Support the Festival

The Kishwaukee River Music and Movement Festival is a community-centered, first-year initiative. Your support helps make this experience accessible, sustainable, and deeply impactful.

A dirt country road stretching into the horizon, flanked by green grass and leafless trees, with the setting sun casting a warm glow and creating a starburst effect.
An elderly man in a white shirt and black pants is standing outdoors, holding a large violin case. He is smiling and standing next to a weathered outdoor piano with a sign that reads "PIANO TREE". The background features a large tree, greenery, and a stone wall.

Donate

Support us here
Support us here

Your donation directly supports:

  • Student scholarships

  • Festival supplies

  • Guest teaching artists

  • Instrument and music resources

  • Accessible tuition for local families

Every gift, large or small, helps music continue to flow.

A woman and two boys standing in a room with a bookcase in the background. The woman is kneeling on the left, wearing a beige jacket and scarf, smiling. The boys are standing side by side, both with curly hair and smiling, with one wearing a green shirt and the other a dark gray shirt.
A man wearing a black face mask and black clothing is playing a cello outdoors among trees and green foliage, standing on a small stage with some equipment and a music stand.

Founder William Cernota and members of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra perform Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, 2020.

Attend a Fundraising Concert

Leading up to the 2026 festival, we will host a series of fundraising chamber music concerts in the DeKalb area.

These intimate performances will:

  • Support student scholarships

  • Fund faculty and programming

  • Build community around our mission

  • Join us for an evening of music and help launch something meaningful.

Concert dates and locations coming soon.

Group of four musicians holding cellos, standing in front of a stained glass window in a church or concert hall.

Founder William Cernota and students from Loyola University Chicago.

Volunteer

We welcome volunteers who believe in youth arts education and community building.

Volunteer opportunities may include:

  • Event support at fundraising concerts

  • Administrative help

  • Community outreach

  • Festival week support staff

  • Hosting faculty overnight, locally

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us at: bactocello@gmail.com

Become a Community Partner

Local businesses and organizations are invited to partner with us as sponsors. Supporting this festival means investing directly in the creative growth of local youth.

Email us at katelynackland@gmail.com and bactocello@gmail.com to discuss sponsorship opportunities.