Our vision is to establish North America’s first institute for applied research in community music.
Music is more than art—it’s a proven strategy for building stronger families, preparing kids for school success, supporting senior health, equipping leaders to tackle challenges like homelessness and addiction, diversifying local economies, and shaping a powerful, authentic community identity.
With decades of evidence behind us, you might expect to see institutions across the country dedicated to using music as a tool for community development.
But there aren’t. That’s why we’re building one—right here in Mason County. A place where the question What if music could change everything? isn’t just a slogan—it’s a strategy for rural resilience and a model for communities everywhere.
Mason County’s rich arts history makes it the ideal place to pioneer new ways music can strengthen communities—serving as a model for rural areas across North America.
A place where people have always understood the power of the arts to build a strong community.
From the Salish Peoples’ robust musical traditions, to the adult marching bands and ensembles associated with Shelton and ITT Rainier, to the Robin Hood Village and Orre Nobles artist communities of Union: people in Mason County have always understood the power of music to bring people together constructively.
“A quadruple bottom line approach.”
We believe this project will be widely beneficial because of its holistic approach to the community’s challenges and provision of a quadruple bottom line approach to improving Mason County.
— UW Feasability Study
That was the conclusion of a 2018 review of our vision by the University of Washington School of Public Administration. The UW review team also projected a wide range of positive economic impacts, both direct and indirect, as well as improvements in our community’s social cohesion, equity, identity, and sense of place.
The review team also felt that our vision’s potential was amplified because it’s so in line with Mason County’s rich arts history. Great Bend Center for Music is proud to be continuing our community’s long legacy of arts leadership in ways that are not only serving our own neighbors, but (through programs like Sound Scholars™) families and communities across the country and beyond!
Our center will build strong families, a strong economy, and an even stronger community.
Our complex will host a child care center utilizing Great Bend’s evidence-based early learning and K-12 sequential skills programs, along with community ensembles, lessons, classes, concerts, and plays. It will include badly needed performance and rehearsal spaces for our community ideal for everything from jazz to classical to community theater, as well as a digital music and media lab, a music discovery center with instrument petting zoo, classrooms, teaching studios, practice rooms, instrument rental, a box office, mixed use gallery space and so much more for community members of all ages and interests.
Support
our vision
First Chairs are the principals of each section of the orchestra, responsible for each section’s unity and musicianship.
Likewise, Great Bend First Chair members will provide leadership throughout our community communicating as an insider about Great Bend’s vision, and helping to ensure that news and information about our progress is delivered in the most orchestrated of ways.
Each First Chair member will receive a number of acknowledgments, but the primary is a named chair or chairs in the proscenium theater. Members also receive:
- Advance access to both individual and season tickets, including the option to reserve their named chair(s) for their chosen performances when our facility is built.
- Pod Squad Third Wave status, which is our membership program for complimentary access to classes, lessons, ensembles, concerts, and events.
- Access to First Chair Events throughout the capital campaign for community insiders to get news and updates first about everything from capital progress to collaborations with Jazz Alley acts to assemble a world class jazz season.
Learn more about our vision!
Learn more about our vision from founder Matthew Melendez in this recorded 30-minute Zoom presentation on our capital vision, our partners and collaborators, and the impacts we predict for Mason County.
Mason County’s rich arts history makes it the perfect location to harness music as a natural resource.
A place where people have always understood the power of the arts to build a strong community.
From the First Nations’ robust musical traditions, to the adult marching bands and ensembles associated with Shelton and ITT Rainier, to the Robin Hood Village and Orre Nobles arts communities of Union, people here have always used the power of the arts to strengthen their community in both prosperous and challenging times.
“A quadruple bottom line approach.”
We believe this project will be widely beneficial because of its holistic approach to the community’s challenges and provision of a quadruple bottom line approach to improving Mason County.
That was the conclusion of a 2018 review of our vision by the University of Washington School of Public Administration. The UW review team also projected a wide range of positive economic impacts, both direct and indirect, as well as improvements in our community’s social cohesion, equity, identity, and sense of place.
The review team also felt that our vision’s potential was amplified because it’s so in line with Mason County’s rich arts history. Great Bend Center for Music is proud to be continuing our community’s long legacy of arts leadership in ways that are not only serving our own neighbors, but families and communities across the country.
Our center will build strong families, a strong economy, and an even stronger community.
Our complex will host Great Bend’s evidence-based early childhood and K-12 sequential skills programs, along with community ensembles, lessons, classes, concerts, and plays. It will include badly needed performance and rehearsal spaces for our community ideal for everything from jazz to classical, as well as a digital music and media lab, a music discovery center with instrument petting zoo, classrooms, teaching studios, practice rooms, a box office, mixed use gallery space and so much more for community members of all ages and interests.
Support
our vision
First Chairs are the principals of each section of the orchestra, responsible for each section’s unity and musicianship.
Likewise, Great Bend First Chair members will provide leadership throughout our community, each communicating as an insider about Great Bend’s vision, and helping to ensure that news and information about our progress is delivered in the most orchestrated of ways.
Each First Chair member will receive a number of acknowledgments, but the primary is a named chair or chairs in the proscenium theater. Members also receive:
- Advance access to both individual and season tickets, including the option to reserve their named chair(s) for their chosen performances.
- Pod Squad Third Wave status, which is our membership program for complimentary access to classes, lessons, ensembles, concerts, and events.
- Invitations to First Chair events throughout the capital campaign for community insiders to get news and updates first about everything from capital progress to collaborations with Jazz Alley acts to assemble a world class jazz season.