Executive Director
Friday Musicale
Mission
The purpose of Friday Musicale shall be to cultivate and promote music as an essential art in the life of its members and the greater Jacksonville community.
Serving Jacksonville
Friday Musicale was founded in 1890 by Claudia L’Engle Adams in the parlor of her East Monroe Street home as the “Ladies’ Friday Musicale.” These weekly informal meetings of musical study and performance grew into a formal club in 1893. In 1923 the organization was renamed Friday Musicale with the introduction and inclusion of men to the association.
Concordia Hall, a gymnasium at 645 Oak St., the present location of Friday Musicale, was purchased as the permanent home of the organization. On March 25, 1995, Friday Musicale’s Auditorium was destroyed by arson. Three years later, the building was rebuilt at 645 Oak St., where the organization continues its great work in the community by presenting performances on the first and third Fridays of the month, providing educational outreach to youth in the community, and awarding college scholarships to students from the greater Jacksonville area pursuing degrees in music.
Those served
Friday Musicale is in the Brooklyn area of Riverside, two blocks west of Riverside Avenue. We serve more than 40,000 individuals in the greater Jacksonville area annually through our concert series, college scholarship program, student recitals, educational programming and community events.
Biggest challenge
The balance between presenting a 32-performance concert series and managing Friday Musicale’s complex of properties (Friday Musicale Auditorium, L’Engle Hall, and Murchison-Lane Building) would be my greatest daily challenge. In the last few months, I have been working on the 2011-12 concert season while renovating L’Engle Hall. Those were an interesting few months.
Biggest satisfaction
Friday Musicale annually awards two four-year college scholarships to students from the greater Jacksonville area who are pursuing degrees and careers in music.
The first time I saw a scholarship winner being announced … the joy from their family. Trust me, it never gets old. You really cannot express what it means to have that kind of impact on the lives of young people who are going after their dreams.
Hometown
I was born in St. Petersburg, but I grew up in Jacksonville. I graduated from Wolfson High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in music from Florida State University and a master’s degree in music from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. So in total, I have lived in Jacksonville for more than 25 years.
First experience with community service
As a Boy Scout, I remember arranging Christmas trees on North Florida beaches for soil erosion barriers.
Your job before Friday Musicale
Managing director of the Porter Center for Performing Arts, Brevard College, Brevard, N.C.
Upcoming events
Friday: 11 a.m., The Philanthropic Concert: The Friday Musicale Chorus and College Scholarship Winner.
May 20: 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., Jazz at Friday Musicale, featuring the St. Johns River City Band.
Contact information
355-7584
Fax: 350-3548
[email protected]
www.FridayMusicale.com