Matanuska-Susitna Orchestra helps Clear Creek Cat Rescue raise $2,000 through fundraising concert

PALMER — The Matanuska-Susitna Orchestra put on a concert at the Glenn Massay Theater Sunday, Nov. 19, performing several intricate suites for a receptive audience.

"I thought things went very well," Matanuska-Susitna Orchestra conductor Kate Patterson said. "We had a good time. We did what we like to do, make music."

The concert featured five musical suites: "Capriol Suite" by Peter Warlock, "The Holberg Suite" by Edvard Grieg, "Carmen Suite" by George Bizet, "Polovtsian Dances," by Alexander Borodin, and "American Suite" by Antonin Dvorak.

Patterson said it was fun coming together to perform various long musical arrangements with a lot of movements.

"We had a challenging program that we really enjoyed playing," Patterson said

Patterson was pleased with the turnout and noted that there were a lot of families with children in attendance. She said it was great to see so many young audience members engaged in the concert.

"It's a perfect opportunity to expose your children to live music," Patterson said.

The concert also served as a fundraiser for Clear Creek Cat Rescue, a local nonprofit dedicated to finding homes for cats. Patterson said that community members donated $2,000 for the organization. Details about current cats available for adoption were displayed on the projection screen behind the Orchestra throughout the concert.

"We're always glad when a group is able to raise money and awareness," Patterson said.

Clear Creek Cat Rescue volunteers were onsite offering information about the cause, and they also held a silent auction with various items visitors were able to win.

"We're just bringing awareness to the homeless cat population in Alaska," volunteer foster coordinator Samantha Fierro said.

Clear Creek specializes in rescuing and rehabilitating cats that are feral, older, experiencing medical issues, and other factors that would normally make them less likely to find a home.

"Our main goal is to take cats that are the least adoptable and we give them the best chance," Fierro said.

Fierro said that she really enjoyed hearing the orchestra's performance.

"It was absolutely beautiful," Fierro said.

According to Fierro, this concert was the first time their grassroots organization has had the opportunity to participate in a fundraising event of this scale. She said it was a great opportunity that left them inspired.

"We really hope we can do more stuff like this in the future," Fierro said. "We're just so grateful for this chance… Thank you to the orchestra and thank you to the community."

The next Matanuska-Susitna Orchestra concert takes place during Colony Christmas Dec. 9 at 3 p.m. at the United Protestant Presbyterian Church in downtown Palmer. This concert serves as an annual fundraiser for the orchestra.

"It helps us keep going," Patterson said.

Matanuska-Susitna Orchestra holds numerous concerts every year. The Colony Christmas concert is the only show they ask for support directly. All the other shows support a designated cause in the community.

The next show after Colony Christmas will be a concert in April supporting Colony High School's marching band's fundraising efforts for their upcoming trip to Ireland.

Patterson said that supporting local endeavors is part of their main mission, referring to their tagline: "making music make a difference." She said they take a lot of joy out of doing what they can to help people across the Valley.

"We're happy," Patterson said.

Those interested in learning more about volunteering or making financial contributions to Clear Creek Cat Rescue can visit their website at clearcreekcatrescue.org.

For more information about the Matanuska-Susitna Orchestra, visit matsuorchestra.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com