by Kristina Gabalski
Community members are invited to “Climb Aboard the Encore Express” for Encore 2012 – the annual holiday gala at Genesee Community College that supports student scholarships.
The event is set for Tuesday, December 11 at the main campus in Batavia. A Gala Reception is planned with the music of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) which will perform in the Stuart Steiner Theatre.
The “Encore Express” begins its journey at 5 p.m. with a private Prelude Reception with BPO conductor Paul Ferington and artist Dale Inglett.
Inglett, an Alfred University assistant art professor, will be displaying his artwork in the Rosalie “Roz” Steiner Art Gallery. The Transient Beings exhibit will be open all evening and includes large-scale canvasses, drawings and videos that examine both the connections and divisions between the mind and body.
The Prelude Reception is open to all conductor and engineer level sponsors.
For all guests, the Encore Express Station Reception featuring sensational food selections begins at 6 p.m. in the William W. Stuart Forum. An Encore Guest Conductor Chance drawing to win the opportunity to be a BPO Guest Conductor will be held at 7:30 p.m.
Guests will then proceed to the Stuart Steiner Theatre for a holiday pops concert at 8 p.m. Afterward, guests stroll back to the Forum to enjoy the Caboose Dessert Finale.
Chairpersons for Encore 2012 are Dan and Debbie Fischer, owners of WBTA Radio in Batavia.
“There is no greater gift that a community can give its young people than a quality education,” Dan Fischer says. “We are pleased and proud to be a part of this year’s Encore Celebration.”
Proceeds from Encore support the Genesee Community College Foundation Scholarship Fund. The Foundation recognizes Five Star Bank, the lead corporate benefactor for its support of Encore. The Foundation is also grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Michael (Sharon) Kubiniec for their sponsorship of the Prelude Reception and to Peter Zeliff of Innovative Energy Systems, Inc. for sponsoring the cocktail bar.
Tickets are limited and patrons are encouraged to purchase them as soon as possible. The conductor level is $1,000 and entitles the donor to six tickets for the event and the Prelude Reception. The engineer level is $600 and entitles the donor to four tickets and the Prelude Reception. The station master level is $300 for two tickets and the single passenger patron level is $100 per ticket. The evening is black tie optional. For tickets call the Foundation at (585) 345-6809.
