Tuesday (11/24) on the NBC Miami website, Adam Kuperstein writes, “Carlos Cruz-Taura is a cellist in the Greater-Miami Youth Symphony. The 14-year-old says playing music makes him ‘happy,’ and he wants everyone to feel that way, including the students who can no longer afford it. ‘Especially this year because of economic troubles a lot of families haven’t been able to pay orchestra dues,’ said Cruz-Taura. So the talented 9th grader did something about it. He created the community challenge—a fundraiser where Carlos and his fellow young musicians commit to practice an hour for every dollar donated. ‘We thought it was a great idea, especially exciting because it came from a student,’ said Melissa Lesniak, the Greater-Miami Youth Symphony’s Executive Director. … Carlos has a sheet where he tracks his donations. He pledged to practice 192 hours, so he could raise $192. But in just a few months, he raised more than $600. ‘We can buy a few instruments for that…or a couple of scholarships for financially needy students,’ said Lesniak.”
Posted November 25, 2009
