Center for Musical Arts brings intimate musical performances to Lafayette community

Oct. 24—The Center for Musical Arts will host a wide variety of musicians to give intimate performances for the Lafayette community, including award-winning pianist Clayton Stephenson.

The center, 300 E. Baseline Road, is a community music school that serves students of all ages and skills through a variety of different arts.

Elizabeth McGuire, CMA executive director, said the center's motto is "music for all, for life." The CMA has a small, intimate venue with 120 seats that will be open to the public for seven performances for the 2023-2024 concert series.

"It's a very special opportunity to be able to witness some of these performers in very intimate spaces," McGuire said.

She compared watching talents like Stephenson, who is scheduled to perform Oct. 27, playing in such a small venue to sitting in a living room with the artist. She describes the event as "close and personal."

"There is a certain level of community that can only exist in live performance," McGuire said.

McGuire went on to say the sense of being in the same space as people who are appreciating the same art as yourself is joyful. She added there are some things that can only be experienced during live performance that do not measure up when recorded.

The concert series is an opportunity for students and the local community to watch skilled musicians and performers in their own neighborhood. She noted students learn how to be better musicians and performers by watching other great performers.

She explained that the center works to ensure the concert series programming is as diverse as their student body. The series aims to display a wide variety of music and performance, from opera, western film scores, jazz, cello duos, choir groups and classical pianists.

"We aim for it to be all encompassing, because really that's what the Center for Musical Arts represents," McGuire said.

The series includes performances from: pianist Clayton Stephenson Oct. 27; the Opera Colorado Artists in Residence Nov.17; cellists Meta Weiss and David Requiro Jan. 19, Denver guitarist Dave Devine Feb.9; St. Martin's Chamber Choir March 8; Denver jazz group LAPOMPE April 12; and pianist Ying Li May 10. All performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. at CMA.

McGuire said because the venue is small and intimate, people should not hesitate to buy tickets as performances can sell out quickly. Tickets are $10 for youth and $20 for adults and are available for purchase at centerformusicalarts.org/concert-series.

More information is available at centerformusicalarts.org.