Songwriter's gift means new cabins, archives and more for Luzerne Music Center's 40th year
LAKE LUZERNE, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Luzerne Music Center has spent 40 years teaching around 140 middle- and high-schoolers per year to play classical instruments, and compose music of their own.
That hasn't happened in 2020, but despite the COVID-19 pandemic, things on-site have been plenty busy.
Last month, the music camp received its largest-ever single donation from the estate of Jack Lawrence, a singer-songwriter who composed music for Frank Sinatra. The amount was $500,000, most of which has gone into fully realizing a renovation plan 10 years in the making.
By the end of spring 2021, the center hopes to have finished installing 18 new cabins for teachers, 12 for students, and a new septic and sewer system. They'll also be building an archival space, where students can study a collection of manuscripts the Lawrence estate also donated.
Every summer, two groups of students spend a month each at the camp, traveling from around the country and some internationally. Center CEO Elizabeth Pitcairn said the center is prepared to scale back the numbers as needed, is coronavirus should remain a concern in 2021.
As far as work has come, and as much as the donation helped, the capital campaign is still seeking donations. Visit the Luzerne Music Center online to find out more.
LATEST STORIES
- Live: Pres. Trump, Biden campaign across the Midwest Friday
- Nine Pin to release Lady Apple cider
- Local man wins NYS Industries for the Disabled award for workplace excellence
- Battling false information: Where to go for facts before Election Day
- Overnight spike in COVID cases draws concern of second wave