RICHMOND, VA—-The Byrd Theatre Foundation, a local not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving Carytown’s beloved Byrd Theatre, is thrilled to host world-renowned organist Cameron Carpenter for the second year in a row, Saturday, October 20. Traveling from Berlin, Germany, Cameron Carpenter will dazzle the crowd with his extraordinary tunes on the Wurlitzer while also entertaining with comedic interludes between his songs. Joining the Foundation with support renewed from 2011 is Richmond’s Allianz Global Assistance as a key sponsor of the event. “Allianz Global Assistance’s employees chose to support the Byrd Theatre this year because they recognize the cultural importance of the Byrd to the city,” says Mark Cipolletti, Vice President of Communications. “The Byrd and Carytown are uniquely Richmond and worthy of our support.” Cameron Carpenter’s performance last year proved to be one of the Byrd’s great Richmond highlights of 2011. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal states that Cameron Carpenter is “‘Not Your Grandma’s Organist’: Alternatingly dazzling and subtle, and always fired by a profound musical intelligence.” Cameron’s approach to the organ is smashing the stereotypes of organists and organ music while generating a level of acclaim and controversy unprecedented for an organist.
Besides the musical event, Cameron Carpenter coming to the Byrd Theatre this Fall will help the Byrd Theatre Foundation achieve a $250,000 challenge grant offered by the Mary Morton Parson’s Foundation. As part of this challenge, the Byrd Theatre Foundation has set an aggressive goal of raising $500,000 this year, which will enable the completion of several high priority projects.
As a nonprofit organization, the Byrd Theatre Foundation solely relies on support from individuals, groups and the community to achieve its mission to improve and restore the Byrd Theatre to its original glory, purchase the building, and preserve it for future generations to experience and enjoy as has been done since 1928. It is crucial to the Byrd’s success that events are held to raise awareness of the cause as well as contribute to the organization’s financial capacity. The Byrd Theatre Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization striving to keep the Byrd accessible for Richmond’s residents and guests, now and in the future, so that they may continue to use it to forward their own missions and celebrate milestones in their lives.
Sponsorships for the Cameron Carpenter event are available at preserve@thebtf.org or by directly contacting Jaclyn Witthoefft, Byrd Theatre Foundation President
