performance; music piece includes Hungarian music giant Bartók Béla, Chopin and Liszt. During the concert, the children had an opportunity to sing along with Kaneko’s piano, and they beautifully performed the piece they have been practicing for days; “Esteli notazas“ written by Hungarian composer Jószef Karai, in its original language! It must have been quite nervous and challenging experience for the children, but what we witnessed in them was only confidence and joy.

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After the concert, we received an anonymous note which reads;

“Being aged like myself, living alone and not capable of going too far from home, today was such a special day. The concert reminded me how wonderful and how nourishing music is. I was concerned that children in Soma too, not being able to have cultural experiences because our town is in remote area, but I am very happy to see that they have such a great opportunity because El Sistema is here in Soma. Playing together with a professional artist during childhood is a treasure and life-altering experience. Thank you El Sistema Japan, for reaching out to children in our community. Today, I am encouraged, energized, and I feel I can overcome challenges lies before me. Thank you.”

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This program was originally started to help children to recover from trauma of earth quake, tsunami, and other hardships followed by the disaster. However, now we see one by one, people around the children also transforming their lives.

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We thank you, Global Giving donors for your continuous support. Because of your committed contribution, many children are making positive changes in their lives as well as community they live in. We are determined to expand our program and reach out to more children in needs!

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As always, we value your feedback. Please feel free to contact us for any suggestions and opinions. We are looking forward to hearing from you!