Violinist Dan Li will organise, promote, host and perform at his first fundraising concert in aid of The Amber Trust in London this Christmas.
The 16-year-old Eton College student has put together a programme featuring some of the most gifted young musicians in the country. Dan’s first violin teacher Yohei Nakijima shares the bill at Morley College, Westminster, on December 21, along with students at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music.
Pupils from Westminster School, St Paul’s School, North London Collegiate School and Wycombe Abbey School are also set to perform works by, among others, Chopin and Debussy. The event is fast approaching the £2,000 barrier in terms of donations to date.
London-raised Dan first picked up the violin after watching a children’s concert at the Barbican as a four-year-old. He plays basketball, squash and skateboarding, but performing music remains a thrill for Dan. It is the reason why he is raising money for Amber.
“I started introducing younger children to the world of music through a community project led by my school,” he says. I found this very rewarding and enjoyable, opening my eyes to the abundant musical talent in all of them.”
“This got me thinking. How else can I help children experience the joys of music? Through the Amber Trust, blind and partially sighted children have the chance to experience a thrill they may yearn for after listening to music. They can struggle to access music without the right help. I’m overwhelmed by the amazing amount of people willing to donate so much for such a good cause.”
You can support Dan’s fundraising effort by visiting his GoFundMe page at Fundraiser by Thomas Dan Li : AMM_DanLi (gofundme.com)
You can visit Get involved in fundraising – Amber Trust to find out how you can raise funds for Amber.