United by Music North America announces a casting call for alter-abled musicians

For Immediate Release Dec. 1, 2014 Contact: Barbara Hammerman – Barbara@ubmna.org or 650-222-1122 United by Music North America announces a casting call for alter-abled musicians (GIG HARBOR) United by Music and TACID (Tacoma Area Coalition for Individuals with Disabilities) are excited to announce a collaboration to provide performance opportunities for musically talented people with developmental and intellectual challenges. The public is invited to join us for two events that will provide information, refreshments, live music and audition opportunities. Both parties will be held at the TACID center at 6315 S.19th St., Tacoma, WA. Saturday, Dec. 6, 2-5pm – Barbara Hammerman and Amanda Gresham of Gig Harbor, the founders and directors of United by Music North America, will present several local United by Music artists with UBM mentor Stephanie Anne Johnson from TV’s The Voice. Stephanie Anne and her band Northern Pacific will perform, and current United by Music mentors and company members will be share their stories. In addition, international blues music star Candye Kane will also attend. Ms. Kayne is one of the original United by Music mentors and continues to share her knowledge and talents with UBM performers. Saturday, Jan. 10 – United by Music North America auditions. Candidates should be prepared to play an instrument or sing a song to share your musical abilities and talent. A panel of supportive professional musicians will serve as judges and will offer comments and assistance. Radio music personality Jonathan “Oogie” Richards (Mighty Mouth Blues) will be the MC for this inaugural United by Music Puget Sound Audition and Artists Day. All those who audition will receive a Certificate of Participation. RSVP requested to Marsha at TACID – marsha@tacid.org or 253-565-9000 for both events. Please include your name, email address and number of people in your group so chairs and refreshments can be available. About United by Music North America Imagine a world in which no prejudice exists based on race, creed, color – or intellectual capacity. That is the world United by Music envisions. UBM has turned to the power of music to bring people together, to blur the lines of what is so-called “able” and to provide training and performance opportunities to musically talented alter-abled individuals. United by Music was founded in The Netherlands in 2005 by Joris vanWijngaarden, a health care industry executive. American entertainer Candye Kane worked with van Wijngaarden to hone the concept behind the UBM’s mentoring and performance program. Gig Harbor residents Barbara Hammerman and Amanda Gresham developed the United by Music North American program, creating a pilot program in Portland, Oregon in 2012. Early this year it was announced that the Puget Sound area would be the next location to launch a full program of auditions, production and performance opportunities. For more information and performance videos please visit UBMNA.org or email Barbara@UBMNA.org WHAT United By Music auditions for alter-abled musically talented people WHEN Dec. 6, 2pm; Jan. 10, 2015 (time TBD) WHERE TACID, 6315 S. 19th St., Tacoma Both events are free and open to the public. Please RSVP to (253) 565-9000 or email marsha@tacid.org ##### Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent. ~Victor Hugo