The 35th annual Carmel Education Foundation Musical Showcase, presented by CEF, will be streamed via Facebook and YouTube during the weekend of April 23-25.
For the past 34 years, the Showcase has been an opportunity for elementary and middle school choral and ensemble groups to perform on stage in the Dale E. Graham Auditorium at Carmel High School. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Showcase has shifted to a virtual format for 2021.
Carmel High School students at emcee taping: (from left) Elsa Bray, Hallie Reeves and Max Kim. (Photo provided)
CEF was fortunate to receive a City of Carmel Performing Arts Grant to support the Showcase, and used funding from the grant to purchase microphone packages for each Carmel Clay Schools (CCS) elementary and middle school’s music department. Music teachers used this equipment to record student choir and ensemble performances at their schools. The Carmel High School technical theater department has woven these performances, along with videos from guests including Carmel City Council President Sue Finkam and CCS Superintendent Dr. Michael Beresford into a streamed production. Students from Carmel High School’s TV Station, CHTV, serve as emcees throughout the show.
In past years, the Showcase was coupled with the CEF Telethon to raise funds for programming and operations. While the CEF Telethon no longer exists due to access and data security, this year’s Showcase offers a unique opportunity for support of the Foundation.
Fanning Howey, school architects, are supporting the 2021 CEF Musical Showcase by generously matching donations to CEF received through April 25.
CEF Executive Director Jennifer Penix said, “The generosity of Fanning Howey’s matching donation is especially helpful this year as we rebound from the cancellation of events and fundraisers due to the pandemic. This support, as well as the grant we received from the City of Carmel, are invaluable to the Foundation’s ability to provide ongoing programming and resources to our schools. We are thrilled to have been able to adapt and present the Showcase this year and to expand our viewership beyond Carmel as grandparents, family, and friends both near and far can tune in to watch their star perform. A special thank you to our dedicated music teachers and to our community partners for providing this opportunity for nearly 800 students to be part of the CEF Showcase tradition.”
The Showcase will be streamed on CEF’s Facebook Live page, and on the Carmel High School Performing Arts YouTube channel during the following times:
- Friday, April 23 at 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, April 24 at noon and 4:30 p.m.
- Sunday, April 25 at 2 p.m.
For clickable links to each performance, visit ccs.k12.in.us/foundation/events/showcase.