Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Koffler.
Kimberly, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started out as a mom of a young musician that was in a rock band. I spent a lot of time looking for venues and gigs, it wasn’t the easiest thing to do as there are not a lot of places out there for a teen band to play. I started South Bay Music Connection in 2018 as a Facebook group. The goal was to start a community of music in the South Bay for teen and young adult bands and performers. Make it a place for local bands and parents to get to know one another, post gigs, share videos, and have their music heard. My goal was to foster a community of teen bands that supports one another, let people know when they had an upcoming gig; share new music and band updates; collaborate and create great music. The philosophy being; the more people you get to know the more opportunities that can open up.
After seeing how many talented young musicians we had locally, I started to create and produce events to give these amazing artists an opportunity to showcase their talent. In 2019 we became a non-profit and have partnered with some great businesses, venues and local city governments. Today we are able to provide a complete backline that includes PA system, amps and drums. We have a lot of great gigs planned for 2023 with inspiring young musicians ages ranging 10-21.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’d say that the hardest thing is the fundraising. We are all volunteers and rely on donations from our local community. These donations are needed to run the everyday workings of the non-profit as well as be able to update equipment, hire sound engineers and to build platforms and staging when needed. We are currently looking for sponsors, we would love to purchase a portable stage and would like to be able to pay the kids a little something so they can learn what it is like to be rewarded for their hard work. If you know any businesses or people out there looking to sponsor or donate, please reach out! Supporting these young musicians is a chance to change their lives.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Well, if you have been reading this article; then you know we are in the business of and specialize in supporting young musicians. We are known for taking unknown young, local musicians and setting them on stages that sometimes have thousands in attendance. How cool is that? We are proud to be able to watch these great kids blossom into seasoned performers. Some of our kids just do it for fun performing solo or getting into junior high and high school bands, some go off to college to study music with a foundation in performance and songwriting.
What sets us apart is that we are free to the kids that we work with and to the businesses that we support, hopefully getting a small donation. Our staff are all volunteers and we love what we do! I want to give a shout-out to the wonderful people I work with; Chrysta Powell, Melanie Gourzis, Michael Vercos and my husband Tim Mackie (a fantastic roadie).
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite memories would have to be sitting in my room playing records and getting lost in the music, sometimes fantasizing that I was on stage with the band.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.southbaymusicconnection.rocks
- Instagram: @sbmconnect
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1665448126868800
Image Credits
Kimberly Koffler Entertainment Photography Plus Scott Jones
