Musical Cascades with The Links by Margaret Collier On April 20, 2024, Musical Cascades: The Power of Music hosted by the Buckhead/Cascade City (GA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, was held at the First Congregational Church in Atlanta. Since its inception, this signature award-winning performing arts and scholarship program has featured over 85 collegiate music students, providing more than $100,000 in scholarship awards. The trend continued with another musical extravaganza with gifted collegiate musicians and community artists across various performance arts genres. The stage was set with a musical performance by acclaimed saxophonist and America’s Got Talent Runner-Up Avery Dixon, with Lovely Day by Bill Withers. The audience was mesmerized by captivating performances from the Namari Dance Studio ballerinas, vocalist Destiny Brown from Tri-Cities High School, and poet Kayla Shannon, a graduating senior at Spelman College. The Trey Clegg Singers celebrated diversity with renditions of indigenous songs. Jason Smith closed the show with a soulful finale, Let it Be by the Beatles. The highlight was four Musical Cascades Rising Stars, celebrating the timeless beauty of classical music that captivated the audience. A passionate performance by B’ Nathaniel Orlu from Morehouse College left an indelible mark our hearts. Nubia Causey from Kennesaw State University gave a dynamically dazzling vocal performance. Georgia State University’s Jeremiah Brown stirred our souls with his vocal selections, and, from Morehouse College, trumpeter Charles Cherry was harmonically brilliant. The immersive experience ignited our imagination and enriched our hearts through the transcendent power of classical music etched into the minds of our audience. Four students received a $2500 scholarship, thanks to our Friends of Musical Cascades and sponsor, Southern Company. The program culminated with our 2024 Legacy Award recipient, Dr. Rachanice Candy Tate for her steadfast contributions to the Arts and Musical Cascades. The 2024 Rising Star Award was bestowed upon Kayla Shannon for scholarly achievements in the Arts. Musical Cascades is a legacy signature program of Classics Through the Ages, a National Initiative of The Links, Incorporated. This initiative highlights the importance of classical art with a particular focus on the contributions and performances of persons of African American Ancestry. Musical Cascades celebrated twenty-two years of providing a platform for gifted collegiate students to perform and receive scholarships to support their career aspirations in the arts. As Arts Facet Co-Chair, I believe that the longevity of Musical Cascades is indicative of superior programming, our commitment to supporting students in the development of their talents and gifts, our generous and supporters, and our long-standing dedication to the Atlanta community. In her closing remarks, President Shaun Hunter-Green acknowledged the leadership of the Arts Facet CoChairs Margaret Collier, Helen Mitchell, and Allie Robinson Terry and their committee for unwavering dedication to the continuity and legacy of this program. She said, “Our chapter is grateful for the opportunity to provide this gift to the Atlanta Community. It is, indeed, something very special!”
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