THE UPSCALE SINGERS?

Mission statement: The group has a dual mission in serving the Foothills community: to perform great music for all ages, and to build young singers’ abilities with opportunities for skill development and financial support.

Upscale Singers are a local singing group of 40+ members who live in North Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Anthem, Glendale and Phoenix, AZ. Under the direction of Margaret Watson, the group presents live entertainment twice a year an annual Christmas concert; and then in April, a cabaret-styled dinner show, complete with costumes, choreography, and lively musical medleys.

It's a mixed-age group with singers from their teens to their 90s. The singers come from all parts of America and include a banker, a doctor, a lawyer, a nurse, accountants, psychologists, teachers, pilots and lots of business people and community volunteers.

The group has a dual mission: To have fun while making great music, and then to pass on to the next generation their joy and musical wisdom. The Upscale Singers do this in various ways:

• They award music scholarships to local students in an annual competition for junior and senior high singers. The money goes directly to the vocal music teacher of the winner's choice.
• They support the Arizona Magic of Music and Dance, a summer program for physically challenged youth. The program also involves high school volunteers as individual mentors and friends.
• In 2010 they created a new program that helps our public school junior and senior high choir directors with up to $400 grants each school year. The funds go directly to choir needs, such as music purchases, accompanists and teaching aids.
• They sponsor young singers to attend the Desert Foothills Youth Theater Music Camps.
• They perform regularly with the Upscale Kids, a group of young singers that makes every concert a multi-generational happening!

The Upscale Singers are a 501-c(3) non-profit organization. Funds raised from ticket sales and the annual silent auction and raffle held in spring support operational costs and our four youth outreach programs.