This year, we celebrated the 10th season of our inspiring and interactive education outreach programs: PMP Alumni: In Schools and PMP Alumni: Around Town!

The programs are a part of an ongoing collaboration with The Perlman Music Program, to fulfill our mission to bring accessible world-class classical music to the Suncoast. All of the musicians have been trained by PMP, and many are alumni of the Winter Residency program presented on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, so they are familiar to our community and audiences! A kind of wonderful full circle of training-to-performance, all here in our area!

With invaluable support from our sponsors, donors, and members, Perlman Suncoast produces at least three week-long PMP Alumni visits annually, with many events, including all school visits, remaining free of charge. This year, despite postponing our April events, we were able to reach a record number of audience members up and down the Suncoast!

Last November, the PMP Alumni ensemble named the Sara Quartet joined us. They delighted audiences in two school auditoriums, four music classrooms, and eight community venues over the course of a very busy week. From the string students in the master class at Booker High School at the crack of dawn (7:30am!) to the 1200 people in lawn chairs at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens on a sunny Sunday afternoon, the Sara Quartet brought smiles to the young and young-at-heart!

As for the impact on a more personal level, our local students were excited to see and meet the Sara Quartet and teachers shared glowing reports about how much the visits meant to their students. As for the community performances, the positive energy and buzz of excitement from our audience members seemed to grow with each event - a testimonial to the musicians' exceptional talent, skills, and charm.

So with that in mind, you are in for a treat as we bring you our "Notes" for this week! Scroll down to find this week’s Perlman Suncoast Presents: In Your Home, linking you to a recording of the Sara Quartet performing live during a broadcast radio interview with Russell Gant in the Classical WSMR Radio studio. Included with this interview is a performance of two movements from Dvorak's "American Quartet." The Sara Quartet plays these pieces so sweetly, we feel sure this beautiful music will brighten your day!

As a quick reminder, Perlman Suncoast will be participating in the 2020 Giving Challenge taking place next week, April 28-29, noon to noon (24 hours ONLY). Gifts $25-$100 are eligible for a 1:1 match thanks to the generosity of The Patterson Foundation. All gifts will support presenting Perlman Suncoast education outreach programs like the ones featured in today's email. -- Also worth noting, part of the Cares Act expands charitable giving tax deductions. Please consult with your tax advisor for details.