New matches

for

musicians who have fled

Veronika (10): three-quarter-size violin

On a warm Friday afternoon, we had the pleasure of picking up a beautiful violin from a warm-hearted lady who lives on a quay in Amsterdam. The instrument had belonged to her father, and she herself had always enjoyed playing it. The lady drew the bow across the strings, and even from a distance in the stairwell, I could tell it was a fine instrument. She had first had it restored by the violin maker Christian Jünemann. He had been kind enough to split the cost of the restoration with her. She had also made a lovely blue pouch with gold-colored trim for the 3/4-size violin. You could tell the instrument had always been treated with care. It had been in the family for a long time, which made it all the more special that the lady wanted to lend this instrument to a ten-year-old refugee girl. The violin is now in good hands with Veronika. She was completely overwhelmed and speechless when she saw the instrument. We’re now looking for a violin teacher for her. We’re sure we’ll find one!

Olena & Anna: keyboards

Two keyboards—older models, but still in excellent condition, with all their accessories and the original instruction manuals—were gratefully received by two young Ukrainian women at the Geldershof shelter in Dirksland. When Anna heard that she could keep the keyboard, tears welled up in her eyes.

Olena is from Kyiv and had just made a major career change a year before the war broke out: after working as a financial analyst at a bank for 14 years, she switched to interior design. Art is her true passion, which is why she had just resumed her piano studies after years of inactivity. In her new surroundings, she has found a teacher who is helping her get back on track.

Anna is from Khmelnytsky and has lived in Lviv for the past three years. She also worked in the financial sector and successfully completed music school. She is staying here with her son Alexander, who is almost two years old, and is very happy to have her keyboard to take her mind off things—in her own words, “because music is the best friend at such a difficult time.”

Tania: accordion

Tania (54) was a music teacher at a teacher-training college in Kharkiv. She lives with her husband and daughter in a shelter in northern Drenthe. She was overjoyed to receive a beautiful accordion as a gift. Her first concert with a Dutch guitarist is already being planned.

Help Out

Do you have an instrument that you would like to donate to refugee musicians? Please submit your offer using the button below. The Musical Instrument Fund will contact you as soon as possible.

Do you know any refugee musicians who could really use an instrument? Or do you know of any organizations that can help us get in touch with these musicians? If so, please let me know. Please send me an email: cartens@muziekinstrumentenfonds.nl.

Financial support is also a great help to us. You can make a donation, large or small, on this page: Donate to the emergency relief campaign