Executive Director Remarks
Cyrus Pace

Jam sessions originated with jazz musicians one hundred years ago as impromptu performances and were used as free flow sessions to develop new music or simply as ways to socialize and improvise together. In pondering the perfect name for our inaugural Director’s Circle publication, The Session came to mind almost immediately because of how integral you are in the mission of Jefferson Center.

In looking back over this past year, one might liken it to an extended jam session where we have come together to improvise, create, take chances, and seek collective answers in confusing and chaotic times. The calls have been to Give now, Gather later; Listen now, Gather later; Celebrate now, Gather later. As a member of Jefferson Center’s Director’s Circle, you have been right there with us every step of the way answering the calls in the most generous and gracious of ways.

Your support, advice, kindness, and confidence in our ability to navigate challenging and ever-changing circumstances have made an incredible difference. Your collective gifts make up 80 percent of all donations to the Jefferson Center and play a vital role in our efforts to transform lives through music, arts, and culture. Your continued support, especially through these unprecedented times is deeply meaningful and has prepared us for an imminent and strong return.

With our eyes looking ahead to the promise of a 2021-22 season, I want you to be among the first to know about some of the amazing artists we are booking for next year and other updates about our programs that you will find below. I also leave you with a familiar melody that I hope captures the essence of what we all are longing to be true…

I’ll be seeing you,
2021-2022 Performance Season Sneak Peek
Coming Soon
We want Director’s Circle members to be among the first to know some of the incredible acts we are working to secure for Jefferson Center’s 21st season and the important dates you should be holding on your calendar! We hope you will save the following dates and plan to join us for these one-of-a-kind evenings.
Please know that these dates are subject to change due to potential future gathering restrictions that may limit the capacity of attendance for indoor live concerts and artist cancellations. We remain hopeful that these dates are far enough out to be viable and safe for attendees, artists, and staff.

This information is also confidential, so we ask that you keep it under wraps! Our public announce dates are not until the first of July. For now, we share this information with you and our corporate sponsors, because without you, this upcoming season would not be possible!

Programming Spotlights
Our Listen now, Gather later Virtual Series
Jefferson Center presented its very own virtual series during the fall of 2020 and into 2021. Featuring a number of artists with local and regional connections, the series was filmed and recorded directly from our Shaftman and Fostek Performance Halls.
The final two concerts were released in March and April of this year. These final entries in the series were presented for free to our patrons in appreciation for supporting us throughout a difficult year. A rousing performance by Dom Flemons, American Songster was released on March 30th and Pasquale Grasso delivered an intimate jazz guitar show on April 23rd.
These virtual performances were made possible by the generous support of our corporate sponsors and donors like you. With your help, Jefferson Center was able to safely maintain an important component of its mission throughout the pandemic: delivering high quality performing arts to our community.
Development Director Update
Kim Turner
It has been nice meeting and speaking with many of you over the course of the past year. I hope to have the opportunity to continue meeting more of you in the months to come. 
 
With vaccines becoming more widely available and case counts lowering, we are hopeful that we can host a few events in the latter part of the summer and early fall. Please be on the lookout for invitations to the following events:

Director’s Circle Appreciation Reception
(date TBD)

This private event will be in honor of the 2020-21 Director Circle donors in appreciation for your generosity and passion for the performing arts. 

Celebration of 2020-21st Season prior to Gladys Knight Concert
(September 19*)

Invitations to this exclusive reception will only be made available to Director’s Circle donors and other key stakeholders of Jefferson Center.
*Date subject to change based on artist

As we firm up season plans, you will receive more information on these special events that you will not want to miss!

Until then, I hope you will take a moment to familiarize yourself with the donor benefits available to you based on your giving level.

Highlights of benefits include: 
Early access to ticket sales
15% discount on tickets
Be on the lookout for tickets to be on sale in late July.
See jeffcenter.org/donorbenefits for a full listing.

Thank you for all that you do to help Jefferson Center transform lives through quality performing arts and educational experiences.

Message from Director's Circle Chair
Marjorie Tenzer, Board Member
It has been a challenging year for everyone, and I want to thank you again for keeping Jefferson Center a priority during these extraordinary times.

Your participation as a member of the 2020-21 Director’s Circle is a wonderful testament to your belief in Jefferson Center’s mission, your confidence in our leadership, and the value of arts and culture in our region.

With your help, we have found a way to remain relevant in unprecedented times. If you have not had time to enjoy our latest virtual offerings, I invite you to watch both the Dom Flemons and Pasquale Grasso performances. These concerts have been made available as free content to the general public thanks to your wonderful generosity and that of our sponsors.

We are so lucky to have a performing arts and cultural center of Jefferson Center’s caliber enriching the quality of life in our region in such significant ways. I love the ease of involvement and the warm and inviting atmosphere of every performance I attend. The talent is amazing, and the sense of community is profound.

By growing our membership in the Director’s Circle, we can make a real difference in Jefferson Center’s ability to continue attracting top Grammy award winning artists to our area, while also continuing to meet our mission of keeping quality arts experiences meaningful and accessible to everyone in our community.

If you know someone who loves the performing arts and who would be interested in learning more about the Jefferson Center and what we do, please reach out to Cyrus or Kim. I know they would welcome the opportunity to meet with them.

Thank you for your help and for your continued investment!
Jefferson Center’s Donor Wall is located in the Fralin Atrium and will be updated later this summer with Director’s Circle members prominently displayed. Please take a moment to confirm that your information is listed properly above. Any changes can be emailed to Kim Turner at kturner@jeffcenter.org.