At 7:30 p.m. on July 21, the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra (LCSO) will be presenting its annual summer concert at the Friendship Botanic Gardens in Michigan City. The event promises to be a most enjoyable one, as the orchestra will be performing a varied selection of classical pieces and even an arrangement of a Michael Jackson song. One of the evening’s most notable highlights will be the announcement of the winner of the Battle for the Baton contest.
This fundraiser, which began on June 7, has seen La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody (Team Mayor) and Indiana State Representative Jim Pressel and State Senator Mike Bohacek (Team State) face off for the chance to take to the conductor’s podium and conduct the LSCO in one of the evening’s selections. Community members can show their support by donating money to their favored team on the LCSO website. The proceeds of this fundraiser will go to the Steck Family Music Education Fund, an endowment that provides gifted young musicians in the Region with funds for their music lessons. Emily Yiannias, Executive Director of the LCSO, revealed that the Battle for the Baton fundraiser is rooted in the LCSO’s core beliefs.
“We're really passionate about music education,” Yiannias said. “Our goal is to help shape and encourage the next generation of musicians and music lovers. We hope to achieve this by laying the groundwork for a system of music education that is open to anyone in the Region. The communities of the Region are very supportive of the arts, but I think this event will help bring even more awareness to the need for quality music education programs here in Northwest Indiana.”
The Steck Family Music Education Fund was established in 2023 in honor of Chuck and Mary Steck, two music educators who have gone above and beyond in their support of the orchestra. Classroom music teachers and private instructors of promising high school students can nominate their pupils to receive financial aid from The Steck Family Music Education Fund. Nominated students can then apply for the program, and, if accepted, will have their private music lesson fees completely covered.
This is the first year that the Battle for the Baton contest will raise money for the Steck Family Music Education Fund. The contest’s last run in 2021 saw Dermody win out over then Michigan City Mayor Duane Parry. The money raised by this contest was supported the LCSO’s educational programming. Yiannias is pleased that the fundraiser has such dedicated and enthusiastic participants this year.
“It’s really great to have Mayor Dermody, Representative Pressel, and Senator Bohacek on board,” Yiannias said. “They’re influential members of the community, and they love to have fun. All three of them have been very supportive of the symphony in the past, and that’s why we asked them to participate this year. It’s great to have someone outside of LCSO help us promote and get the word out about this event. We have an amazing staff and board of directors, but having someone outside of the organization support us like this is a huge help. All of the money that our three contestants help us raise will be invested in the endowment fund, enabling us to assist young musicians with their music lesson fees in perpetuity.”
When the winning team is announced at the LCSO summer concert, the victor will receive a crash course in conducting from LCSO Conductor Dr. Carolyn Watson before giving it a try themselves. As she awaits the Battle for the Baton’s much-anticipated conclusion, Yiannias also looks forward to the LCSO summer concert itself.
“We love putting on the free summer concert every year,” Yiannias said. “It’s our gift to the community. Since there is no admission fee for the Friendship Botanic Gardens, attendees won’t have to spend a single dime to enjoy the concert. I hope members of the community will come out, listen to the symphony, and have a good time. I also hope that this concert will not only inspire the attendees to invest in the arts within their community but that it will also bring awareness to the ways that the symphony is promoting music education here in the Region.”
The LCSO will kick off its 2024 season with its Hoosier Star event – an “American Idol”-style contest that attracts participants from all over Indiana – in September. The LCSO’s first official subscription concert will be held in November.
For more information on the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra and its upcoming performances and events, please visit lcso.net.