Support the talents and passions of Augustana's student-musicians on Oct. 28-Nov. 4 during the Friends of Music membership drive! A gift of $50 or more will make you a member of Friends of Music. Double your impact! All gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar* up to $20,000 by Dan Gottschling '77! *Gifts to the Department of Music or the area of your choice will be matched to the Department of Music. |
Friends of Music is an annual membership club dedicated to supporting Augustana's talented student-musicians.
Members empower and support students by funding scholarships, equipment, endowed funds, ensemble tours and facility renovations. For more information, contact Evan Sammons '20, 309-794-7575.
Here are the details
- Join Friends of Music with a gift of $50 or more. Membership runs on Augustana's fiscal year calendar (July 1-June 30).
- Gifts to any area in the music department count toward membership. Scholarships, Bergendoff renovations and ensemble tours are popular choices.
- Members receive exclusive communications from the Department of Music and a member sticker.
Friends of Music is an exciting and new way to organize the already strong support that alumni, parents and friends of Augustana music have shown for decades.
The impact of giving
Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts
Enriching the student experience through gifts to Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts project is one of the ways that members of Friends of Music have made an impact.
The $11.2 million transformation of Bergendoff Hall was completed in late 2023. Students and faculty are taking advantage of the new and updated spaces, including Larson Hall, the piano lab, ensemble rehearsal hall, practice rooms, Hamann Concert Hall and more.
Constructed in the mid-1950s, Bergendoff Hall is home to Augustana's music and art history programs and includes Centennial Hall, the college’s largest auditorium, with seating for 1,500 people.
Ensemble tours
Established in 1931, the Augustana Choir has performed at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York City, as well as many major cathedrals and concert venues in Sweden, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, Austria, Japan, Korea, Spain and France.
Its 2022 tour included six concerts in Germany and the Czech Republic.
The Augustana Symphonic Band has toured 32 states, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan and Spain. In 2018, the Symphonic Band toured southern California.
The Augustana Symphony Orchestra took its first-ever tour in 2017, performing concerts in the Chicago area.
Friends of Music Scholarship
Established in 2021, the Friends of Music Scholarship has already supported 12 student-musicians. It is awarded to students who excel both in their musical craft and academics. These scholarships play a crucial role in making an Augustana education more affordable and attractive to talented musicians like Savvy Mar-Threw '24.
Equipment
Gifts to the Department of Music have allowed the department to invest in several items and experiences that will have a tangible, immediate impact on student-musicians.
Gifts to the Department of Music allow for flexible funding to support equipment, experiences and opportunities for students to grow as creators and collaborators. Recent investments include cymbals, new sound diffusers and risers, and new instruments for the Secondary Musical Instrument Lab Ensemble (SMILE).
