Saved by the Music

You can help, inspire and unite people regardless of your age, your stature or your financial situation. Everyone in the world has something to offer.

I performed in a private fundraising concert last week in New York City that raised $18,000 to buy instruments for music schools in Costa Rica.

Last summer, then 14-year-old virtuoso cellist and high school freshman Justin Koga travelled to Costa Rica to teach at several all-volunteer music schools. He quickly realized that the schools didn’t have enough instruments for their students. So he decided to raise money to buy and send instruments to those kids before returning the following summer.

Justin Koga has been playing the cello for only five years but already has many musical accomplishments. For example, he won last year’s Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition.

Justin is from Orange County, California. He says that music has allowed him to travel and make new friends. Through music, he wants to give others what he got by playing the cello.

What a remarkable young man! Justin is uniting kids from different cultures and geographical locations through music.

There are many ways to give back and reach out to the community regardless of where you are in life. Culture is a powerful tool in our lives that transcends boundaries. Culture and the arts bring people together, and give hope and life-changing opportunities to our fellow citizens of the world.

#JustinKoga #PacificSymphonyYouthOrchestra #CostaRica #MichelleKim