TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY FOR THE 13TH ANNUAL SWAN SONGS SERENADE, A MAGICAL BENEFIT AND GALA TAKING PLACE OCT. 29 AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL AUSTIN, FEAT. JACKIE VENSON

Beloved Austin-based music nonprofit Swan Songs also announces sponsors for the annual outreach and fundraising event, a special evening highlighting the community effort that brings the Swan Songs mission to life; supporters can purchase individual tickets this Friday, Sept. 1 for the event, which includes a cocktail reception, seated dinner, musical performance and silent and live auctions

(AUSTIN, TEXAS — Aug. 30, 2023; source: Juice Consulting) — Local music nonprofit Swan Songs announces that individual tickets for the 2023 Swan Songs Serenade, the organization’s yearly benefit and outreach event where donors, supporters and the community gather for one beautiful evening of music and celebration, will be available for purchase this Friday, Sept. 1. The 13th annual Serenade will be held on Oct. 29 at Four Seasons Hotel Austin (98 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701), from 6 - 10 p.m., and esteemed journalist and broadcaster Judy Maggio will host the special event. The evening will also feature an inspiring live performance from Jackie Venson, as well as a cocktail reception, seated dinner and silent and live auctions. Individual tickets are $200 and can be purchased here starting Friday.

“Judy and Jackie represent the best of Austin - a veteran journalist and an emerging star, both with hearts as big as Texas," said Christine Albert, Swan Songs Founder and CEO.

Swan Songs is also proud to announce the sponsors for this year’s Serenade, which include KUTX 98.9 FM, Donna Stockton and Randy House, HEB and Austin Subaru. Additional sponsorships are still available at the $2,500, $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 and $25,000 levels. Funds raised during the Serenade support the organization’s incredible efforts to bring the joy of music to those nearing the end of life, help bring conversations about death and dying out of the shadows and support regional musicians by compensating them for their participation. 

“It means the world to me to help host the annual Swan Songs Serenade with Christine,” said Judy Maggio. “I had the honor of seeing a Swan Songs ‘musical last wish’ concert, firsthand, in early 2020. It touched my heart so deeply and I’ve looked for ways to support Swan Songs ever since. Serving as co-host is my way of playing a small part in the powerful work of this amazing nonprofit!”

Event Chairs for this year’s Serenade are Swan Songs Secretary of the Board Liz Land and longtime Swan Songs supporter Mafalda Tan. In addition to support from The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, current sponsors include Media Sponsor KUTX 98.9 FM; “Love Transcends” Sponsor Donna Stockton and Randy House; “Vintage Machine” Sponsors Sheri and Steve Basore, HEB, Juice Consulting, and Cindy and Harry Zimmerman; “Joy Alive” Sponsors Barbara and Joe Annis, Austin Subaru, Linda Ball and Forrest Preece, Ginger & Mike Blair with Annette Carlozzi & Dan Bullock, Debbie and Tim Collins, and Luther King Capital Management with Felicia and Craig Hester. View a complete listing of all sponsors and new additions at the Swan Songs website. Sponsorships support Swan Songs’ unique mission to fulfill musical last wishes for those nearing the end of life by organizing live performances of the requested style of music by local musicians. 

For more information on tickets, table pricing, sponsorship opportunities and silent and live auction details for the 2023 Swan Songs Serenade, please see here.

ABOUT SWAN SONGS:

Swan Songs was officially established in 2005 as an Austin, Texas-based 501(c)(3) organization, although the concept was born in the early ‘90s when Austin musician Christine Albert (Swan Songs Founder & CEO) was asked to sing for a dying fan. The idea to bring music directly to someone facing the end of life resonated with Austin psychotherapist Gaea Logan (Swan Songs co-founder), and the two women began informally organizing the bedside concerts. The organization is committed to utilizing professional musicians whose expertise and experience are central to the success of the program. They recognize the importance of compensating these artists, therefore a nonprofit was created to raise the necessary funds to offer an honorarium, with no financial obligation on the part of the recipient, their family or the healthcare facility. The name Swan Songs was chosen, inspired in part by John Swann – the terminally ill man Christine first sang for in 1992.  

Swan Songs has worked with dozens of regional hospices and care facilities and compensated over 800 musicians through the years. As the program evolved, it became apparent that there was a more compelling desire to request a certain style of music than a specific artist, although some regional artists have been requested by name (Guy Forsyth, Eliza Gilkyson, Ruthie Foster, Jimmy LaFave, Bob Schneider, Ray Benson, Carolyn Wonderland, Marcia Ball, The Flatlanders and more). 

Swan Songs works diligently to match the style of music requested with the appropriate musician(s). The variety of requests over the years reflects how deep an individual’s connection with music can be – based on a lifetime of memories, culture, heritage and geography. Whatever connects the recipient to those memories, their family, their joy – that is what Swan Songs brings. For more information on Swan Songs, visit www.swansongs.org. 

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MEDIA NOTE: 

For media inquiries, interview requests or general inquiries, please contact: 

Madelyn Coleman 

830 556 2791 

[email protected]

Tyler Ostby

210 854 9119

[email protected]