On Sunday June 29th at 3 PM at the First Presbyterian Church of Denton (Hinkle and University) Beverly Hoch and Mike Steinel will present a concert to raise funds and awareness for Instruments of Change, a special musical charity. They will be assisted by a variety of Denton musicians.
Ms. Hoch and Mr. Steinel, who are married, teach music at TWU and UNT respectively. In August they will be traveling to South Africa to lead a music camp in the community of Homevale in the District of Kimberley. This program is being sponsored by Instruments of Change, a new program which is part of Covenant Children, a charity dedicated to relieve the suffering of AIDS orphans in Africa. Covenant Children is based in New Jersey was founded by their long-time friend Ardith Grandbouche-Blumenthal and Ms. Hoch serves on its board. Ms. Grandbouche-Blumenthal, who has traveled to Africa many times with her husband Andrew, plans to attend the concert in June to present a short presentation about Instruments of Change.
While in Africa Hoch and Steinel will take part in a 5-day workshop in partnership with a church in Homevale that has requested help in bringing music to some of the nearly 10,000 school children who live in abject poverty. The church is highly musical with 5 choirs and wishes to have as an ongoing project an after-school Music Academy. Resources in the area are almost non-existent and the project will serve as an inaugural event the goal of which is to deliver instruments (winds, strings, keyboard and percussion), teaching materials and instruction to musical adults and children who might become the musical leaders in the future. Steinel states that “In a way is like planting the seed of music in an area where the children have limited horizons and little hope.”
The concert, which is free, will feature a wide variety of music. Hoch is a classical singer and Steinel is a jazz trumpeter. Those attending the event will be given the opportunity to donate funds or instruments. The couple is quick to mention that all funds raised will go 100% to the purchase of new instruments and materials, or the repair of used instruments which will be shipped to Africa in mid-Summer. UNT Instrument repair specialist, Ann McMillan, will be at the concert to serve as an appraiser to provide tax receipts to donors.
