Community Music School – Lehigh Valley & Berks (CMS) is pleased to announce that Andrene Brown Nowell of Allentown and Michael S. Horvath, II of Upper Macungie Township were elected to the CMS Board of Directors by unanimous vote in January 2023. Brown Nowell and Horvath will both serve three-year terms with the 40-year-old Allentown nonprofit that provides the access and inspiration for anyone in our diverse community to achieve excellence in music education and appreciate the transformative power of music.
Andrene Brown Nowell is a Founder and Executive Director of Fine Feather Foundation Inc., an Allentown nonprofit that builds communities of educational creative arts programs to protect and empower at-risk youth. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. In addition to her recent appointment to the Allentown School Board, Brown is an entrepreneur, singer, songwriter, radio host, editor in chief of Caribbean Elite Magazine, and most importantly, a mother. She is co-founder and CEO of Fine Feather Kids LLC, a children’s fashion clothing company for a cause. Empowered by her own experience of child abuse, Brown is dedicated to prevention and early intervention, while addressing and supporting the physical, mental and emotional needs of children.
Michael S. Horvath, II is an associate attorney at Gross McGinley LLP focusing on corporate transactions, real estate, commercial lending, and sports law. Horvath is originally from Bethlehem and is a graduate of Liberty High School. He completed his undergraduate studies at Bloomsburg University followed by law school at Villanova University, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Moorad Sports Law Journal in his 3L year. Horvath is now a resident of Upper Macungie. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf, exploring new music, and spending time with loved ones.
The CMS Board’s Officers for the 2022-23 fiscal year are: President: Michael Yeager, Retired CEO, Community Insurance Company; Vice President: James Warfel, Ed.D., Retired Educator; Treasurer: Tom Fenstermacher, Retired CFO, Hospital Central Services, Inc.; Secretary: Mark Stein, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Muhlenberg College. Directors: Laura Attieh, Attorney, King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, LLC; Andrene Brown Nowell, Executive Director, Fine Feather Foundation, Inc.; Carmen Flosdorf, Vice President, Commercial Banking, Peoples Security Bank & Trust Company; Michael Horvath, Attorney, Gross McGinley LLP; Gregory Kuhn, President & CEO, Omega Protective Services, LLC; Mary Hahn, Vice President of Health & Wellness, Bell & Evans; David Livert, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Penn State Lehigh Valley; Kathleen Matthews, Retired Sr. Director of Business Ethics & Compliance, PPL; Bill Moyer, President, West Region & Allentown Campus, St. Luke’s University Health Network; Elyse Pillitteri, Attorney, Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba, P.C; Vance Powers, Chief Financial Officer, Long Ridge Energy Terminal; Ellen Roberts, Retired Volunteer & Community Activist; Dail Richie, Retired Executive Director, Berks Youth Chorus & CMS faculty member; David Yeager, Retired Assistant Vice President, Guardian Life Insurance. Faculty Representative: Joe Wagner, CMS teacher of guitar, composition, & recording.
###
About CMS: Community Music School (CMS) – Lehigh Valley & Berks is a nonprofit charitable organization that provides the inspiration and opportunity for anyone in our diverse community to achieve excellence in music education and appreciate the transformative power of music. CMS employs 25 professional teachers who provide private lessons and group classes to over 300 students of all ages, from toddlers to seniors, in piano, strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, voice, and recording technology, both in-person and online. CMS offers introductory group classes, such as Kindermusik, Kids Choir, and Modern Band that provide music fundamentals, while Big Band and House Band ensembles offer collaborative free performance opportunities for intermediate and advanced students.
Thanks to support from our philanthropic community over 40 years, CMS has provided over 25,000 student services in the Lehigh Valley with the life-long benefits of a quality music education and free performance opportunities. CMS is proud to fund over $80,000 annually in financial aid, merit scholarships, and outreach programs. Over 50% of students under age 18 receive financial assistance funded by generous donors.
Located in the former Lehigh Valley Social Club at historic 1544 Hamilton Street in Allentown, CMS offers 12 lesson rooms of varying sizes, a unique parent lounge, early childhood room, music library, administrative offices, state-of-the-art recording studio, and a 150-seat recital hall. Learn more at https://cmslv.org/.
Photo caption: Andrene Brown Nowell (far left) and Michael Horvath (center) were elected to the Community Music School (CMS) Board of Directors in January 2023. Here, they are pictured in the Dorothy H. Baker Recital Hall at CMS with three other freshman board members Laura Attieh (second from left), Elyse Pillitteri (second from right), and David Yeager (far right).