A U.S. youth orchestra is seeking donations to perform at the Yeosu Expo and bring music to Koreans suffering from leprosy.

The Empire State Youth Orchestra needs to raise $6,000 to help fund its Asian tour to play at the 2012 World Expo in Korea and also for residents of Sorok Island.

Many residents of the island off Korea’s southwest coast suffer from Hansen’s disease ― more commonly known as leprosy.

The island was turned into a leper colony of 100 people by Japanese forces in 1916. At its peak the colony housed 6,000 patients. They were forced to work to provide timber for the Japanese regime and were forbidden from leaving the island. These laws passed by the Japanese administration were revoked in the early ’90s but the hospital is still in operation with some elderly patients living on the island today. 

They first heard live western music when the London Philharmonic performed for them in 2010.

Now the 85-piece ESYO from the greater Capital Region of New York aims to perform for patients at the island’s Aeyangwon Hospital from July 6-9.

They will play their Yeosu concert on July 8.

The youth orchestra is made up of middle and high school students, many of whom go on to win scholarships for top U.S. universities including Juilliard, New England Conservatory, Eastman School of Music ― or Harvard. Through an internet fundraising platform, Kickstarter.com, the orchestra has already raised more than $1,400; it is also raising funds from other sources, including corporate donations.

“We are looking forward to helping the islanders through music ― by sharing our talents on the island and by giving a concert in Seoul that will benefit the island,” said Susan G. Brome, the orchestra’s executive director.

“We will also be performing for U.S. troops stationed in Seoul. Because our trip will happen around the 4th of July, we will play a lot of patriotic music to show our gratitude for the work our troops are doing.

“This is an amazing opportunity for an American youth orchestra to perform on a world stage for an international audience.”

The orchestra’s music director, Helen Cha-Pyo, was invited by the Korean Institute of Advanced Theological Studies to bring the orchestra to perform in Korea.

ESYO will start off in China, with performances in Beijing and Shanghai kicking off the tour that will cost around $4,000 per musician.

As well as entertaining Sorok Island residents and Yeosu visitors, the young musicians will also perform in Seoul on July 10, and at Yongsan U.S. Army base on July 11.

“Music can be a powerful tool in helping to break down cultural barriers,” said music director and conductor Helen Cha-Pyo.

“When that music is presented by Empire State Youth Orchestra’s talented, highly proficient teenagers who are serving as cultural emissaries from the United States, you have an ideal vehicle for showcasing American youth.

“And one can only imagine the joy that the Sorok Islanders will experience when they are given a concert performed by people who look like teenagers but whose music sounds like that of professionals.”

The young musicians are raising funds for their trip by selling candles and asking family, friends, neighbors and corporations to donate. They are also seeking direct donations online via the Kickstarter.com fund-raising website until Feb. 13.

Those pledging cash will only be charged after that date if the orchestra reaches its $6,000 fund-raising target. Donors will also be given small gifts such as stickers, magnets, photos, conductor’s batons in thanks. For more information go to www.esyo.org.

By Kirsty Taylor
(kirstyt@heraldcorp.com)