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East Rochester High School's Coffeehouse series was
founded in 1997 by HS Librarian
Brian Regan
as a very loose, afterschool gathering of students and
faculty with an interest in performing acoustic music
and poetry. Since then, it has grown into a regular event involving dozens of performers and
large audiences. The atmosphere is
very relaxed and supportive, and first-time performers
are encouraged.
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Starting in 2004,
we "went electric", plugging in our guitars and
featuring student & faculty bands. So far, there have
been 11 "Electric Coffeehouses" in the auditorium (2 per
year), each bigger than the last. In addition, we have
done a number of outdoor semi-acoustic shows. The
January 2005 show raised over $500 for Tsunami Relief
and was featured on local news channels. In 2006 we
helped send Celtic Music Society on their trip to Salt
Lake City, and raised money for Music Rising (support
for New Orleans Musicians). The complete shows have been
videotaped and broadcast on Cable Channel 12.
Students
interested in audio and video assist in staging the
events, and all the performers lend a hand. The acoustic
coffeehouses continue as a "training ground" for new
performers, while the electric shows feature more
experienced students. With much-appreciated support from
our music faculty and administration, the program
continues to evolve and grow.
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