40 Years of Community Music
In the decades since its founding in 1986, the Northampton Community Music Center has never turned a qualifying student away for lack of funds, because everyone should have access to the power of music! NCMC has awarded more than one million dollars in scholarships through its financial aid program and taught more than 20,000 students, each leaving the Center with music beating in their hearts. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, NCMC’s mission is to foster the love and pursuit of music within our community through quality education, performances and activities that are accessible to all. Founded on the principle that music education is fundamental to the human experience and child development, the Center is committed to serving people of all ages, abilities, and financial backgrounds. With 30% of its budgeted revenue coming from "contributed income," such as grants and donations, NCMC relies heavily on the community to keep the beat going. In FY 2026 alone, the Center provided over $70,000 in scholarships to more than 200 local music students. In celebration of NCMC’s 40 years of bringing the joy of music to the area, the community is invited to help honor this milestone and launch the next extraordinary decade. A goal of raising $463,000 this year has been set to sustain and advance NCMC’s mission; explore ways to give at ncmc.net/give
The Gala
On Sunday, November 8, from 2 to 4:30 PM, the Northampton Community Music Center will hold a 40th anniversary gala fundraiser at the Mill 1 event space in Holyoke, MA. To kick off this special year in the life of NCMC, we have invited master storyteller Ken Burns to inspire us forward.
Ken Burns has been making documentary films for fifty years.
Since the Academy Award nominated Brooklyn Bridge in 1981, Ken has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, including The Civil War; Baseball; Jazz; The War; The National Parks: America’s Best Idea; Prohibition; The Roosevelts: An Intimate History; The Vietnam War; Country Music; The U.S. and the Holocaust; The American Buffalo; Leonardo da Vinci; and, most recently, The American Revolution.
Future film projects include Martin Luther King Jr., LBJ & the Great Society, Emancipation to Exodus, and CIA, among others.
Ken’s films have been honored with dozens of major awards, including seventeen Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards and two Oscar nominations. In September of 2008, at the News & Documentary Emmy Awards, Ken was honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In November of 2022, Ken was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
Following a 40-minute Q&A with Ken, longtime NCMC student AJ Strack will perform, and NCMC founder Bill Feinstein will speak on the significance of the Center’s 40-year commitment to community music.
Hors d'oeuvres will be provided by Seth Mias Catering, and every guest will be welcome to a complimentary glass of wine. The Q&A will be made up of questions from our guests; please pose your question to Ken Burns in the ticket form. Tickets for this fundraising event are limited to 250 and will sell quickly. Secure your tickets below:
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Photo by Michael Avedon
Our Impact
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