Raising Stars

Fenelon Falls Live! presents the Raising Stars Benefit Concert featuring the Mike Graham Trio, on Sunday afternoon, 15 November 2026, at Fenelon Falls United Church, 123 Colborne Street, Fenelon Falls ON. In partnership with the Kawartha Community Foundation, Fenelon Falls Live! is mounting this benefit to support the youth music program at The Loft, a BGC Kawarthas youth drop-in centre on Colborne St. in downtown Fenelon Falls, created in collaboration with Kawartha Works Community Cooperative Inc. The Loft offered a youth music program last year and hopes to offer music-based experiences and lessons to youth.

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Raising Stars Benefit Concert Supports Musical Development

Fenelon Falls Live!, in partnership with the Kawartha Community Foundation, is mounting a benefit concert called Raising Stars to support the youth music program at The Loft, a BGC Kawarthas youth drop-in centre on Colborne Street in downtown Fenelon Falls created in collaboration with Kawartha Works Community Cooperative.

The Mike Graham Trio will perform on Sunday afternoon, 15 November, from 3-5:30 p.m. at Fenelon Falls United Church. The Trio brings timeless standards to life with energy, elegance, and a fresh perspective. Their repertoire spans the rich tradition of jazz — from the music of Django Reinhardt, Miles Davis, and Horace Silver, to beloved Bossa Nova favourites, along with their own original arrangements of classic show tunes.  

The Trio features Mike Graham on guitar, Eric Smeaton on drums and Dennis Pendrith on bass. All have deep roots in the Kawarthas as well as the greater Toronto music scene. Eric Smeaton is known locally as a popular music teacher, local performer, CKL city councillor, and previous Executive Director of the Kawartha Community Foundation. Dennis Pendrith may be familiar as the backbone of Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Cafe orchestra, and has worked with Raffi, Bruce Cockburn, Gordon Lightfoot, Murray McLauchlan, Sylvia Tyson and more. Mike Graham is a sought after jazz guitarist, bassist, vocalist, composer, educator and music producer.

The Trio will be joined by local youth musicians to showcase the spirit of excellence that jazz music can inspire and foster. 

Study after study has shown that music education bolsters academic achievement, and music performance supports group and individual achievement, vital features of any career. The Loft offered a youth music program last year and hopes to offer music-based experiences and lessons to youth. The Raising Stars concert aims to give the budding programming a significant financial boost.

Fenelon Falls enjoys a vibrant music scene with open mic events, song circles and music jams happening most nights of the week. Fenelon Falls Live!, a local music promotion group, and Kawartha Community Foundation, want to ensure the music scene continues with each new generation.

There will be something for everyone at the Raising Stars benefit concert — upbeat swing, beautiful ballads, and Latin-infused rhythms, familiar, fresh, and always swinging!

Tickets are $35 each with proceeds going to The Loft’s music program.