Daniel Koo, a senior at Radnor High School plans on attending college to study violin. Last year, he was selected as one of 200 students to receive a scholarship to Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts in Erie, Pennsylvania. While there, one of his projects was to develop an idea that would raise money for local music students. Last December, Daniel’s efforts paid off. Through a benefit concert for the Community Music Scholars Program String Project at Temple University’s Music Preparatory Program, Daniel, along with other classmates, raised $1400 in support of private string instruction at a nominal cost for Philadelphia area students.

“My private violin teacher, Ms. Helen Kwalwasser, (Boyer College faculty member) told me about the String Project at Music Prep and how it would reach string students that may not be able to afford individual lessons,” Daniel said. “We all know how important music education is.” Daniel’s (violin) colleagues from the Governor’s School who performed with him on December 27, 2008, included: Martha Mingle (piano) from Delaware County Christian School, Robert May (tenor) from Annville Cleona High School and Levi Smucker (cello) from Ephrata High School. Daniel hopes that their efforts will “inspire more kids to pick up an instrument and find their passions within art.”