BAY MINETTE, Alabama - Victor Hugo said, "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.”

The mission of the North Baldwin Community Concerts is to cultivate an interest and appreciation for music and the performing arts, providing opportunities for the public to hear quality music, and to encourage and foster the teaching of music appreciation and history in North Baldwin schools.

 The organization, founded in 1988, was created under the Bay Minette Arts Council and branched out to become an entity unto itself, according to Marilyn Waters, North Baldwin Community Concerts Board President. Waters, who has been on the Board for 15 years, added that the organization is non-profit and exists for the good of the community. Concerts are held at the L.D. Owen Center for the Performing Arts on the Faulkner State Community College campus.

 The group is made up solely of volunteers and is devoted to supporting the arts and bringing quality concerts to the community.

According to Waters, North Baldwin Community Concerts is in the same boat as many other local organizations that are in need of funding and wider community participation. “How do I reach Bay Minette?” she asked, noting that there is more outside participation than local support for the concerts. More people in attendance come from Daphne and South Baldwin than our own backyard.

 “We need financial support from the community and their presence in those seats.” The concert season will open Oct. 4 with an Entertainment Review which will feature local talent: Lois Tunstall singing, Sharon Blais playing piano, and the Minister of Music from Bay Minette First Baptist Church Luke Toler will perform. In all, ten acts will take the stage to entertain. “We have a lot of superb talent in Baldwin and Mobile counties,” Waters said.

 “You may not recognize the names, but we feature quality entertainers. They are professional, trained musicians. You can’t get this anywhere else. Just because it’s local, doesn’t mean it isn’t good.” Waters’ favorite concert was the very first concert of the North Baldwin Community Concerts.

 In 1988 Peter Nero played piano for Bay Minette and not long after that he performed for President Reagan. Waters took her then 8-year-old granddaughter Dixie to attend her first concert — Dallas Brass. Afterward, Dixie was so excited, saying, “That was awesome!” She had her picture taken with the group and also got an autographed CD which she still listens to.

  It’s this sort of appreciation she hopes to see passed from other grandparents and parents to the next generation of Baldwin youth. North Baldwin Community Concerts presents four shows each year. They are still working on this season’s line-up. Everything will be finalized and the brochures will be out by early September.

 The group will start work on publicizing the events, updating the website and adding information to the newly created Facebook page — North Baldwin Community Concerts. Season tickets are $40 per person.

However, tickets are available at the door at each showing for $20 per person. There are also sponsorship opportunities available that give a donor various quantities of tickets for family and friends, as well as adding each donor’s name to the event program.

The group is looking for passionate music lovers to volunteer to serve on the board of directors, help advertize events by having posters and fliers placed in high visibility, high traffic areas in North Baldwin, to help decorate the performance stage and serve as concert hospitality. There are many ways to contribute to the season’s success.

The current board members are Waters, Delores Bert, Sharon Blais, Bill Carr, Marianne Eddins, Jenny Hammond, Becca Horn, Greg Mais, Jane Martin, Mary Hazel Messick, Eugenia Trawick, Lois Tunstall, Frank C. Turner, and Suzie Zoerner. Doris Hodgson serves as an honorary board member. For more information about the concerts or on how you can give your time to this worthy cause, contact any of the current board members. It would be music to their ears.

Joanna Bailey is director of the Bay Minette Public Library.