Nonprofits and organizations dedicated to helping their communities have always been important to Borland Benefield. The firm caters to these benevolent entities as a specialty, even creating the Nonprofit Audit Group to serve this sector.
One such nonprofit is the Mason Music Foundation, a 501(c)3 created by Borland Benefield’s client, Mason Music.
Mason Music is a community of teachers dedicated to inspiring the next generation of Alabama musicians. One of the main ways they collect funding for the Mason Music Foundation is through Mason Music Fest, a lively day of songs and charity. This year’s festival takes place on July 29 at Avondale Brewing Company.
The Start of Mason Music
While the Mason Music Fest is a relatively new event – Mason Music started over a decade ago when musician Will Mason decided it was time to get off the tour bus and find a new calling.
Being a musician, Will understood the power and potential for music to enrich the life of anyone of any circumstance and any age. He began giving personal lessons to those eager to learn the craft throughout central Alabama – whether they were eight or eighty.
Turning up the Volume
Those impromptu in-home lessons soon gave way to Mason Music’s first physical studio location in Cahaba Heights.
This studio created a place for all his students to gather, mingle, learn, and grow through music. Simple lessons quickly expanded to music camps, the Rock Band League, an in-house recording studio, and even a record label to sign and promote Alabama musicians.
Over the years, Mason Music has expanded to four more Alabama hotspots in Bluff Park, Greystone, Mountain Brook, and Woodlawn.
The Woodlawn location is home to the Mason Music Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing music lessons to families who qualify for financial aid and a major benefactor of Mason Music Fest.
Festival Time
Mason Music Fest was created with three goals in mind: inspire students to embrace music, fund music education in underprivileged communities, and give the Alabama community a day of great tunes.
This year’s festival takes place on Saturday, July 29, at Avondale Brewing Company and features:
- The New Respects
- Futurebirds
- Colony House
- Carver Commodore
- The Secret Sisters
- Annie DiRusso
A $49 ticket (or $150 VIP ticket) grants access to an entire day of entertainment. There will also be food trucks, games, student performances from Mason Music’s Rock Band League, and an incredible lineup of local performers to show off Alabama’s music scene. All proceeds will benefit the Mason Music Foundation in its mission to give the gift of music.
Partners On and Off the Stage
When Will’s former CPA of five years moved out of state, he felt lost and overwhelmed with accounting headaches. Fortunately, a friend recommended the accountants at Borland Benefield, and they have been making music together ever since.
“Not only is Borland Benefield professional and experienced at filing tax returns and saving us money,” Will says, “but they ‘get us.’ They understand what motivates us and why music is so important to us as a company. I can call our accountant Charlie and chat about updates to the IRS code, what our kids are up to, or what cycling race he’s signed up for next. They respect us, and that goes a long way.”
Borland Benefield is proud to sponsor Mason Music Fest because helping clients goes beyond billable hours. Giving back to the community is as important as doing a good job for our clients, and we aim to keep giving.
Borland Benefield hopes that you make time to enjoy Mason Music Fest 2023 – you will be doing your Alabama community a service and hear some fantastic performances along the way.
Purchase tickets at Mason Music Fest’s website.
Reach out to us here to learn more about how Borland Benefield can help your non-profit.