My name is Megalan Tso, I attend Quince Orchard High School in Maryland, and study cello under the guidance and expertise of Miron Yampolsky. Recently, I was accepted into Boston University Tanglewood Institute, an extremely competitive summer music camp.
Unfortunately, it is just as expensive as it is competitive. The total cost of attending the cello workshop and orchestra program is $8,340. A scholarship from BUTI, my savings, and the kind and generous gifts from several individuals have lowered it to a $5,435 gap. Feel free to go ahead and drop a few Benjamins for me by clicking the “Donate Now” button, or just continue reading and enjoy a brief summary of my journey as a cellist! It is actually not as boring as me, and hopefully you will see how many kind and generous people have shaped me.
My first three years of cello instruction were on and off, with local teenage teachers as my parents could not afford professionals while also paying for the lessons of 4 of my older siblings. When I was accepted into Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras, I was generously granted a full tuition scholarship that allowed me to participate and also provided funds for private lessons, both of which I am blessed to have received since I started playing in the orchestra.
These private lesson funds allowed me to take lessons from Miron Yampolsky, who kindly offered me two lessons a week for the price of one after learning about my family's financial situation. After about a year of instruction from Mr. Yampolsky, I won the Washington Performing Arts Society’s Feder competition using a hundred dollar cello purchased off Amazon.
As a Feder prize winner, I made my Kennedy Center Millennium Stage (Baby me plays at 10:50 in the link) debut shortly after the competition. Prior to my performance, my teacher indicated that it was time to move on from my Amazon cello. A local luthier and friend of my teacher generously gave me a 3/4 cello, and then provided me with the full size I use now. These cellos, though not quite Strads or Guarneris, were enough to allow me to continue developing as a musician.
Just a few months ago, BUTI kindly reduced my application fee. Every dollar is very meaningful to me, and their understanding and generosity enabled me to apply.
These are just a few examples of the kindness that I have received, as the list simply goes on and on. My ability on the cello is hardly my own making. I have been blessed with many generous financial gifts that have enabled me to continue playing the cello.
Doors upon doors have been opened by the generosity of those around me, providing me with countless opportunities and experiences. Please consider helping me open the door of Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Thank you for taking the time to read my story!
P.S. Anyone and everyone is invited to a recital I will be having at an TBA time (Definitely before June 18th, the start of BUTI). If my writing isn't convincing enough for you to drop those Benjamins, maybe my playing will be, so please check back for updates!
Special thanks to my friends and family for their moral support through the years, to my teacher Miron Yampolsky who without I would never have even dreamt of attending BUTI, to my parents, for investing so much of their time and their money in me and my cello while caring for 5 other children, and to my number one fan and sister Kikki, whose love, care, and encouragement have helped me grow as a musician and as a person.
To learn more about BUTI's program, visit http://www.bu.edu/cfa/tanglewood/
Here is one of my audition recordings:
Unfortunately, it is just as expensive as it is competitive. The total cost of attending the cello workshop and orchestra program is $8,340. A scholarship from BUTI, my savings, and the kind and generous gifts from several individuals have lowered it to a $5,435 gap. Feel free to go ahead and drop a few Benjamins for me by clicking the “Donate Now” button, or just continue reading and enjoy a brief summary of my journey as a cellist! It is actually not as boring as me, and hopefully you will see how many kind and generous people have shaped me.
My first three years of cello instruction were on and off, with local teenage teachers as my parents could not afford professionals while also paying for the lessons of 4 of my older siblings. When I was accepted into Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras, I was generously granted a full tuition scholarship that allowed me to participate and also provided funds for private lessons, both of which I am blessed to have received since I started playing in the orchestra.
These private lesson funds allowed me to take lessons from Miron Yampolsky, who kindly offered me two lessons a week for the price of one after learning about my family's financial situation. After about a year of instruction from Mr. Yampolsky, I won the Washington Performing Arts Society’s Feder competition using a hundred dollar cello purchased off Amazon.
As a Feder prize winner, I made my Kennedy Center Millennium Stage (Baby me plays at 10:50 in the link) debut shortly after the competition. Prior to my performance, my teacher indicated that it was time to move on from my Amazon cello. A local luthier and friend of my teacher generously gave me a 3/4 cello, and then provided me with the full size I use now. These cellos, though not quite Strads or Guarneris, were enough to allow me to continue developing as a musician.
Just a few months ago, BUTI kindly reduced my application fee. Every dollar is very meaningful to me, and their understanding and generosity enabled me to apply.
These are just a few examples of the kindness that I have received, as the list simply goes on and on. My ability on the cello is hardly my own making. I have been blessed with many generous financial gifts that have enabled me to continue playing the cello.
Doors upon doors have been opened by the generosity of those around me, providing me with countless opportunities and experiences. Please consider helping me open the door of Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Thank you for taking the time to read my story!
P.S. Anyone and everyone is invited to a recital I will be having at an TBA time (Definitely before June 18th, the start of BUTI). If my writing isn't convincing enough for you to drop those Benjamins, maybe my playing will be, so please check back for updates!
Special thanks to my friends and family for their moral support through the years, to my teacher Miron Yampolsky who without I would never have even dreamt of attending BUTI, to my parents, for investing so much of their time and their money in me and my cello while caring for 5 other children, and to my number one fan and sister Kikki, whose love, care, and encouragement have helped me grow as a musician and as a person.
To learn more about BUTI's program, visit http://www.bu.edu/cfa/tanglewood/
Here is one of my audition recordings:
Organizer
Megalan Tso
Organizer
Gaithersburg, MD