top of page

~

The Robert and Rita Schaffer

Memorial Music Fund, Inc.

 

Preserve   Present   Restore   Renew 

2002.jpg
THE ROBERT AND RITA SCHAFFER MEMORIAL MUSIC FUND
(previously the Schwab Organ Fund)
is a private and non-profit 501c3 entity.
​
The Memorial Fund,  honoring the memory of Rita and Bob Schaffer,
was conceived and organized for the purpose of raising
sufficient public donations to fully repair and restore,
to original playing condition, the
Historic Matthias Schwab Organ currently located in the
West gallery of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption.

Perpetuate, memorialize, and educate the history, beauty,
and spiritually redeeming qualities of sacred and
classical music ~ presented in a suitable environment.
​
Preserve traditions of musical excellence and the rich culture brought to
Covington, Kentucky from Western Europe in the 19th Century
in the form of the Historic Matthias Schwab Organ (1859)."
 
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
From the time they met as organ students in 1947
at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music,
Robert J. Schaffer and Rita M. Avram were passionate about music
of all types, but particularly in the realm of Organ, Choral,
and Orchestral music of Western culture and Western Sacred Liturgy.
 
Nearly thirty years later, with three musical children to help,
while both are holding positions as full time church musicians,
Robert and Rita Schaffer gave their love of music to the
local community through a living expression.
 -- at little or no cost to the community --
in the founding of the 
Cathedral  Concert Series
(est. 1975)

The Cathedral Concert Series offers free sacred music concerts of a high caliber.
Local and National, as well as International artists and groups are featured regularly,
all open to the public with no admission charge at any time.
​
The Fund accepts freewill contributions at all concerts as the
only means of material support. 

The ROBERT AND RITA SCHAFFER MEMORIAL MUSIC FUND
also covers expenses and continuance of the
Cathedral Concert Series (begun in 1975). 
​
The Fund seeks to maintain, beyond the restoration effort,
a self-perpetuating, long-term Fund to provide support
for ongoing maintenance and performances of the instrument
under the direction of Fund managers.

The Cathedral Concert Series Schwab Organ Fund are operated by a volunteer staff.  Artists appearing on the series sometimes receive modest honoraria.
There is no paid Trustees or staff connected to the operation of the
Schwab Organ Fund and the Cathedral Concert Series.
RitaRobertSchaffer_c1970_Basilica_ChoirO
MORE
ABOUT
The Fund

Click here for 

more information about the

Schaffer Family of Musicians,

The Memorial Fund

and the 

Historic Matthias Schwab Organ

bottom of page