Mika with U of U Singers Gala "Come Thou Fount of every Blessing"

Mika's second concert with the U of U Singers was a Gala where our friends and neighbors were honor, Melissa and Craig Ballard. Melissa has done so much for Mika at the U of U Music School and we will ALWAYS be grateful for her help.  It was fun to go and hear Mika sing and honor our dear friends!

The School of Music will honor 2011 Camerata Awards winners Ed Thompson and Melissa and Craig Ballard at its annual concert gala on Friday, Nov. 4. After a private dinner, the school will celebrate the contributions of these passionate and dedicated music enthusiasts with a concert in Libby Gardner Concert Hall starting at 8 p.m. The program of classical favorites will feature individual and combined performances by the Utah Philharmonia, the University of Utah Singers, the Graduate Vocal Quartet and more, conducted by Robert Baldwin, Barlow Bradford and Jong-hun Bae.

Craig & Melissa Ballard

 As some of the School of Music’s most generous and involved supporters, Craig & Melissa Ballard are natural choices for this year’s Camerata Awards. Almost immediately upon completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the U of U in piano performance, Melissa began her service to the School of Music with her fellow U of U alumni husband, Craig, right by her side. The hard-working couple was instrumental in developing the School of Music’s very first fundraising community board in 2000, which has helped to provide tremendous growth opportunities for the School of Music with a flourishing advisory board from the community. Melissa served as the founding chair of the advisory board, where she was able to create an annual fundraising gala event. Now in its 11th year, the same event she helped to spearhead is now honoring her as a Camerata Award winner. Melissa also created and served on various committees, including the Ambassador Leaders, chair of the “Take a Seat” campaign and the Virtuoso Series, and she continues to bring great ideas to the growing School of Music.

 U of U Singers and A Capella Choir singing together "Come Thou Fount of every Blessing"

 Mika is loving being at the U of U and she loves to sing in the Singers!!

 Look at that SMILE. She is just Beautiful and so talented!!

The U of U Singers performed 4 songs and they were all great and so much better than just a few weeks ago at the first concert of the year. So much talent in that choir!

We had a LOT of friends at this performance and it made it even more fun to be there! Melissa and Craig had given me 50+ tickets to give out to our neighbors and friends! So many people told Mika how much they love to come and see her sing and that made her day!! She is AWESOME!!

Video on Mika's movie page.