The Quad City Symphony Orchestra held a special event at the Adler Theatre on Friday, November 5, 2021, to officially launch the Concert Access Pass (CAP) Program.
The QCSO believes that access to music performance is essential for our entire community, and CAP connects individuals and families served by partnered community organizations to all QCSO concerts for free. This program strives to offer all Quad Citizens the opportunity to experience the unique power of music to build connections with others and transform lives.
The QCSO’s current CAP Partner Organizations include:
- Big Brothers & Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley
- Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley
- Child Abuse Council
- Dress for Success Quad Cities
- Hand in Hand
- Illinois Department of Human Services
- The Project
- Project SEARCH
- River Bend Food Bank
- Second Baptist Church Outreach Music & Arts Academy
Individuals receiving services or assistance from participating CAP Partner Organizations are eligible to receive up to four free tickets to all QCSO concerts. Eligible individuals request their CAP Membership Card directly from the partner organization and can request tickets in-person, by phone, or online, beginning 30 days before each concert.
The event featured remarks from QCSO Music Director & Conductor Mark Russell Smith, QCSO Executive Director Brian Baxter, Project SEARCH Instructor Stacie Kintigh, Second Baptist Church Outreach Music & Arts Academy Executive Director Rev. Carmen Ausborn, and The Project Peer Navigator Lee Gonzales.
“QCSO, where access meets inspiration. This is our vision, and we work every day to ensure our artistic and educational programs are accessible to the QC community, that we engage deeply with the entire QC community, and that we lead through bold partnerships across the QC community,” said QCSO Executive Director Brian Baxter.
“I am extremely proud to artistically lead an organization that is truly about access and that we are doing something concrete,” said QCSO Music Director and Conductor Mark Russell Smith. “So often in our society today, classical music and orchestral music are perceived as inaccessible. [The QCSO] works incredibly hard to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“I’ve learned from my experiences with music, it has helped uplift me and helped me become the person I am today,” said The Project Peer Navigator, Lee Gonzales. “With this partnership, I feel that we can bring a whole new light to our clients as far as healthcare goes.”
“I truly believe about having that emotional and physical experience while being part of the arts, and being able to give that back to our community, and give that to my current and former students, and help guide them into including the arts as part of their lives,” said Project SEARCH Instructor Stacie Kintigh.
“The QCSO has come and shared so many beautiful performances for our children, and I believe those experiences will impact our children for years to come,” said Second Baptist Church Outreach Music & Arts Academy Executive Director Rev. Carmen Ausborn. “These are children who wouldn’t ordinarily have the opportunity to see performances like this, they couldn’t afford performances like this, and these are the types of performances that plant seeds in children.”
For questions about the press event or the Concert Access Pass program, please contact QCSO Director of Marketing Caitlin Bishop (cbishop@qcso.org | 563.424.7734).