{"id":59995,"date":"2025-10-30T14:33:07","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T18:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=59995"},"modified":"2025-11-04T10:19:00","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T15:19:00","slug":"inspirational-odds-defying-guitarist-to-headline-gala-concert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2025\/inspirational-odds-defying-guitarist-to-headline-gala-concert\/","title":{"rendered":"Inspirational, odds-defying guitarist to headline gala concert"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>EMU\/Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival Gala Concert<\/strong><br \/><strong>Date: <\/strong>Friday, Nov. 7<br \/><strong>Time: <\/strong>7 p.m.<br \/><strong>Location: <\/strong>Lehman Auditorium (1191 Park Road, Harrisonburg, VA)<br \/><strong>Cost: <\/strong>Free, with suggested donation of $10-$20<br \/><strong>Livestream: <\/strong>EMU\u2019s Facebook page (<a href=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/EasternMennonite\/live\">facebook.com\/EasternMennonite\/live<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a guitarist born without arms, <strong>Tony Melendez <\/strong>has touched countless lives with his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tonymelendez.com\/biography\">inspirational story<\/a> of resilience, faith, and triumph over adversity. The internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter has played the guitar\u2014with his feet\u2014for Pope John Paul II, at the 1989 World Series, and on numerous TV talk shows. He\u2019ll be performing his guitar music and sharing his incredible life story at EMU\u2019s annual gala concert on Friday, Nov. 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The concert will be held at 7 p.m. at EMU\u2019s Lehman Auditorium. It will also be available to watch online through a livestream on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/EasternMennonite\/live\">EMU Facebook page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The annual gala concert has not only become one of the most popular arts events on campus each year, but also one of the most exciting and unique concerts held in the Valley, said <strong>David Berry<\/strong>, music program director at EMU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis year\u2019s gala, themed <em>Shared Stories<\/em>, will be a spectacular evening of warmth, brilliant music making, and joy celebrating the beauty of our unique and collective stories,\u201d Berry said. \u201cThe concert will feature electrifying world music, a host of exciting guest artists, beautiful choral singing, orchestra, wind band, and more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to Melendez\u2019s music, the event will showcase the world premiere of <em>Our Story<\/em>, an innovative and eclectic new work that brings together folk and world musicians from a range of styles, including Appalachian music trio <strong>After Jack<\/strong>, Ukrainian bandurist and electric guitarist <strong>Alex Lagoda<\/strong>, African soul artist <strong>Makinto<\/strong>, gospel singer <strong>Tabatha Parrott<\/strong>, and <strong>The Harrisonburg Kurdish\/American String Ensemble<\/strong>. EMU Interim President <strong>Rev. Dr. Shannon Dycus<\/strong> will be the narrator for the piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other highlights will include Elaine Hagenburg\u2019s choral masterwork \u201cIlluminare\u201d by the <strong>University Choir<\/strong> and <strong>Chamber Orchestra<\/strong>, along with performances by the <strong>Chamber Singers<\/strong>, <strong>Wind Ensemble<\/strong>, and <strong>Jazz Ensemble<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018Too good not to share\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Guest artist After Jack will perform programs for more than 1,000 K-8 students throughout Harrisonburg and Rockingham County schools in conjunction with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.agcshenvalley.org\/\">Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley<\/a>, a nonprofit dedicated to making the arts accessible to students throughout the region.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is sure to be an unforgettable night of beauty, exhilaration, community, peace, and joy,\u201d Berry said. \u201cA concert this special is too good not to share with as many people as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Thanks to lead sponsor Everence Financial for supporting this event.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/emu-wordpress-multisite-instance-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2025\/10\/30142650\/Everence%C2%AE-with-descriptor-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-59999\" style=\"width:400px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EMU\/Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival Gala ConcertDate: Friday, Nov. 7Time: 7 p.m.Location: Lehman Auditorium (1191 Park Road, Harrisonburg, VA)Cost: Free, with suggested donation of $10-$20Livestream: EMU\u2019s Facebook page (facebook.com\/EasternMennonite\/live) As a <a href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2025\/inspirational-odds-defying-guitarist-to-headline-gala-concert\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"more-link\">... read more <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">about Inspirational, odds-defying guitarist to headline gala concert<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":302,"featured_media":59997,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4515,5583,5861,17562,17564,5183,5730],"tags":[17233,17931,17216,17682,18653],"feature":[17427,17426,17241,17422],"class_list":["post-59995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academics","category-campus-community","category-conferences-and-events","category-digest","category-events","category-music","category-undergraduate-programs","tag-arts","tag-gala-concert","tag-music","tag-shenandoah-valley-bach-festival","tag-tony-melendez","feature-emu-home-page-feature","feature-myemu-feature","feature-news-feature","feature-news-landing-page-main-feature"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - 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