The Friends of the Conservatory was founded in 1916 and its mission has remained the same; to provide vital resources that Conservatory music, dance and theatre students need to excel as performers and educators. Friends membership dues provide irreplaceable funding for student scholarships and educational enhancements.
Your membership provides life-changing experiences for our students. With your gift, they are able to perform at the world-class Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and travel the world to enhance their artistic studies.
Benefits
Being a Friends of the Conservatory member provides fabulous benefits, such as a membership directory, the annual member-only cocktail party and the opportunity to meet others with a passion for the Conservatory and the arts at social events. For a full list of benefits, click here.
Your generosity helps ensure the future of our students and the performing arts through the UMKC Conservatory.
The Crescendo gala has been hosted by the Friends of the Conservatory since 1996 and is the primary scholarship fundraiser for the Conservatory. The gala and concert is held in the fall each year. In 2012, the event premiered in Helzberg Hall. During the Crescendo performance, the Conservatory showcases more than 250 students and faculty. This celebration of first-class talent takes place in one of the world’s outstanding performing arts venues, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Like a prism that bounces light around a room, this fast-paced concert will take you quickly around Helzberg Hall, from a jazz combo to a serene ballet to a French comedy. The Crescendo concert is a tour de force of Conservatory talent that rivals any you have seen.
Special Friends of the Conservatory events are planned throughout the year to give members the opportunity to meet fellow music, dance and theatre lovers and to highlight student performances.
Become a Friends Member and make a difference in a student's life!
Become a Friend of the Conservatory
The mission of Jazz Friends is to promote the creative artistry and talent of the students and faculty of the UMKC Conservatory Jazz Studies Program, provide financial support to attract and retain talented students, enhance the student’s academic experience and be a champion for the Jazz Studies Program in the Kansas City arts community and region.
By becoming a member of Jazz Friends, you help provide scholarships to bring the most talented students to the program. Jazz Friends aims to heighten the eminence of the Conservatory’s Jazz Studies Program and celebrate the legacy of Kansas City jazz.
Benefits
Organized in 1941, the Women’s Committee for the UMKC Conservatory is a group of philanthropically minded women who support the Conservatory by providing financial assistance to students.
The group meets six times a year, hosts a spring benefit luncheon, makes an annual gift to the Conservatory and supports an endowment for scholarships.
The Women's Committee offers a wonderful opportunity for establishing friendships among those interested in the Conservatory.
