Stella Pradeau moved to Boulder years ago to study at the University of Colorado, where she would eventually earn her Master’s degree in piano performance. She found herself swept up first as a student and then as a first-time mother to daughter Chloe.
It wasn’t until Stella and her husband François welcomed a second daughter, Clara, that the Pradeaus felt that something was missing: music. “All of a sudden, this idea of having music in my children’s life started to feel really important to me,” she says. She found the Colorado Music Festival and the annual Family Concert, created especially for families with young children. “Within two weeks of Clara’s life, we were at [the Festival’s] Family Concert.”
That was years ago. Now every summer you can find Stella at Chautauqua Auditorium as frequently as three times a week as she volunteers as an usher for the Colorado Music Festival. “It feeds my soul,” she says. “I love the idea of all these people coming in from different places, settling in, and making music together.”
To Stella’s joy, the Pradeau children — youngest daughter Lily makes three — have kept the Colorado Music Festival in their lives as well. “They love going to concerts as young adults, which makes me so happy,” beams Stella.
Volunteering as an usher means more to Stella than simply something to fill her summer nights; she feels that music — and live performances in particular — are important to share as a family. “I think about how much we’re in front of our screens,” she sighs. “It’s so special to have a concert experience and to be all together, united. That’s something we need to hold onto in society. We can’t let it slip away.”
Your Part in the Story
These life-changing moments are made possible by the generosity of people like you. When you give, you ensure that children in Boulder County and beyond have access to music performances, music lessons, caring teachers, and a community that supports and uplifts them. Together in harmony, we can continue to nurture confidence and connection—one note at a time.
