David Foster is coming home again this summer, but not for a David Foster Foundation event.
The Grammy Award-winning musician will be honoured during a fundraiser for the Canadian College of Performing Arts scheduled for June 30, said event chairman Mel Cooper.
Tentatively titled Dedicated to David, the dinner and concert will be at the Roundhouse at Bayview Place thanks to the generosity of philanthropists Ken and Patricia Mariash, Cooper said.
The historic site’s developers have come on board as title sponsor for the event, the first in what CCPA outreach, events and box office manager Jackie Adamthwaite hopes will become an annual Legends concert.
“David Foster will be the inaugural recipient of the Legends Award,” said Adamthwaite, who will be production stage manager for the elaborate fundraiser at the Roundhouse’s car shop, which was used to maintain rail cars.
“It will be very professionally done,” said Cooper, who is putting an organizing committee together. “We’ll have an orchestra and the college students and the best local people who have performed with David.”
CCPA alumni will travel to Victoria from across Canada to perform some of Foster’s biggest hits, said Steven Seltzer, communications and marketing manager for the college, owned and operated by the not-for-profit Canadian Heritage Arts Society.
“I’m sure that when we put the grand piano on stage David will want to get up there,” hinted Cooper, whose goal is to raise $200,000 for the college, which prepares students for performing-arts careers.
Adamthwaite said the money raised would support scholarships and bursaries to provide learning opportunities for talented performing arts students. The college at 1701 Elgin Rd. in Oak Bay, celebrates its 20th anniversary next year.
The goal is to raise significantly more funds than the college could possibly raise during its annual Casino Royale charity nights over the past seven years, Cooper said..
Tickets will likely be priced at about $300 and the plan is to have them available shortly before Valentine’s Day, said Adamthwaite.
For more information contact 250-595-9970 or email admin@ccpacanada.com
