Help Sister Karla Maria to bring music to Suriname

My name is Karla Holland-Moritz, and I am a retired San Diego Symphony cellist, very active as a cello teacher. My name is also Sister Karla Maria; I am a solitary Benedictine nun in The Episcopal Church USA.

At the beginning of the pandemic I transitioned my in-person cello teaching to giving lessons on Zoom, FaceTime, and WhatsApp, enabling me to extend my teaching to international students. I offered a free introductory lesson to interested aspiring cellists, which is how I began teaching my first Surinamese student, Duncan Brunings. A baritone singer with some following in Suriname, Duncan was educated in the U.S., where he received his B.S. before returning to his country. Suriname, a small country in South America, has never had a professional cellist to teach this beautiful instrument.

Early on Duncan told me about his dream of learning to play, and learning to teach others to play. Since then six other beginning cello students have joined Duncan to form the Suriname Cello Ensemble.

I have been volunteering since April to teach these beginning students individually, in small groups, and in the large group — on Zoom. When I tell them that they are the future cellists and cello teachers of their country their faces become radiant!

It is my great desire to offer these lovely, earnest students three weeks of intense in-person cello lessons, master classes, rehearsals, and workshops to begin their teacher training, inviting other local string players and teachers to attend the pedagogy workshops.

This will culminate in a performance presented by the Suriname Cello Ensemble as a gift to the local residential and business community, to inspire local enthusiasm and financial support, helping to carry our educational program forward for the next nine to twelve months.

This experience will also prepare the Suriname Cello Ensemble to perform during the coming holidays and beyond in venues such as skilled nursing facilities, serving people who wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to hear live music.

Home hospitality has been graciously offered to me in Suriname by one of the cello students, and a local music school has generously offered ample teaching space. My GoFundMe need is to raise $1,400, the cost of a round trip flight from Philadelphia to Paramaribo, Suriname, and associated costs of travel.

Thank you, on behalf of the aspiring cellists and cello teachers of Suriname, and blessings on you for considering to help make their dreams come true!