Swan Songs Serenade 2026

Swan Songs is holding its annual benefit, the Swan Songs Serenade, on Sunday, November 1, at The Junior League of Austin Community Impact Center. It's the organization's 16th anniversary gala, and the night runs from 6 PM to 10 PM.

If you're not familiar with the name, Swan Songs is an Austin-founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit that pays professional musicians to play private concerts for people with a terminal illness or nearing the end of life. The concerts are free for the recipients and their families. The organization traces back to the early 1990s, when founder and CEO Christine Albert began singing for people at the end of life. It grew out of an early initiative called MusicAid, with support from figures like Craig Hella Johnson and the New Texas Festival, which is now Conspirare. Formally established as a nonprofit in 2005, it takes its name from John Swann, whose love of music inspired it. Since then, it has worked with dozens of regional hospices and care facilities and has paid over 800 musicians across some 150 solo concerts.

This year's gala comes at a time of growth for the organization: concert requests are projected to reach around 600, an estimated 60% increase since 2024. The evening itself is structured as a full night out, starting with a cocktail reception and a silent auction, moving into a seated dinner and a live auction, and ending with a musical performance from Jon Muq. The event is chaired by Shannon Meroney, with Judy Maggio as emcee and TiWanna 'TK' Kenney as auctioneer.

Individual tickets are $250, and the whole thing runs from 6 PM to 10 PM at The Junior League of Austin Community Impact Center, 5330 Bluffstone Lane, Austin, TX 78759.