Cellos for Surinamese Students in Need

Dear Friends,

Your enthusiastic and loving contributions enabled my travel to Suriname, South America in November to provide three weeks of intensive in-person volunteer cello teaching to the Surinamese people. Please accept the heartfelt thanks of the students, their families, and me!

When I arrived in Suriname 8 students were eagerly awaiting their in-person cello lessons. By the end of the first week 10 additional people were requesting cello lessons, and they needed cellos!

There are only a few cellos in the entire country, and there are no music stores selling cellos. The average 2024 salary in Suriname is $225 US dollars per month, which makes the cost of even a student level cello beyond the means of many families.

All donations to our fundraiser will be used to purchase and ship to Suriname cellos needed by students who are unable to afford to purchase cellos themselves. These students are ready to learn just as soon as there is a cello for them!

Here in the Philadelphia area we are blessed to have Paul E. Stevens, a very kind, compassionate luthier whose shop is in Ardmore. He sympathizes with the needs of the Surinamese people, has cellos of all sizes that could be used in Suriname, and is making them available to us at cost. He is experienced in packing cellos for safe shipping and I am committed to working with him to select appropriate cellos and assist him in packing.

The cellos we purchase with your donations will ensure that this generation and future generations of Surinamese children and adults will have cellos to play. A cello’s lifespan can be hundreds of years, and the sound improves with age!

I am planning a second three week trip to again teach in person in Suriname in the spring of 2025, and in the meantime I continue to teach the Surinamese students on Zoom as a volunteer teacher.

Accomplished in Suriname in November, 2024:

* 21 consecutive days of cello instruction, nine to eleven hours daily, consisting of:

Private cello lessons for all students

Teacher training sessions for all students

Ongoing supervision of all teacher trainees

Rehearsals for the group of cellists, named Cello Ensemble Suriname, for an exciting performance in November, and preparation for a Christmas performance at a retirement community

Introductory cello lessons for all people who expressed interest, including 4 children ages 6 - 13, who are continuing their lessons

* Arranging for a free weekly Zoom Dounis master class for Cello Ensemble Suriname and interested Surinamese violin teachers during my stay, by eminent cello soloist and Dounis teacher, Byron Duckwall

* Arranging for scholarships for cello students needing them, to Byron Duckwall’s weekly Zoom Dounis master class

We hope you enjoy the photos and short video from Suriname, our gift to you!

With deepest gratitude,

Sister Karla Maria, the students of Cello Ensemble Suriname, and their families