CMPI Fellow Instrument Fundraisers

Owning a college- or professional-level instrument is an absolute necessity for a serious music student. Unfortunately, instruments that are suitably responsive to high-level playing are prohibitively expensive. CMPI is very fortunate to be able to offer our 11th and 12th grade fellows a small instrument purchase stipend to help off-set these high costs, but the stipend is not enough for families to purchase most instruments outright. In nearly every case, additional funds must be raised to make these instruments attainable.

We thought readers of this newsletter and supporters of CMPI may be interested in knowing about three active instrument fundraising campaigns that our students have launched. We appreciate your willingness to spread the word about these campaigns to individuals in your network, and of course, we are especially appreciative of anyone who has the means and willingness to make a donation.

I am currently working towards getting a professional bassoon to hopefully last me my career. While I have come a long way with so many people supporting and believing in me, I just need a little bit more help in order to make this purchase possible and my dreams of becoming a professional musician that much more reachable. Please consider donating or sharing.

My name is Caliel Mosley, and I’m a 16-year-old classical clarinetist who needs help furthering my career! I was given an instrument grant and an amazing opportunity through the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative to purchase a freshly overhauled Bb Clarinet and an A clarinet! These instruments are essential for my college auditions, which determine how much money I’m given by the school towards tuition. Additionally, these instruments would last me throughout my undergraduate and possibly graduate school years, leading into my career as I begin to audition for professional orchestra jobs.

My name is Kevin Soto, a 16-year-old cellist from Albany Park, one of the most culturally diverse neighborhoods in Chicago. I am a part of the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative and The People’s Music School—where I first began my cello journey—which eventually led me to earn a chair in the top orchestra of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras. Now, in the present, the time has come for me to pass on my loaned cello from The People’s Music School to the next set of aspiring musicians. As I take this next big step toward college, I am humbly asking for your support. With your help, I hope to raise enough funds to purchase a cello of my own—an instrument I can take with me into this next chapter of my musical journey. Please consider helping me achieve my dream of becoming a professional cellist and continuing to make music from my heart for the world.