In 1883, a group of nine women, led by Ella Matthews Peirce, founded the St. Cecilia Music Society to promote the study and appreciation of music. Named after Saint Cecilia, the patron Saint of music, the group quickly grew from small parlor meetings into a major cultural force in Grand Rapids. As interest expanded, the group fundraised enough to build its own Italian Renaissance-style building designed by Henry Ives Cobb in 1894. Over time, the organization became known as "the mother of the arts", helping to launch major institutions such as the Grand Rapids Ballet and the Grand Rapids Symphony. After many restorations and nearly being demolished in the 60s, the organization changed its name to St. Cecilia Music Center to encompass what the organization had become: a place for music enrichment and education. As lifelong lovers of the arts, music, and history, it seemed only fitting that we chose St. Cecilia's as our venue. See St. Cecilia's website for a deeper dive into the center's history... https://www.scmcgr.org/about-us/history