Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Carole Mikita ReportingMembers of the Madeleine Choir School are singing for joy about the recent gift of a million dollars.
The money came from the Emma Eccles Jones Foundation, through one of its advisory board members, an Episcopal priest, who gave it to the Catholic school that educates children of many faiths.
Those voices have filled cathedrals and concert halls in both Utah and Europe. Now the members of the Madeleine Choir School have something extra to sing about - a million dollar grant.
The Dean of St. Mark's Cathedral, Rick Lawson, helped make that grant possible. His great-aunt Emma Eccles Jones was a patron of the arts and supporter of education. Father Lawson believes these children are learning great music.
Father Rick Lawson, Dean, Cathedral of St. Mark's: "A musical tradition which has been part of western civilization for time immemorial and is being continued and offered back into the community. So there's a double reason to love it, not only for the music, but also for the education that happens."
And that includes one of the buildings in which they do all of that learning and singing. Erbin Hall needs help -- a new roof, windows replaced, and repairs to the upstairs chapel. Renovation will cost upwards of 5-million dollars and this grant kicks off phase two.
The school's administration, faculty and students were both surprised and delighted with the grant. Another reason for that gift, the Madeleine Choir School welcomes children of many faiths
Bill Hambleton, Principal, Madeleine Choir School: "We do have a significant non-Catholic population in this school, and we're very committed to those families and they're very committed to us. A lot of families come to us because of our devotion to the arts."
The million dollars comes in three parts: one-third already given, another third soon and then the final third later.
