70 years of concerts

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When the Freeport Community Concert Association launched its first concert series in 1947, the founder, Ann Martin couldn’t begin to imagine that 70 years later it would still be a Freeport tradition. Stepping into its platinum season, the FCCA is determined to continue providing Freeporters with the ultimate Broadway and Jazz Lincoln Center experience without the commute into New York City.

“As a group, our goal has been to bring world-class music to Freeport at an affordable price,” Jill Kaplan, president of the FCCA said.

Providing a star-studded line up is no surprise experience. Over the years, the FCCA has brought over 200 world-class artists in orchestral, classical, jazz, chamber music, dance and more. Some of those acts have included performances like The Trapp Family Singers, Ballet Russe, Issac Stern, Frank Vignola and more. This year the FCCA will host four acts between Oct. 28 and May 5.

Concerts are held at Freeport High School at 8 p.m. on Saturdays. However, the concerts should not be confused with a school-related event. All of the FCCA’s concerts are planned and presented by the organization’s volunteers.

“A lot of people think we’re a school event, but we’re not,” Kaplan shared. “We work hard to keep the quality music coming to Freeport.”

Freeporters aren’t the only ones who attend, over the years the FCCA concerts have welcomed attendees from over 35 towns and villages across Long Island. Fulfilling their notion to make the arts accessible to everyone, Kaplan says at times, because of the change in music tastes, it becomes a challenge to get people interested in what now is considered classical music. However, FCCA and its volunteers are determined to continue to bring music on high artistic caliber to Freeport for 70 more years.

Tickets to concerts are available on the FCCA’s website, (freeportconcertassociation.com) at $55 for the season or $20 the night of the show.