Our History - CARRIZOZO MUSIC
Carrizozo Music, Inc. was formed in 2007 as Music in the Parks, an organization dedicated to sponsoring Sunday afternoon concerts in the various parks around Carrizozo. Three or four summer events were always free to provide family-oriented activities. In 2009, Elaine Brannen assumed leadership of the organization which continued sponsoring summer events. In 2010, she attended a Piatigorsky Foundation concert and realized that Carrizozo fit the profile looked for by the foundation and that we might quality for a classical concert. An email later, we were included on their next NM tour, which featured two New York musicians who played both a community concert and a school outreach event at Carrizozo Municipal School. This was a turning point for Music in the Parks as we realized that there was a desire in Lincoln County for live classical music and a need at Carrizozo School for quality music events. We changed the name to Carrizozo Music and became a committee under Carrizozo Works, Inc., a 501c3. This gave us the ability to write grants and solicit tax-deductible donations. Carrizozo Music continued to host summer outdoor events and year-round classical concerts for the community and school. We also sponsored music-oriented workshops for K-6.
In 2016, Carrizozo Music applied for 501c3 status and became Carrizozo Music, Inc. We moved away from the summer programs and concentrated on indoor classical and semi-classical events. An important part of our mission is to support music in the schools with concerts, workshops and projects.
“I would teach children music, physics and philosophy, but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning.” - Plato
PHOTO: David Leisner performing at Carrizozo Schools, 2019