DANBURY-- Western Connecticut State University will host the annual “Love Wins! Benefit Concert, a Celebration of Music,” Saturday, December 9th at 8 p.m.
The concert benefits the Ana Grace Marquez-Greene Scholarship Fund to offer tuition assistance to WCSU incoming freshman throughout their time at the school.
Ana Grace is one of the 20 first graders whose life was cut short by the 2012 Sandy Hook Tragedy. December 14th will mark five years since 26 students and faculty were gunned down inside the school.
Ana Grace’s father Jimmy Greene, a WCSU music professor, told FOX61 the concert is one small way to remember and honor the life of his little girl.
“We miss her so much, she means so much to us, she meant so much to us when she was here, and her absence is every bit as profound today five years later than it was then,” Greene said.
The concert will feature world-renowned musicians, including Grammy winners.
“Some of the great musicians that are in the world today to come and donate their time and talent to benefit the scholarship fund and to honor our little girl so it’s really, really special,” Greene said.
100 percent of the ticket’s proceeds go to the scholarship fund.
Greene, a saxophonist, will also play during the concert. He said some of the music featured will include tracks of his album Beautiful Life, written in honor of his daughter. Greene received two Grammy nominations for the album.
“This event, a lot of love will be shown, but it’s very bittersweet because I wish I could just be holding my little girl rather than thinking of what she would be like five years later,” Greene explained. He went on to say he hopes the concert and the work his wife does with their latest foundation The Ana Grace Project, will allow Ana Grace’s way of life and message to live on.
“She loved to show how much she loved and appreciated all of us, her family, her friends, people she just met. We believe that, you know Ana is with God now . We also believe that while we are here on this earth, we’re here to do good, for others. So in that sense, we’re just doing what we can with the strength that we have every day,” Greene said.
The concert will take place at the Veronica Hagman Concert Hall in the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the Westside campus of Western Connecticut State University, located at 43 Lake Avenue Extension.
Tickets are $35 for general admission and $50 for a VIP reception with the musicians before the concert. A limited number of $20 WCSU student tickets are available with a valid WCSU ID at the VPAC box office.
For more information and tickets, visit the concert’s Eventbrite page.