Hello members and friends of Swallow Hill,

I am happy to report that we have installed new, comfy chairs and ample air conditioning in Daniels Hall at Swallow Hill. Thanks to our generous (and patient) community, we raised over $50,000 to help make our main performance halls one of the best in the metro area. The seats are wider, deeper, more padded and much better looking than our old ones. And the air conditioning keeps the hall cool, even on a sold out show on a 100 degree day.

I wanted once again to personally thank everyone who helped make this possible, especially Andrew Miller, who gave us a $25,000 challenge grant to start to campaign. We are having a donor recognition feature installed in the hall in the next few days which will forever memorialize the donors.

More than anything, I wanted to invite each and every one of you to come down to Swallow Hill in the near future to enjoy a show in our much upgraded environment. Its a special place, made more special when you are part of it.

Hope to see you soon at Swallow Hill.

Tom Scharf
Executive Director
Swallow Hill Music Association

Welcome to the revamped web world at Swallow Hill Music. We hope that you like the look and feel of our new website. More importantly, we hope it is easier and faster for you to get to the information and programming that really interests you at Swallow Hill. I hope that you feel the site, and much of our new branding, better reflects the essence of who we are – genuine, community oriented, and passionate about music.

I’m excited to once again have a forum to have a conversation with you about the things that are going on at the Hill, about the connections that people are making, about how music is positively transforming people’s lives. I feel so fortunate to witness on a daily basis the things that people do – little and big – to really make this place a special community. Swallow Hill is place where everyone is welcome, everyone is on the same plane, luxuriating in the passion of music. It’s a place where people can take some time for themselves away from the loud and fast-paced world to take it one note at a time. Whether learning, listening or simply loving the musical environment – you are a thread in a very special arts and culture fabric that is unique in the Front Range – and unique in the United States.

Allow me to share an example of the spirit of Swallow Hill:

2009 was one of the toughest economic years since the great depression and the effects were felt all over this country – Denver was no exception. And while Swallow Hill took a number of financial hits, we finished the year in pretty good shape. How could that be? The first thing to get cut in a bad economy is discretionary spending on things like entertainment, travel and recreation. A big part of our success is the Swallow Hill community.

Patrons of Swallow Hill realized that being here was good for the soul. Simple, people affirmed that music – either concerts or classes – was a positive place of escape that was worth the investment. We did our part by keeping our programming affordable, accessible and interesting. The community did its part by participating as patrons, as members, as donors, as volunteers, and as ambassadors for a way of life.

Yes, the teachers and staff at school of music is outstanding. And the Concert department continues to blend the best of the old and the new in roots based music. But it is the connection with you that makes this place come alive. In my continuing conversations with you through this blog, in the halls, and on the streets, we will prove it to each other – standing shoulder to shoulder – smiling at each other when we witness the power of music hit someone else like a freight train.

Until then, thanks for being part of this special community. Chat with you soon.

Tom Scharf
Executive Director