Help Layla Buy a New Violin
Donation protected
My name is Zoe Gelsi, and I'm raising money to help my friend Layla buy a new violin. Her violin was broken in a backstage accident during a performance of Fiddler on the Roof at Glenfield Middle School in Montclair, NJ.
I've known Layla since first grade. Playing the violin is a huge part of Layla's life and who she is. Besides her violin being worth $4,000, the violin also had sentimental value. It was Layla's mother's violin, whose dad purchased it in France in 1975. It would mean the world to Layla if we could help replace the broken violin. The violin was part of her, and Layla isn’t Layla without a violin.
How Layla's Violin Broke
A series of unfortunate events led to Layla's violin getting stepped on and broken in the hectic backstage flurry of the Glenfield production of Fiddler on the Roof. There's enough blame to go around, including Glenfield Middle School, me and even Layla. We all learned lessons from this incident.
How the Money will be Spent
Layla's family brought her broken violin to a repair shop in NYC. The estimate for the repair was $3,000, almost the total value of the violin. Also, the shop couldn't guarantee the sound quality after the repair. Layla's family decided it would be better to buy a new violin. The money we raise will help Layla buy a new violin of similar quality to the one that broke. It will cost about $4,000.
Layla's Violin Background and her Goals
Layla started playing when she was four years old, continuing a family tradition. When Layla started in a Suzuki class at The Montclair Coop, her little violin was almost as big as she was. Layla loved practicing. She performed at recitals and played violin with her family. Layla was an early student of Ruth Brons (https://www.linkedin.com/in/things4strings/). Ms. Brons introduced her to the music program at Montclair State University (MSU) where Layla has played with other students, the orchestra and a trio.
Layla has also played in the Glenfield Middle School jazz band and orchestra for three years. She was so excited to perform as the "Fiddler" in Glenfield's production of The Fiddler on the Roof.
What's Going on Now, and Our DEADLINE ( 7/15/18!)
After the violin broke, Layla used a borrowed violin (thank you Mara Novak and Jami Price!) to finish out the Fiddler performances. Layla used the same borrowed violin to audition for the MSU Glen Caglarcan Memorial Violin Scholarship, which she won!! Layla will perform at MSU as a soloist later this month.
Layla needs her own violin as soon as possible so she can practice over the summer. She wants to prepare for playing at Montclair High School as a freshman, and also practice for the MSU Prepatory Center for the Arts program that starts this fall. It takes time to shop for and get used to playing a new instrument, so:
WE WANT TO RAISE THE FUNDS BY JUNE 15, before school lets out and everyone forgets this happened.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
I'm donating money from my savings to get everything started. Here's what you can do:
1. DONATE! Even the smallest donation from kids or adults will help.
2. If you can't donate, and even if you can, please SHARE ON FACEBOOK or any social media to help us get the word out, especially to the Montclair, NJ community.
Thank you for reading this, and for your contribution!
It was so upsetting when Layla's violin broke, and I know she'll be grateful. I can't imagine having an unexpected $4,000 purchase! Our goal is $2,000, but hopefully we can raise even more since a new similar quality violin costs $4,000.
I hope that all the kids who were in the Fiddler show can contribute.
Layla's family told me that Montclair has already been so helpful to Layla and her musical journey. Layla and her family will be tremendously grateful for any help you can provide to help raise money for a new violin. Layla plans to keep playing for the rest of her life!
I've known Layla since first grade. Playing the violin is a huge part of Layla's life and who she is. Besides her violin being worth $4,000, the violin also had sentimental value. It was Layla's mother's violin, whose dad purchased it in France in 1975. It would mean the world to Layla if we could help replace the broken violin. The violin was part of her, and Layla isn’t Layla without a violin.
How Layla's Violin Broke
A series of unfortunate events led to Layla's violin getting stepped on and broken in the hectic backstage flurry of the Glenfield production of Fiddler on the Roof. There's enough blame to go around, including Glenfield Middle School, me and even Layla. We all learned lessons from this incident.
How the Money will be Spent
Layla's family brought her broken violin to a repair shop in NYC. The estimate for the repair was $3,000, almost the total value of the violin. Also, the shop couldn't guarantee the sound quality after the repair. Layla's family decided it would be better to buy a new violin. The money we raise will help Layla buy a new violin of similar quality to the one that broke. It will cost about $4,000.
Layla's Violin Background and her Goals
Layla started playing when she was four years old, continuing a family tradition. When Layla started in a Suzuki class at The Montclair Coop, her little violin was almost as big as she was. Layla loved practicing. She performed at recitals and played violin with her family. Layla was an early student of Ruth Brons (https://www.linkedin.com/in/things4strings/). Ms. Brons introduced her to the music program at Montclair State University (MSU) where Layla has played with other students, the orchestra and a trio.
Layla has also played in the Glenfield Middle School jazz band and orchestra for three years. She was so excited to perform as the "Fiddler" in Glenfield's production of The Fiddler on the Roof.
What's Going on Now, and Our DEADLINE ( 7/15/18!)
After the violin broke, Layla used a borrowed violin (thank you Mara Novak and Jami Price!) to finish out the Fiddler performances. Layla used the same borrowed violin to audition for the MSU Glen Caglarcan Memorial Violin Scholarship, which she won!! Layla will perform at MSU as a soloist later this month.
Layla needs her own violin as soon as possible so she can practice over the summer. She wants to prepare for playing at Montclair High School as a freshman, and also practice for the MSU Prepatory Center for the Arts program that starts this fall. It takes time to shop for and get used to playing a new instrument, so:
WE WANT TO RAISE THE FUNDS BY JUNE 15, before school lets out and everyone forgets this happened.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
I'm donating money from my savings to get everything started. Here's what you can do:
1. DONATE! Even the smallest donation from kids or adults will help.
2. If you can't donate, and even if you can, please SHARE ON FACEBOOK or any social media to help us get the word out, especially to the Montclair, NJ community.
Thank you for reading this, and for your contribution!
It was so upsetting when Layla's violin broke, and I know she'll be grateful. I can't imagine having an unexpected $4,000 purchase! Our goal is $2,000, but hopefully we can raise even more since a new similar quality violin costs $4,000.
I hope that all the kids who were in the Fiddler show can contribute.
Layla's family told me that Montclair has already been so helpful to Layla and her musical journey. Layla and her family will be tremendously grateful for any help you can provide to help raise money for a new violin. Layla plans to keep playing for the rest of her life!
Organizer and beneficiary
Jennifer May
Organizer
Montclair, NJ
Camilla Seth
Beneficiary