Support Cantare!
Cantare believes in community. We believe that the worse things get, the more important it is to lift our voices and uplift lives. At this troubling time in the world, and particularly in our nation, Cantare is determined not just to survive but to expand our work to meet the needs of the moment.
With government funding almost non-existent, we depend on individual support more than ever. An anonymous donor who recognizes how vital Cantare’s work is has offered $35,000 in matching funds for our Spring Campaign. If you are a first-time donor, your gift will be matched 2-1 . If you gave last spring, anything you give that is an increase over that amount will be matched 2-1. You can triple the impact of your contribution and give critical support to our work changing lives through the power of music.
Anything you give will have an invaluable impact. Through your generosity, we bring together generations and give children the confidence to raise their voices. We need their voices more than ever now.
Help to keep our youth programs thriving and accessible!
School subsidies only cover 50% of the cost of our music education classes. Individual donors and funders allow us to provide tuition-free classes and rehearsals for our 2,300+ students.
Cantare is committed to providing equal access to high-quality music education for every Oakland school child we serve through our classes and choirs. Support our efforts in helping young singers find and share their voices through the joy of choral music!
Contact Tracy Grant at tracy@cantareconvivo.org if you have any questions! Cantare is also pleased to accept support in the form of concert or program sponsorships, stocks, planned giving, in-kind donations and volunteering.
Please walk alongside us! Every dollar when coupled with others makes a difference.
Your Impact on our Alumni
Hessie Mae Cash Parham (she/her)
Hessie Mae sang with Lafayette Music Stars and All Stars Singers, and at Oakland School for the Arts. She now works at the Black-owned Town Fare Cafe at the Oakland Museum of California, and is a certified College Coach and Mentor for PeerForward, a college prep program serving under-resourced high school students. Hessie has two AAs from the College of Alameda, where she studied to be a social worker.
“I love the community of it all. You’re learning your part, but at the end of the day you’re a team. It’s a family no matter if you know them or not. ”
Ryan Chen (he/him)
Ryanstarted singing with Cantare as a kindergartener at Lincoln Elementary in Oakland’s Chinatown, and continued to sang with Lincoln Music Stars and Nova. Ryan graduated from UC Irvine in 2023. He works as a Mechanical Engineer with Northrup Grumann, while completing a Master’s Degree in Engineering Management at UCLA.
“Nova changed my life by giving me a family who I could depend on, laugh with, and most importantly they accepted me for who I am. ”
Dayana Merino (she/her)
Dayana was born and raised in West Oakland. She sang with Lafayette Music Stars, All Stars Singers, and Nova. She earned a BA in Psychology and a Masters in Counseling with specialization in K-12 Schools from SF State, and is now a school counselor in Oakland schools. Dayana continues to sing with Cantare’s adult Chorale.
“It takes a village to raise a child; they were my village. It brings me so much happiness to pay forward the support and love I received to the next generation.”
