Click on a link below to make your contribution to the Laurette Goldberg Prize.

$25 contribution

$50 contribution

$100 contribution

Gifts to American Bach Soloists for the Laurette Goldberg Prize are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

An invitation by Music Director Jeffrey Thomas to ABS Musicians, Friends, and Colleagues of Laurette Goldberg:

CONTRIBUTE TO THE LAURETTE GOLDBERG PRIZE

As you are probably aware, the American Bach Soloists "Henry I. Goldberg International Young Artists Competition" is coming up in early June, to be held in conjunction with the Berkeley Festival & Exhibition. 2006 marks the fourth occurrence of the competition (this year in voice), and we have decided to honor the inestimable legacy of Laurette Goldberg—this year and in perpetuity—by naming the First Prize after her.

Whereas the second and third prizes ($2,000 and $1,000 respectively) are being sponsored by generous individuals, it was Steve Lehning's idea to have the First Prize of $3,000—the Laurette Goldberg Prize—sponsored by those who benefited directly from her marvelous enthusiasm for early music. This will give many of us, who cannot afford to sponsor the prize fully, an opportunity to thank her by promoting the sort of young artists that she loved so much. Her efforts gave many of us our introductions to the early music community in the Bay Area, and her commanding influence was felt far beyond northern California. She loved to promote young artists, to engender their excitement about Bach, and to provide opportunities for them to perform Bach's music. We think that it's fitting, then, to have the Laurette Goldberg Prize presented by the people who first benefited from her enthusiasm.

Your contribution to the Prize will be acknowledged in the program materials, as well as on a large placard that will be placed in the lobby of each competition event. We are asking you to consider a donation of $50. We'll need to find 60 donors at this level. If that is too much, we will be very happy to include your gift of $25; and in some cases a contribution of $100 might be more to your liking. In any event, we will not indicate specific giving levels in our donor acknowledgment. All contributors will be listed equally.

We've made it very easy to do this. If you click on one of the links to the left, you'll be able to transfer funds from Visa, MasterCard, or American Express to the prize fund.

Finally, this message was initially sent via email to about 150 ABS Musicians who have performed with us within the last few years. But there are certainly hundreds, if not thousands, of others out there who benefited from the fervor, passion, and zeal that was embodied in Laurette Goldberg, the most celebrated pioneer for early music in the western United States. Please forward this message to as many Friends and Colleagues of Laurette as you can. Doing so will provide an opportunity to take a personal stake in young talent, and to honor one of the world's most powerful exponents of early music.

Thanks for your willingness to keep her memory alive through your support of Young Artists.

Jeffrey Thomas, music director
American Bach Soloists