Music is what keeps us human. It takes us (and our kids) off our phones, it recharges our psychic batteries, and it puts us into the groove with each other.
In a time when fracture and anxiety can sometimes seem too close, music is a force that heals, humanizes, and pushes back.
This page offers financial transparency, figures on our effectiveness, and glimpses into some of the wonderful things that happened in and around C4A in 2025.
2025 financial information
This area cannot be completed just yet. Once we close out books for the year we will update this page. (12/30/25)
2025 facts and figures
| We gave ___ individual lessons in 2025, to an average of ___individual students per month. (still counting! 12/30/25) |
| We gave 3 six-week sessions of group classes for violin. |
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We offered 19 twelve-week sessions of ensembles, including:
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| Our ensembles performed out in the community 23 times, including: C-U Folk and Roots Festival; Urbana Post Mark series; Fusion Fest Lunar New Year celebration; C-U Pride Fest; busking for tips to benefit local food banks; Rose Bowl Tavern concert series. |
| We engaged 23 teaching artists, local musicians who live and work in our community, plus an additional local and regional artists for our fiddle weekend. |
| 78 students performed on our in-house recitals. |
| We provided performance space for these externally-produced events: C-U Folk and Roots Festival; Illinois Arts Council Master/Apprentice Program; WPTA USA–Illinois International Piano Competition; C-U Tango Music Workshop; All ages DIY Concert series |
| We collaborated on events with these community partners: Urbana Country Dancers; Sousa Archive and Center for American Music; Urbana Old-Time Jammers; Jasmin Field Orchestra; 25 O’Clock Brewery; Rose Bowl Tavern; The Urbana Free Library; Urbana Schnucks. |
Some 2025 highlights
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In February the Bow-Dacious String Band had a memorable gig at Fusion Fest, a Lunar New Year celebration held at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. The band played a selection on their own, then teamed up with the Jasmin Field Orchestra, a UIUC ensemble whose members play traditional Chinese instruments. |
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In May we held our 5th annual Cheap Instrument Sale. We sell donated instruments at very low prices, putting them into the hands of people who will play them, including many families. We started this tradition when we resumed in-person interactions after the Covid shutdown.
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In May and December we held our semester recitals where C4A students of all ages and skill levels have the opportunity to perform for their families and friends. Our recitals are intentionally relaxed and inviting, and there is always an interesting mix due to the many different musical styles that our faculty can teach. |
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In June, thanks to funding from Urbana Arts and Culture, we held our 4th annual Fiddle and Jam Weekend. In a featured workshop, Aaron Albrecht returned for the second in a series of talks about the influence of Black midwestern fiddlers on our local fiddling tradition. Visiting artists Charlie Walden and Patt Plunkett joined C4A faculty members to present more workshops, a concert and a family dance held in collaboration with the Urbana Country Dancers. Local fiddler, Laura Sleade, led our Saturday morning open jam, and several other members of the local old time community joined in and played at jams all through the weekend. |
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In October OMG Olde Music Group and the Bow-Dacious String Band teamed up for a joint performance at the C-U Pride Fest. They put out a tip bucket and collected money which they donated to local food banks. |
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In December C4A hosted a piano competition organized by faculty pianist, Wan Lin. Wan was the president of the local chapter of the WPTA USA–Illinois International Piano Competition for 2025. Piano students of all ages and skill levels played and received comments from the highly experienced musicians who served as judges. |
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