Help Ben Johnson purchase a new Classical Guitar

Hello everyone. My name is Todd Mabe and I have set up this GoFundMe to support my nephew, Ben Johnson, as he pursues his degree in Classical Guitar Performance (BFA) at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee in the Fall.

Specifically, this GoFundMe is meant to offset the high cost of concert luthier-made guitars that he will need for his studies. These guitars start at $8K and can exceed well over $10K depending on what sound Ben prefers.

Who is Ben Johnson you ask? Ben Johnson is a classical guitarist from Austin, Texas, who began to study the guitar in 2016 at Lamar Middle School. Ben has been studying privately with Dr. Joseph Palmer since 2018 and has won top prizes at competitions including the Southwest Guitar Symposium and Texas Hill Country Guitar Competition. He has performed many solo concerts around Texas, opening for 2018 Guitar Foundation of America winner Raphaël Feuillâtre and recently receiving the Texas Outstanding Musician Award at the 2023 UIL State Solo and Ensemble Competition. Ben has graduated from McCallum High School and Fine Arts Academy as the first chair of the Chamber Guitar Ensemble under the direction of Andrew Clark. Ben will be attending the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee in the fall of 2023 to study under Cuban-born virtuoso René Izquierdo.