Jean and his wife Sarah are both wonderful musicians (cellists) and wonderful people who do a lot in their own community (previously here in Richmond, now in New Orleans) to bring music to diverse audiences and to develop young musicians. Jean himself is originally from Haiti and is an alumnus of its most prestigious music school -- which was sadly destroyed in the earthquake.
Read this letter from Jean, and then send your supplies to the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra. Anything that arrives there by March 22 will be included in the first delivery on March 26. As you'll read below, if you include a self-addressed envelope inside the case of the instrument you donate, they'll send you a photo of your instrument with the student who receives it.
Dear Friends,
Words are not enough to thank you for the level of kindness you have expressed toward Haiti in the past few weeks. This enormous tragedy exposed the fragility of our human existence. It has also helped us reassess the true meaning of our own lives.
Today, I am reaching out to you and your friends to make a contribution to the future of Haiti.
The Holy Trinity School of Music, the most well-established music school in Haiti, which gave me and many others the foundation we needed to be musicians and become valuable contributors on the world stage, lies in ruin. But the spirit of the school lives on. Now, more than ever, we can work together to make a positive impact in the lives of Haiti's young musicians.
While we are making efforts to rebuild the school, which was a cultural center for the performing arts in Haiti, we need to do something immediately to save lives and heal wounded souls through the power of music.
Therefore, in this first phase of our efforts and with the generous support of the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra (a 501.c3 nonprofit organization), I am organizing a massive effort to collect music instruments, as many as possible, for the music students in Haiti who have lost everything.
We will be giving these students something tangible to hold on to so they can continue to keep music in their lives. Their new instruments will bring them comfort and support in the wake of the earthquake in which most instruments and supplies were lost.
In eight weeks, I will travel with a small group of volunteers to Haiti for a three-day trip during which these instruments will be distributed to the music students who have survived the tragedy. If, in the corner of your room or in your attic you have an instrument that you would love to share with these children, please send it to the GNOYO address on the attached flyer. Place a legal-sized envelope with your name and address inside the instrument's case. We will take pictures of each student with their new instrument and send the picture to you.
The values and lessons I learned while growing up in Haiti have made me the man, conductor, musician, and teacher I am today. I have always been dedicated to giving back and instilling hope in the youth of my homeland and I truly understand the needs and struggles that the young people encounter in the country. I believe that our efforts will bring hope, joy, and relief to these students and will make a valuable contribution toward a brighter future for the people of Haiti.
Please share this with anyone you know who might be interested in making a donation and help us spread the word in various media outlets, such as the newspaper, radio, TV, and the internet.
Thank you so much for your help. I will keep all of you updated with the progress of our efforts.
Sincerely,
Jean Montès
(Above photo is courtesy of AfriClassical.)
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