Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers Headline Arts Education Benefit Concert

As a child, Rod Piazza did not receive any formal music lessons. Instead, he learned music by listening to the radio and to the records that his brother brought home. With time, he began to learn to play music by a method he calls “playing by ear.”

While Piazza has a natural talent for music, he understands that talent can be best cultivated when receiving music education and lessons, which is why this Saturday his band, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, will be dedicating their show at the to benefit music education.

“It just seemed like a perfect match because all of us are self-trained musicians, and we know how good it is when you can get help from a school,” Piazza said.

This Saturday, April 16, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers will be playing at “At Evening of Sweet Blues.” The event is the 18^th annual gala and benefit concert hosted by the Friends of the Arts Education (FAE) at the CCPA, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to enhancing arts education by allowing students to experience and learn about the performing arts at the center.

The band’s music is described as blues infused with jazz, R&B and rock, and Piazza said he expects this weekend’s performance to be “one of the killer performances of the year.”

According to Nick Baker, President of FAE, the organization’s efforts help around 30-40,000 students and teachers experience the arts through their program, which includes a professional workshop for teachers, viewing a performance at the theater, and a discussion with the students after the performance.

With the numerous cuts made to education throughout the nation, Baker says the programs he helps to lead are more important than ever because they are often the first to get slashed.

“I’ve loved sports all my life, I’ve loved music, but not every student can be a great athlete and there has to be other outlets and the arts and music is that other outlet,” he said.

Funds for the concert also help the organization’s scholarship efforts, which have helped local students pursue their dreams by helping them pay for college.

Alex Hahn, a saxophonist and FAE scholarship recipient, is using his scholarship at the University of North Texas, where he is pursuing a degree in jazz studies.

“[The scholarship] has helped pay tuition and pay for outside jazz lessons with my peers,” Hahn said.

At the gala and concert, Hahn will be participating in the event by playing with Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, an event that Hahn said he is looking forward to.

 “It sounds so fun and I am excited to play at an event of that caliber,” he said.

The gala and concert is open to the public and tickets start at $160 per person for both the dinner and concert. Concert-only tickets are also available, which start at $35. For more information or tickets, call (562) 916-1272 or visit www.friendsofaecc.com.