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Greetings, and thank you so much for reading this letter! I hope that it finds you & your loved ones safe, healthy, hopeful, and overall, as well as possible.
What is Piano Lab? A welcoming, all-inclusive place for the well-rounded, inspirational learning of music on various instruments (piano, violin, guitar, voice, music technology & more). We've served Asheville for 10 years & counting, working with thousands of thriving students over the years!
As the founder and director of Piano Lab and a life-long professional musician committed to cultural equity, building bridges, and strengthening confidence in our young people, I am so pleased to be a part of this community and can't help but to see the ridiculous potential for brighter days and bigger things ahead for WNC.
Why is Piano Lab special? I believe it is because of the impact we're able to make on the lives of so many great families & individuals in our community...
Because of our excellent, encouraging teachers and their ability to bring out skills, confidence, and personal expression in their students, relating to all backgrounds and all ages...
Because of our pretty incredible versatility (from classical to jazz studies and well beyond)...
And because we care.
-- Thousands of hours have been donated over the past 10 years to raise funds for children who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford to continue lessons.
--Loaned and donated pianos have assisted dozens of families.
--Partership with non-profits along the way have made an even bigger impact, and plans are forming for new partnerships this coming year as well!
On the other hand...
To state the obvious, COVID-19 has negatively impacted us all in a myriad of ways. For Piano Lab, the momentum of our Spring Quarter was decimated. We managed to continue but had to shut down our studios for 3 months while still continuing to pay the bulk of our rental expenses. We were able to continue some lessons online during this time, but to a greatly reduced degree. Now, we are about to enter the Summer Quarter which is the slowest one of the year (with many families on vacation--something for which we'd normally be prepared from the Spring). We were also forced to cancel our inaugural plans for an amazing summer music camp this year.
And so, as strange as it feels to have to ask, and as a direct result of those "missed" months due to COVID, we've realized we need a little help to ensure we make it through these next few months and come out stronger than ever in the Fall Season.
With fresh initiatives, and new & pending students already looking toward the fall, we really want to keep going strong in every location in which we serve our greater community. If we are forced to downsize over the summer, the chances of serving those parts of the greater Asheville area will disappear with those studios (right as we are starting to see more growth in those areas!), and worst case scenario, over 100 students may lose their opportunity to continue their music studies.
And so, we are asking for this assistance to ensure we are able to keep ALL the studio doors open for ALL students under our wing and ensuring we enter the Fall Season with strength and momentum.
Any amount you may be able to donate to this cause--of continuing the great work of music education in our studios--would be MASSIVELY appreciated!
Timeline: Ideally, most donations would be made by early July. However, any assistance throughout the entirety of the summer will be most welcome and very helpful.
How Can We Possibly Thank You?
It's a tad too early at this moment (post-quarantine) to formally schedule a live Thank-You Concert in the Fall...but your names will most definitely be on the program when that happens!
Any donated amount that is in excess of the needs of summer--that remainder will go directly into our Scholarship Program and will be formally announced and awarded at the start of the new school year. In this event, your names will be listed as donors to the scholarship as well.
In conclusion, if you can give ANY amount, it will help. And if you can't, we still Thank You for reading this and ask that you please share our existence & our mission with those who might benefit!
Please click here (then press PLAY immediately) to listen to a tiny clip of what your Thank-You Concert might sound like (with Kimberly & Friends...& Family). We love asking for requests in advance (any music style, any piece)! I can't wait!
With Sincere & Unending Gratitude,
Kimberly Cann
Concert Pianist & Director
Piano Lab Studios, Asheville
AshevilleMusicLessons.com
What is Piano Lab? A welcoming, all-inclusive place for the well-rounded, inspirational learning of music on various instruments (piano, violin, guitar, voice, music technology & more). We've served Asheville for 10 years & counting, working with thousands of thriving students over the years!
As the founder and director of Piano Lab and a life-long professional musician committed to cultural equity, building bridges, and strengthening confidence in our young people, I am so pleased to be a part of this community and can't help but to see the ridiculous potential for brighter days and bigger things ahead for WNC.
Why is Piano Lab special? I believe it is because of the impact we're able to make on the lives of so many great families & individuals in our community...
Because of our excellent, encouraging teachers and their ability to bring out skills, confidence, and personal expression in their students, relating to all backgrounds and all ages...
Because of our pretty incredible versatility (from classical to jazz studies and well beyond)...
And because we care.
-- Thousands of hours have been donated over the past 10 years to raise funds for children who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford to continue lessons.
--Loaned and donated pianos have assisted dozens of families.
--Partership with non-profits along the way have made an even bigger impact, and plans are forming for new partnerships this coming year as well!
On the other hand...
To state the obvious, COVID-19 has negatively impacted us all in a myriad of ways. For Piano Lab, the momentum of our Spring Quarter was decimated. We managed to continue but had to shut down our studios for 3 months while still continuing to pay the bulk of our rental expenses. We were able to continue some lessons online during this time, but to a greatly reduced degree. Now, we are about to enter the Summer Quarter which is the slowest one of the year (with many families on vacation--something for which we'd normally be prepared from the Spring). We were also forced to cancel our inaugural plans for an amazing summer music camp this year.
And so, as strange as it feels to have to ask, and as a direct result of those "missed" months due to COVID, we've realized we need a little help to ensure we make it through these next few months and come out stronger than ever in the Fall Season.
With fresh initiatives, and new & pending students already looking toward the fall, we really want to keep going strong in every location in which we serve our greater community. If we are forced to downsize over the summer, the chances of serving those parts of the greater Asheville area will disappear with those studios (right as we are starting to see more growth in those areas!), and worst case scenario, over 100 students may lose their opportunity to continue their music studies.
And so, we are asking for this assistance to ensure we are able to keep ALL the studio doors open for ALL students under our wing and ensuring we enter the Fall Season with strength and momentum.
Any amount you may be able to donate to this cause--of continuing the great work of music education in our studios--would be MASSIVELY appreciated!
Timeline: Ideally, most donations would be made by early July. However, any assistance throughout the entirety of the summer will be most welcome and very helpful.
How Can We Possibly Thank You?
It's a tad too early at this moment (post-quarantine) to formally schedule a live Thank-You Concert in the Fall...but your names will most definitely be on the program when that happens!
Any donated amount that is in excess of the needs of summer--that remainder will go directly into our Scholarship Program and will be formally announced and awarded at the start of the new school year. In this event, your names will be listed as donors to the scholarship as well.
In conclusion, if you can give ANY amount, it will help. And if you can't, we still Thank You for reading this and ask that you please share our existence & our mission with those who might benefit!
Please click here (then press PLAY immediately) to listen to a tiny clip of what your Thank-You Concert might sound like (with Kimberly & Friends...& Family). We love asking for requests in advance (any music style, any piece)! I can't wait!
With Sincere & Unending Gratitude,
Kimberly Cann
Concert Pianist & Director
Piano Lab Studios, Asheville
AshevilleMusicLessons.com