March 28, 2024 1:26 PM
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A Tale of Caution and Collaboration with The Launch Pad – Arizona Philharmonic

The Launch Pad sent out a holiday greeting in December with a story about a teen named Caution. He had noted that many local teens could not afford lunch at school, and thus went the whole time at school without a meal. With the help of Courtney Osterfelt, The Launch Pad’s ED and Founder, Caution started a lunch program for such teens called All Access Pass. All Access Pass gives a teen one meal a day for free and an annual scholarship to any of The Launch Pad programs that has a fee.

Arizona Philharmonic’s principal timpanist, Maria Flurry, noted that The Launch Pad is actively helping youth in our community, and she approached The Launch Pad’s program director James Malek with a collaborative idea. The upcoming manos percussion show is more youth oriented than some AZ Phil productions, and there are a lot of big instruments needing setting up for the February 5th performance at YCPAC. She wondered if Caution (who also plans the music shows at The Launch Pad) and some of his buddies would like to help and experience firsthand what it’s like to stage a professional musical performance. And at the culmination of the performance, Flurry asked to get together with the group to discuss what they heard and saw, let them ask questions, and explore how to further collaborate going forward.

James Malek agreed and is rounding up a half dozen or so of The Launch Pad members to help stage manos percussion’s rehearsal Friday, February 3 and show Sunday, February 5. The Launch Pad helpers and their families will all receive complementary tickets to the manos percussion show. And AZ Phil will contribute a portion of each ticket sold to Caution’s All Access Pass fund. Audience members and the community can also donate to this program by visiting AZPhil.org/donate and adding in the comment line that the donation is for Caution’s All Access Pass.

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