
Riders traveling from out of state are welcome to stay at the Matterhorn Inn. Discount prices offered for rally participants. Call 802-464-4676
Click here for the printable poster.
Please email kelly@musicformankind.net if you plan to attend so we can have a count for lunch.
For more information about Music For Mankind® please visit http://www.musicformankind.net/

Music For Mankind, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity non profit organization. All contributions are tax deductible to the full extent the law allows.

Last Reminder: Webcast Benefit Concert

I met these two adorable children in Nicaragua. They look to be about 1 and 3 years old. They are 2 and 4 years old. This is due to severe and chronic malnutrition. That look you see goes right through you. We called it the 100 mile stare. I think these two are really, really hungry. It's heart-breaking. An image I will never forget, and one I remember often when sitting down to a meal.

The webcast concert we are performing is to help children and others who just need a hand up. The concert will be available starting this Saturday March 20 at http://www.musicformankind.net/ on the Webcast page. You can find it in the pulldown menu from the Multimedia tab. Donations given online will go to help  the incredible efforts of the UN World Food Program, Feeding America, and The Prem Rawat Foundation.

If any of you are having a group viewing, please let me know by emailing me at kelly@musicformankind.net . I'd like to personally and publicly thank you for your support.

Thanks so much for your enthusiasm and support. It means so much in this effort to help.
Kelly

Save The Date for the Webcast Concert!

Please join us in helping those who struggle every day to survive!

I'll be performing a benefit concert, sort of a double header. The donations at the concert will go to the Manchester Community Food Cupboard. Online donations will go to the UN World Food Program's School Feeding Program, Feeding America (the national foodbank, formerly Second Harvest), and The Prem Rawat Foundation.

The webcast will be available Saturday March 20, 2010 at 6:30 PM. The concert will be performed in Manchester, VT. Hillary Smith and Anne D'Olivo,the vocalists from my ensembl Emerald Dreams will be performing with me. They are delightful singers and I really enjoy performing with them.

This is the first time we've done something like this, and I'm very excited and hopeful for a great outcome. We really need you to be a part of this, and to donate.

I've been in the field, and I've experienced it first-hand. Both the need and the hope. If my little efforts can help bring more people together as a community to help our global community, then we've succeeded. So please join us, enjoy the concert, and together let's make a difference.

Thanks!
Kelly Moore

Peru Calling

"Please do not forget us!"




Music For Mankind® joins Friends of the World Food Program in special fundraiser for Peru

I found these people, an ancient culture of well over 10,000 years old, to be very thoughtful of others. We attended many beautiful ceremonies, and many gracious, kind and welcoming speeches were made. The one that stays with me still is the last one. The gentleman who spoke begged us, "Please do not forget us. We will need your help in the dry seasons, and our neighbors need the help you have so kindly given us, too."

And it really doesn't take much. Just give $5 or $10, if we all help together, we can make a big difference. If everyone in the village brings one brick, we can build a foundation. Here, the foundation is food. Without that, there is nothing else. With that, school becomes a real possibility, with the ability and interest to learn and grow. From that, all things are possible.

Following our successful trip to Peru, Music For Mankind® and the Friends of the World Food Program have begun a fundraising program for the areas we visited. Each of us on the team are reaching out to do all we can to help those who were so kind and gracious to us during our visit there. Please help us help them by going to www.mycampaign.kintera.org/mfm. Make sure to select "The area I'm most interested in" drop-down window and scroll down to select Peru. Friends of WFP staff are alerted to watching for your tax deductible contributions to go directly to helping these incredible people.

Thank you so much for your support!

Kelly

Peru 2009

The incredible opportunity to travel as a UN Delegate to Peru with the Friends of the World Food Program for the United Nations World Food Programme is an incredible honor for me. To see and experience first-hand the beauty of the people and their country, and learn of their joys and their difficulties makes my efforts with Music For Mankind® (www.musicformankind.net) very personal. To help in whatever way I can touches my heart in a way that words may not describe.

I have produced a short video of the trip, included here (click here), which will later become a full documentary. I hope you enjoy seeing some of the beauty that we experienced.

My sincere thanks to the Friends of the World Food Program and my fellow travelers for an incredible adventure!

Kelly Moore