Here at Classical Music Indy we are thankful for our community, our generous donors, and, of course, our talented performers! We connected with several of our musicians to see what Thanksgiving traditions they have with their families. From food to family to music, each artist has their own unique Thanksgiving customs. Read below to see how Corey Denham, Bethany Daugherty, Laura Recendez, Maya Nojiri Sutherland, John Alvarado, and Jennifer Gallegos spend their Thanksgiving!

My Music. My Story. is one of Classical Music Indy’s initiatives to feature music, musicians, and music lovers in a fun way. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we spoke with a regular Classical Music Indy performer, John Alvarado. He is the President of the Indianapolis Society of the Classical Guitar and a Senior Lecturer for the Department of Music and Arts Technology at IUPUI. John remarks about his own upbringing, how his study of Latino culture has influenced his work, and gives insight on how music, culture, and community are all intertwined.

Over the past year, Classical Music Indy provided 45 spontaneous concerts with our #RandomActsofMusic, serving 7,428 people. Learn more about these pop-up concerts that beautify Indy!

This week our friend John Alvarado, Lecturer of Guitar at IUPUI and President of the Indianapolis Society of the Classical Guitar, discusses the presumed dichotomy of classical guitar vs electric guitar in the musical community. Read below to learn how these two genres don’t need to be separated as much as some may think.

In recognition of Native American and Alaska Native heritage month, Classical Music Indy spoke with Steven Alvarez, the Director of Arts & Education at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Alvarez is a classical percussionist and vocalist. Read below where Alvarez highlights four prominent musicians in the Native community.

We attended and performed for Celebrate Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) at the Eiteljorg Museum with partner Nopal Cultural this past Saturday, October 29. There’s still time to visit Nopal Cultural’s Día de los Muertos Linocut Prints and Altar Exhibition that will be on display and FREE to view through Nov. 2 in the Lilly Auditorium at the Eiteljorg Museum. Read below to learn more about Día de los Muertos and the events that happened this past Saturday. 2017 Update: The event is being held Oct 28 from 11am-5pm, learn more here.

In honor of Classical Music Month, Classical Music Indy stepped up our efforts to connect the community to Classical Music. We brought 27 performances to Indy – that’s nearly one performance a day! Read more about our activities in September in our blog post!

This week we spoke with John Alvarado, President of the Indianapolis Society of the Classical Guitar, about how his organization brings the centuries-old art of classical guitar to today’s Central Indiana.