Children who were affected by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami are being encouraged to pick up their musical instruments again as a fund has been launched to repair damaged instruments.The “School Music Revival” fund will offer free checks and make any repairs needed to instruments in schools that were damaged by the March 11 disaster. It will also provide music scores for pupils to learn and perform from.
According to the Mainichi Daily News, some 1,850 schools in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima will be the focus of the 300 million yen (£2.3 million) fund as they were the worst-hit. It is hoped that by helping children from primary school age to high school, they will find some comfort in playing music again after the tragedy.
Organised by The All-Japan Musical Instrument Association and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, money for the fund is expected to be raised through the proceeds of charity concerts and private donors.
One of the concerts will be performed by Mr Sakamoto himself in December. The composer told the news provider: “I hope we can help the disaster victims from a musical perspective for a long time to come.
“I make music, so I hope to do my part to help by composing new pieces.”
While the fund will help to bring musical education back to children through the repaired instruments, one very expensive violin was used last month to raise money for disaster relief in Japan.
One of the most well-preserved Stradivarius violins was sold at auction in June, fetching a record price.
All proceeds of the Lady Blunt violin, which was made by the Italian violin-maker in 1721, were given to support aid effort in Japan after the Tarisio sale in London. The instrument went for £9.8 million, over four times the previous auction record for a Stradivari violin.