#Breckenridge #Colorado
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| Special to the Daily |
Supporters of the National Repertory Orchestra (NRO) recently purchased practice violins, with cases and bows, at the NRO’s annual gala and then donated them for use by students in the Summit County Middle School music program.
For more than 50 years the NRO has enriched the lives of Colorado citizens through its annual summer concert program in Summit County. Eighty-eight young musicians between the ages of 18 and 29 are selected from nearly 1,000 applicants from around the world. The purpose of the NRO is to provide these young musicians with a valuable orchestral experience to help them win a permanent position in a professional orchestra.
Each year, the NRO holds its annual gala in Denver to raise funds to support the cost of providing room and board to the 88 young musicians along with the cost of hiring a music director and other staff. A silent auction is normally one aspect of the gala fundraising. This year, Mary Qualtire, the owner of the Golden Music Center, located on Colfax Avenue in Lakewood, agreed to make a donation of six practice violins and the NRO placed them in the silent auction.
The NRO learned that Summit County Middle School was in need of practice violins for their beginning students.
“This was a win-win situation for the NRO and the middle school. We are committed to continuing and expanding this program to assist more Summit County young music students, especially those who otherwise would be unable to participate.”Doug AdamsNRO CEO
“This is a huge deal for us,” said Mark Clark, Summit Middle School instrumental music director, in a statement. “We have 65 beginning string players at the Summit Middle School. We are very grateful and these instruments will be used immediately.”
Clark said it was his goal to ensure that every student who signs up for the program has a practice instrument.
The silent auction gave the bidder the option to donate the practice violin to Summit County Middle School music program. All were donated. $1,250 was raised for the NRO and the Summit Middle School received six refurbished violins for its music program. The donors include Barbara and Jim Calvin, Gerry and Annette Fricke, Terry and Dan Lowe, Rick Poppe and Janna Edwards, and Wendy King and George Lasnier.
“This was a win-win situation for the NRO and the middle school,” said NRO’s CEO Doug Adams, in a statement. “We are committed to continuing and expanding this program to assist more Summit County young music students, especially those who otherwise would be unable to participate. Also, our supporters were happy to have the opportunity to support the NRO through the silent auction, while at the same time, donate the instrument they purchased to Summit County for use by its young music students. We are so thankful that Mary Qualtire of Golden Music Center made all of this possible.”
Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.
