Swan Songs Announces Austin PBS' Judy Maggio to Host Virtual SWAN SONGS SERENADE

Swan Songs, the Austin-based music nonprofit dedicated to fulfilling musical last wishes by organizing personalized concerts for individuals nearing the end of life, announces that Judy Maggio, Host of ATX Together at Austin PBS, will host the 10th Annual Swan Songs Serenade gala, joined by Swan Songs Founder & CEO Christine Albert. The event will be virtual, and is set to take place on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020 at 7 p.m. This year's Serenade will feature online auctions and a performance by Robert Earl Keen. Early bird tickets for this year's Swan Songs Serenade will go on sale Aug. 17.

Sponsorships for this year's Swan Songs Serenade are available at $2,500, $5,000, $10,000 and $20,000. Event sponsors and their guests will receive catered meals from 34th Street Catering and wine from Virtuoso Selections delivered to their home the night of the event. To inquire about sponsorships, please contact info@swansongs.org or call 512-416-7926(SWAN). Stay tuned to www.swansongs.org for more information.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Swan Songs team has successfully pivoted to virtual delivery of their program, and as such, have transformed their fundraising event to a virtual setting as well. In addition to the online auctions and music from Robert Earl Keen, the 2020 Serenade will include stories and music from local musicians who have performed Swan Songs concerts, interviews with family members and informative vignettes designed to illustrate the impact of Swan Songs, its history and how this organization helps the community. Proceeds from the Swan Songs Serenade directly benefit Swan Songs in their mission to fulfill musical last wishes and support the music community. For more information on Swan Songs, see here.

Swan Songs celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, and in this uncertain time, the organization aims to continue to bring the comfort of music. Musicians have been able to utilize technology such as Zoom to live stream and provide pre-recorded virtual concerts to recipients. Watch Swan Songs compelling virtual concerts here. Swan Songs' move to digital methods was also recently featured on KLRU's Decibel, which can be viewed here.

"During this challenging time, the value of Swan Songs has only been amplified," said Christine Albert, Swan Songs Founder & CEO. "When our musicians were no longer able to perform for recipients in person, we shifted to a virtual model. The comfort and joy inspired by hearing your loved one's favorite music at such a tender time is no less powerful."

Swan Songs works with individuals who are terminally ill or nearing the end of life to bring comfort, joy and a respite from illness through music by organizing personalized concerts during this emotional and difficult time. The organization's core program is the fulfillment of musical last wishes. Swan Songs fulfills recipients' requests for a certain style of music or a specific musician to perform for them and their loved ones in a very intimate concert setting. The concerts are 30-40 minutes in length, are typically unplugged and provide an opportunity for a gathering with a focus on the music instead of the illness. These experiences are offered at no charge to the patient or family. The organization has temporarily shifted to virtual delivery of the concerts due to social distancing restrictions.

Swan Songs recognizes that the talent and expertise of the participating musicians are an invaluable part of their success and, therefore, musicians are offered an honorarium for their time. In this way, Swan Songs fulfills its secondary mission - to support the health of the Austin area music community. With the vast diversity of requests from recipients, Swan Songs is fortunate to have access to the talented, professional, and experienced musicians of the "Live Music Capital of the World" to fulfill even the most specialized musical last wish.

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