Music School of Delaware marks 100 years with Nov. 9 a Centennial Celebrations in Wilmington and Milford

WILMINGTON, Del. — The Music School of Delaware will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Sunday, Nov. 9, with coordinated festivities at its Wilmington and Milford campuses. The main event runs 4–7 p.m. at 4101 Washington Street in Wilmington; the Milford branch will host a concurrent centennial open house. Admission is free with RSVP; walk-ups are $5.

The open-house-style celebration in Wilmington will feature decade-themed music rooms tracing the school’s first century, rotating live performances by students and faculty, an instrument “petting zoo” for families, and community activities including photo booths, a campus-wide scavenger hunt, raffles, and a silent auction to benefit scholarships and programs. Food trucks and community partner tables will be on site. A story-collection station will invite alumni, families, and former faculty to record memories for a “living archive” of the school’s legacy. Parking is free on site and nearby; volunteers will provide wayfinding and accessibility assistance.

Milford will mirror the celebration with drop-in mini-concerts by local faculty and students, meet-the-teacher moments, a scaled instrument petting zoo, and the same decade-themed displays. A scavenger hunt and story-collection table will allow downstate alumni and families to contribute to the centennial archive. Select highlights from Wilmington will be shared in Milford during the event.

The centennial coincides with a year-long concert series presented in community venues statewide, from libraries to local halls. Repertoire spans centuries and styles—from Bach and Mozart to contemporary composers such as Chen Yi. The series began earlier this year with “From Bach to Banjo and Fiddle,” featuring faculty artists violinist Eliezer Gutman and pianist Lotus Cheng.

Founded in 1925, the Music School of Delaware offers private lessons, ensembles, and classes for all ages at branches in Wilmington and Milford, serving students across the region.

Founded in 1925, the Music School of Delaware offers private lessons, ensembles and classes for all ages at branches in Wilmington and Milford, serving students across the region.

The milestone year also ushers in new leadership. Following a national search, the school appointed David J. Pacific as president and CEO, effective Oct. 20. A classically trained pianist and veteran arts leader, Pacific called the role “an incredible honor.”

“There is something truly extraordinary happening at The Music School of Delaware, and it resonates across the entire state,” Pacific said. “I am grateful to build on the rich history of the school as we welcome its next century and invite more people to join us in making music a meaningful part of our lives together.”

Elizabeth Stout, chair of the CEO search committee, said Pacific “not only meets, but exceeds” the criteria the board sought. “His understanding of and respect for our faculty and staff, his success in building inclusive and accessible arts programs, and his enthusiasm for community engagement make him the right leader for this moment in our school’s evolution,” she said.

If you go: Centennial Celebration, Sunday, Nov. 9, 4–7 p.m.

• Wilmington: 4101 Washington St.; decade rooms, live stages, petting zoo, scavenger hunt, photo booths, raffles, silent auction, food trucks, partner booths, story-collection station.

• Milford: Centennial open house with mini-concerts, meet-the-teacher sessions, petting zoo, decade displays, scavenger hunt, story-collection table; select Wilmington highlights shared.
  Admission: Free with RSVP; $5 at the door.
  Volunteer opportunities: Help staff decade rooms, scavenger hunts, photo booths, collect stories, and instrument petting zoos. Alumni and friends are encouraged to bring or upload photos and memories for the archive.

For more information, visit https://www.musicschoolofdelaware.org/home.html