At Cadenza, we strive to generate change through music.
Cadenza is a classical music charity club at West High School in Iowa City, Iowa. We're a community volunteering group made up of talented instrumental student musicians with a passion for music and goodwill. Our members prepare for and participate in various fundraising performances throughout the year for non-profit organizations.
In Cadenza, we also aim to further engage each of our members with classical music, enhancing their exploration of the music that they play. Our mission at Cadenza is to generate change through music. Cadenza was founded in 2019 when we realized that our talents in music could be used for something far greater than ourselves. At first, we targeted our efforts at the Iowa City Music Auxiliary, raising $1000 in our first events for the organization. Soon after, we trained our sights on benefiting our entire community. So far, we've held independent concerts and performed in invitations from local businesses to help pursue our charitable goals, raising over $7000.
Cadenza is a classical music charity club at West High School in Iowa City, Iowa. We're a community volunteering group made up of talented instrumental student musicians with a passion for music and goodwill. Our members prepare for and participate in various fundraising performances throughout the year for non-profit organizations.
In Cadenza, we also aim to further engage each of our members with classical music, enhancing their exploration of the music that they play. Our mission at Cadenza is to generate change through music. Cadenza was founded in 2019 when we realized that our talents in music could be used for something far greater than ourselves. At first, we targeted our efforts at the Iowa City Music Auxiliary, raising $1000 in our first events for the organization. Soon after, we trained our sights on benefiting our entire community. So far, we've held independent concerts and performed in invitations from local businesses to help pursue our charitable goals, raising over $7000.
PAST EVENTS
December 10, 2025 - holiday carols
|
|
|
November 14, 2025 - harvest harmonies
|
|
|
December 18, 2024 - Vue Rooftop Concert
November 15, 2024 - Fall Fantasia
|
|
|
Special thanks to our sponsors for this event!
December 19, 2023 - Vue Rooftop Concert
|
|
|
News & Media
- "Q&A with Cadenza’s 2023-24 executive board"
- "After a year of playing alone, West High musicians collaborate to perform duet"
- "Cadenza: music for charity"
- "Student groups join forces for UNICEF fundraising virtual concerts"
- "Cadenza to hold second virtual concert"
- "Talented music kids cooped up with the classics plan online benefit series"
- "Cadenza and UNICEF club present United in Isolation"
Grand Living/OaknollMarch 22nd, 2022
Cadenza took a field trip to 2 retirement homes to play music for the residents there. We played at Grand Living at Bridgewater in the morning and Oaknoll in the afternoon. Members played a variety of music, including classical, jazz-like pieces, and film music.
Music of LoveSeptember 26th, 2021
Our first in-person concert of the year, "Music of Love", was produced with the Iowa City Area Chinese Association (ICACA) to raise funds for United Action for Youth, a local organization engaging in youth prevention/intervention programs. Playing a mix of classical and traditional Chinese music, we raised over $2000 on the Iowa City Ped Mall. Iowa City mayor Bruce Teague (pictured above, far right) was also in attendance.
United in IsolationMay 13th, 2020
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we produced "United in Isolation", our first virtual charity concert. With 23 musicians and the United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties, we raised funds for local COVID-19 relief from online audiences.
Lepic-KroegerNovember 14th, 2019
For a holiday event at Lepic-Kroeger Realtors, we were invited to perform while raising money for the Iowa City Music Auxiliary. Thanks to our great ensembles and soloists, we had a great first performance!
|
THE VUE ROOFTOPDecember 13th, 2021
Cadenza returned to the Vue Rooftop to once again raise funds for the Iowa City Music Auxiliary. We played a variety of classical, jazz, and Christmas music.
Sounds of SpringJune 1st, 2021
We produced our final virtual concert at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Collaborating with Red Cedar Chamber, we raised funds for the Iowa City Music Auxiliary to fund local music education. We concluded "Sounds of Spring" with a mass performance of Arvo Pärt's Spiegel im Spiegel, featuring 37 musicians from seven schools and four states.
The Vue RooftopDecember 10th, 2019
We were invited to perform at the Vue Rooftop in this winter event to raise funds for the Iowa City Music Auxiliary. This night was a great opportunity to showcase our talent in the local community, and we performed there again in December of 2021.
|
Colors of autumnNovember 12th, 2021
"Colors of Autumn: An Evening of Chamber Music" was held in the Iowa City West High School Cafeteria with the West High Chamber Orchestra, mirroring our first independent concert two years earlier. Like our first concert, this event was held to raise funds for the Iowa City Music Auxiliary. Nearly 50 musicians were featured, including those from the WHS Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Cadenza adviser and orchestra teacher Jonathan Welch.
United in the CloudFebruary 1st, 2021
Our second virtual concert during the COVID-19 pandemic, "United in the Cloud", was produced with UNICEF Iowa at the University of Iowa. Together, we raised funds for UNICEF USA's COVID-19 efforts. Our efforts with UNICEF during this concert were featured in both the Gazette and Forbes.
A NIGHT OF CLASSICAL MUSICDecember 2nd, 2019
"A Night of Classical Music" was our first independent concert. Held in Iowa City West High School's cafeteria, through the effort of over 20 performers, we raised funds to support the Iowa City Music Auxiliary.
|