The D’Addario Foundation is proud to announce Back 2 School Class of 2019 which will take place at Los Angeles’s historic Palace Theatre on November 2nd. As a 501c3 non-profit, the money raised by The D’Addario Foundation at this benefit will provide kids access to amazing music programs, provide college assistance scholarships, and encourage more females through D’Addario’s Girls In Music Initiative.
In partnership with BGS and Kensington Presents, Back 2 School will feature house band The Watkins Family Hour with acclaimed songwriter, producer, and artist Mike Viola. Jim James, Mandy Moore, John C Reilly, LP, Langhorne Slim, Garfunkel & Oates, Blake Mills, and Inara George will all join Sara and Sean Watkins and their collaborative Family Hour crew on stage to raise money for The D’Addario Foundation. Fans should also keep an eye out for additional artist announcements in the coming weeks. Tickets, priced from $50 to $250, will be available here on Friday, September 20th, with a password-accessible pre-sale on Wednesday, September 18th. VIP ticket options are also available for those who wish to upgrade their Back 2 School experience.
As the philanthropic arm of D’Addario, the world’s largest manufacturer of music instrument accessories—The D’Addario Foundation utilizes up to 10% of D’Addario’s net earnings each year to fund over 200 non-profit programs. And D’Addario absorbs all operational costs, ensuring 100% of every dollar goes directly to support music programs globally. “What differentiates us is our efforts to support highly immersive music programs. On average our partners provide over 200 hours of instruction per student a year. Compare that to a student who might receive an hour instrument lesson once a week for the entire year. That is four times the exposure to music instruction and its cognitive and social benefits,” says executive director Suzanne D’Addario Brouder.
Back 2 School attendees will be contributing directly to The D’Addario Foundation’s mission to put music education back in the forefront and into the lives of those who otherwise might not have these opportunities. “The bottom line is kids need lots more music as part of their education and your support makes that possible,” adds Brouder to further emphasize their mission statement.