Hello. I’m Jacob Yarrow, executive director of the Green Music Center. I’m thrilled to welcome you to the Green Music Center and to Sonoma State University. It’s the opening of the Green Music Center’s 13th season. And we have a lot to celebrate.
We celebrate the vision and generosity of our founders and the entire community that worked so hard together to make this place a reality.
We celebrate that, since our opening, Tens of thousands of artists (from the youngest students to international touring stars) have stood on this stage to perform for eager audiences that total in the millions.
We celebrate the hundreds of workshops and classes that have been led by our guest artists. And that each year more than ½ of Sonoma State students engage with our programming.
We celebrate that iconic artists like Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Fleming, Lila Downs, Vienna Boys Choir, Chris Thile, The Beach Boys, and many more have performed here.
We celebrate that this is a place to discover new artists who are deeply engaged with cultural traditions and creating new ways forward in the world.
We celebrate bringing us all together in community to experience the phenomenal power of live performance.
AND we celebrate being a university-based performing arts center. As part of Sonoma State, which is California’s only public liberal arts and sciences university, we are committed to the values of public education and public service. This pushes us to focus on ideas, artistic responses to the big questions of our time, as well as inclusion and access. We have become one of the leading university presenters in the country through deep engagement with students, ethical support of artists, and engagement with the international presenting arena.
And finally we celebrate you. On behalf of all of us at the Green and SSU, thank you. This is possible Because of You. Ticket sales cover about ½ of our expenses so your participation, donations, and support are essential to our success. We are deeply grateful and invite you to join us as we push into this season and the future. We need your support and participation to truly realize the transformative impact that we can have for artists, students, audiences, and communities.
I have some specific thank yous to a group of people that have made our opening night possible. This evening is supported by
Sonoma Cutrer Vineyards
The Gables Wine Country Inn
The Donald & Maureen Green Foundation
John Boland and James Carroll
Clover Sonoma
Connie Codding
Mike and Nancy Hall
Barbara and Jake Mackenzie
Dr. Andréa Neves
Madalene and Wade Rose
Let’s toast to all that we’ve accomplished and celebrate a great season ahead.
