Held in March, the 2011 concert was our best-attended Winter Benefit ever! Thanks to everyone who made it a resounding success. Special thanks go to our host, John Archer, who opened his fabulous home to MEE and our wonderful audience.

MEE’s Winter Benefit Concert is one of the North Shore’s favorite musical traditions, supporting MEE’s community outreach programs – our free Senior/Family Series daytime concerts in the summer for seniors and families with children, and also our Youth Chamber Concert Series for students presented free of charge in elementary schools around the North Shore.

This year’s Winter Benefit Concert featured pianist Paul Orgel and violinist Maria Benotti in an all-Beethoven program. Presented in Mr. Archer’s Great Room, this concert was performed on his rare Mason & Hamlin concert grand piano. This famous piano was manufactured in 1900 and was the first modern concert grand produced by Mason& Hamlin. A massive instrument, it is one of the widest pianos ever made and measures 9' 4" in length, and is known for its big and beautiful sound. This piano was most likely played by Harold Bauer, who became a Mason & Hamlin artist upon his arrival to this county in 1900. Legend has it that Mr. Bauer also owned the piano at one point.

We invite you to check back later for details about MEE’s 2012 benefit concert next spring!