In October 2023, I performed as a member of the Euphonos Ensemble in a benefit concert supporting Clothes for Kids, a Beaverton School District volunteer program that provides clothing and shoes for students in need.
The concert took place at Lincoln Recital Hall at Portland State University, and all proceeds were donated to help local students and families.
I had been playing music for years, but I often wondered whether what I was doing truly had any meaning beyond personal enjoyment. This concert changed that.
For the first time, I realized that my music could be used to help others — that my talent could bring real value to someone else’s life. It was a simple yet powerful realization that made me see music in a new way.
The program featured works by Edward Elgar, J.S. Bach, Frédéric Chopin, Polina Nazayinskaya, and Franz Schubert. The event was free to attend, and we set up both a donation box and a QR code system so audience members could easily contribute.
Through this experience, I learned that music isn’t just about performance or self-expression — it can also be an act of giving.
It was the first time I felt that what I love doing could genuinely make a difference in my community, and that feeling has stayed with me ever since.
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