A few weeks ago, we mailed out our annual donor solicitation letter to those of you on our mailing list. Many of you have already responded generously — and for this, we thank you! Your gift will be acknowledged within the coming week(s). If you haven’t already contributed to the cause — we invite you to consider making a tax-deductible online donation today in support of San Francisco Classical Voice.
It has been a banner year ...
It has been a whirlwind year for those of us behind the scenes. Last March, after much discussion, debate, and planning, we re-launched the Web site filled with new functionality and providing greatly expanded content about artists and classical musical groups performing in the Bay Area. The feedback we received from the community was quite amazing and inspiring — with accolades coming from site visitors, musicians, composers, and arts administrators from around the Bay. Just a few weeks ago, San Francisco Classical Voice was voted one of the top-three arts journalism Web sites in the United States by members of the National Arts Journalism Program and alumni of the NEA Arts Journalism Institute. None of this could have happened without your support.
Over the past few years, the traditional print media has continued to suffer declining readership and content, and its very future is now being openly debated. Over a decade ago, SFCV was one of the first Web sites of its kind to embrace new media to produce high quality cultural journalism. Since then, we have continued to break new ground by adding even more useful content and services to the professional criticism and timely news reporting you’ve come to expect, such as:
Previews, artist spotlights, and critics’ picks that give you the scoop about interesting events before they happen.
A robust, searchable events calendar to help you find concerts across the Bay or right around the corner ... and purchase tickets with a click.
A compendium of learning resources from across the Web for the young and old, and our own composer gallery full of fun facts and listening links.
Opportunities throughout the site to add your own voice and comment, as well as find well-known classical music blogs and podcasts from across the country.
New Tools for Parents
And we don’t intend to stop there. To serve the community better, we will develop important new tools to make it easy for parents to involve their children in classical music — for example to find a teacher, an instrument or a music education program. This, and other useful functionality we plan to add in 2010.
Your support enables us to keep on doing what we do best — bring you the most comprehensive classical music coverage of what’s happening in the Bay Area, week after week, free of charge — and provide useful tools to bring you and your friends and family closer to classical music. But now, more than ever, SFCV needs your help.
We hope you will be as generous as you can. A longtime SFCV donor has offered to match all gifts made before Dec. 31, allowing you to double the impact of your contribution. Please take advantage of this terrific opportunity. Together, we can work to promote and nourish the music we all love so much.
SFCV’s staff members are Claudia Campazzo, Michael Zwiebach, and Peter Feher.
