New year, new ways to grow & connect with Songbook Foundation

Submitted by the Songbook Foundation

As The Great American Songbook Foundation welcomes the start of 2025, it’s the perfect time for fresh beginnings and exciting opportunities. Whether you’re setting new goals or simply embracing a clean slate, the Great American Songbook Foundation is here to inspire your journey.

As we look forward to the promising year ahead in 2025, we also pause to acknowledge the profound impact of the recent Southern California wildfires. These devastating events have deeply affected countless lives, including members of our cherished community.

In these challenging times, we find solace in the enduring power of the Great American Songbook. Its timeless works have long offered a refuge – a source of comfort, joy, and a momentary escape from life’s trials and hardships.

Save the date for a showstopping experience

We are excited to bring you new events and experiences in 2025. Join us as we honor the trailblazing icons who took the variety TV genre to its creative zenith both in front of and behind the camera with a screening of the PBS special Showstoppers! Great Women of TV Variety.

We couldn’t think of a better time than Women’s History Month to celebrate the history-making women of the 1960s and ’70s TV variety scene, including Songbook Hall of Fame members Diahann Carroll, Mitzi Gaynor, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Lennon Sisters. Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Tarkington at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts.

You won’t want to miss this special screening experience, which will also feature appearances by some very special guests and an engaging pop-up display of treasured artifacts preserving the careers of the film’s stars.

Applications open for 2025 Songbook Academy

Start the new year making a potentially life-changing impact on a talented high school singer by sharing the 2025 Songbook Academy application with them. The Songbook Academy offers an impactful week of mentorship, performance opportunities, and community for young vocalists passionate about music.

Here’s what participants have to say:

• “This program transformed me as a performer and person.” – Liris Robles
• “I gained confidence, lifelong friends, and tools to shape my music career.” – Adrienne Nicastro
• “It’s an experience like no other – I recommend it to every young singer I meet.” – Tyler Steffen

Applications close March 23, 2025. Don’t miss the chance to share this incredible opportunity with a young artist in your life. Application fee waivers and financial aid are available.

Click here to learn more and apply.

New treasures for the new year – Archives Spotlight: The Mancini Collection

Henry Mancini is best known for his work as a conductor and composer of such standards as “Moon River” and the soundtracks to Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the Pink Panther films. The Songbook Library & Archives is currently processing a collection of Mancini materials, including his estate’s photo archive. This collection includes thousands of photos of Mancini, his famous friends, and his family. Be on the lookout for photos from this treasure trove of Songbook images. Click here to explore the collection.

Plan your giving for 2025

Consider making a lasting impact through a planned gift. Generosity comes in many forms, and planned gifts are often the most advantageous way to support the causes that matter most to you. By making a planned gift, you can establish your legacy and help the Foundation continue to inspire and educate by preserving and celebrating the music of the Great American Songbook.

Make 2025 a year of enduring impact by including the Songbook Foundation into your giving, and become an instrumental part of preserving this treasured era of American music. Join the Legacy Society through one of the many different gift options available to you. Contact our team for more information on how to create a plan that honors your philanthropic goals.

Click here to learn more about planned giving.

Celebrating Songbook Academy Mentors

January is National Mentoring Month. The Harvard School of Public Health and MENTOR officially designated the occasion in 2002, and we are proud to perpetuate the goal of ensuring that young people have upstanding role models whose footsteps they can follow.

Every year, Songbook Academy faculty and guest mentors go above and beyond to provide students with more than just vocal coaching and musical direction. They become role models who serve in a position that many young artists may not have experienced before Academy week. They teach mindfulness, provide emotional support, and boost confidence and morale.

Click here to meet the Songbook Mentors.

Everything old is new again – Broadway Spotlight: Audra McDonald in Gypsy

If you haven’t heard, six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald is dazzling audiences as she continues to lead the latest revival of Gypsy into 2025. This iconic musical, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a score by the legendary Jule Styne, features timeless hits like “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” and “Let Me Entertain You.” This new production breathes fresh life into one of the most celebrated musicals in Broadway history.

The Great American Songbook Foundation is proud to preserve and celebrate the legacies of Broadway songwriters such as Styne. Among the collections are materials from Styne’s Kennedy Center Honors tribute, including a medley of his greatest hits arranged by Ray Charles that features Gypsy‘s iconic “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” sung by Tyne Daly, Jack Jones, Hal Linden, Maureen McGovern, Ann Reinking, and Tommy Tune.

The current revival is a powerful reminder of the timeless impact of Styne’s work and how stories like Gypsy continue to inspire and resonate with audiences, celebrating the lasting influence of the Great American Songbook on Broadway and beyond.

Kick off 2025 in perfect harmony

This January, let the power of music inspire your New Year’s resolutions. Designed with older adults in mind but meaningful for all ages, Perfect Harmony’s New Year’s Resolutions through Music offers uplifting resources to help you embrace new beginnings. Whether you’re learning something new with “Do-Re-Mi,” staying active to “Twist and Shout,” building connections with “You’ve Got a Friend,” or sparking adventure with “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” these songs will keep you motivated all year long.

Explore free videos on the YouTube page or visit TheSongbook.org/ph-resources to start your year in Perfect Harmony.

Perfect Harmony is made possible in part by generous support from our partners, Senior Home Companions and Story Cottage.