Your Community Concert Association
The History of Community Concerts
Let’s begin with a stunning fact: The UCCA has been bringing great music to the Ukiah stage since 1947! Some of us were kids then, but most were still just a twinkle in the stars. It gets even better: The history of Community Concert Associations goes back 90 years to the late twenties when musical visionaries in the East and the Great Lakes region devised a revolutionary plan of collecting the money first and only then hiring the artists to perform. This brainstorm became known as the “organized audience plan,” and was hailed as “A Carnegie Hall in every town.” It morphed into the national organization of Community Concerts committed to bringing quality performing artists to small and medium-sized cities, the largest and most enduring network of performing arts presenters that has ever existed.
Despite the stock market crash of 1929, Community Concerts survived and continued to thrive, thanks to patrons committed to keeping beauty, art, and inspiration on the center stage of community life. After World War II, Community Concerts Inc. expanded rapidly and, between 1945 and 1950, the number of CCAs in the U.S. hit an all-time high of 1,008. Today, despite the popularity of electronic media, competition with other live arts performances, and changing lifestyles, many Community Concert Associations are still going strong. Responding to the call to reinvent themselves for changing times, all CCA’s now operate independently, book their own acts, offer greater musical variety, and seek to involve youth and families as season subscribers.
The world-renowned artists brought to Ukiah by the UCCA over the years include: Robert Shaw Chorale, Joffrey Ballet, N.Y. Brass Quintet, American String Quartet, Christopher Parkening, Glenn Yarbrough & the New Christy Minstrels, Joffrey II Dancers, Chanticleer, New York Theatre Ballet, Boys Choir of Harlem, Le Vent du Nord, AJ Lee and Blue Summit, Broadway star Christiane Noll, and many more.
Live performances enrich us in profound and lasting ways: they feed our spirit, our imagination, and our creativity; they strengthen our community bonds; they invite us to contribute to the vibrant and varied cultural life that makes Ukiah so unique; they offer beauty, world-class talent, excitement, and inspiration. This is why Community Concerts matter today more than ever!
Our Mission
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To build, maintain, and thrill concert audiences of all ages
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To cultivate an interest in a variety of fine music and dance
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To expand our Educational Outreach Program to bring the inspiration of musical opportunities to local students
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To support the richness of artistic life in Mendocino County
UCCA is an all volunteer non-profit community 501(c)(3) organization.
Le Vent du Nord with the Ukiah Community Concert Association board members and friends at the Ukiah Brewing Company, March 2023
You Are UCCA
While the UCCA Board does the legwork of the organization, our members and sponsors have been the lifeblood of the concert association throughout our history. Your memberships, ticket purchases, sponsorships, and donations constitute the real heavy lifting.
There are four principal ways you can be part of and continue our rich legacy for generations to come:
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Become A Member
Your membership is a vote for fine music on the Ukiah stage throughout the season and for seasons to come. Along with a season ticket and the other benefits of a UCCA membership, you have the satisfaction of being a direct part of preserving our 75+ year cultural history.
Our membership drive is in the spring of each year. Join us!
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Purchase Individual Concert Tickets
Each concert is carefully chosen for musical excellence, to showcase a variety of musical styles and cultures, and to engage and inspire our Ukiah community. Throughout each season there is a concert or more that most in our community would find a delight. Find one this year!
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Become A Sponsor
Our sponsors help underwrite all the varied aspects of running a community concert series from contracting with the artists and venue, printing, marketing, hosting receptions, and more. The support of individuals and our business community has made our rich and lasting history possible. Thank you!
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Make a Donation
When you order tickets, there is opportunity for you to make an additional donation in support of the Ukiah Community Concert Association. Donations help to continue the quality concerts you have come to expect from your Concert Association. Thank you!
Meet Our Board of Directors
Our Board is comprised of dedicated volunteers who handle all the details of booking artists for each season, publicity and marketing, membership and ticket sales, gathering underwriters and advertisers, writing and printing programs and brochures, handling artist arrangements and needs, arranging receptions for our members, offering masterclasses and school youth programs, ushering, and in short, creating the experience that supports the cultural life of Ukiah.
Susanna Janssen
President
Grace Magruder
Vice President of Marketing and Publicity
Paul Yarbrough
Assistant in Marketing and Publicity
Alex de Grassi
Vice President of Production
Rodney Grisanti
Technical Director, Mendocino College Recording Arts Program Chair
Marilyn Simpson
Treasurer and Treasured Advisor
Steve Pasternak
Recording Secretary, Sommelier
Betty Davis
Hospitality Coordinator, Ticketing, Treasury Assistant
Roseanne Wetzel
Advertising Campaign Director, Social Media Wizard
Ginevra (Giny) Chandler
Membership Director, Legal Counsel
Wendy DeWitt
Educational Outreach Director, The Queen of Boogie-Woogie
