For our ACG Fall Fund Drive, we’re sharing stories on our Changing Lives Storyboard of ways music has changed our world, and how our community helped make it happen. Consider supporting ACG today!


A few weeks ago, we got a message from a student in Brownsville, Texas:

 

We reached out to him to learn more about his passion for guitar, and this is what he told us:

“I started guitar by coincidence sophomore year because my school counselor just put me in guitar class. I knew nothing about it. We started with guitar one: basics of how to sit and how to read music. And now I’m in the guitar 4 class, the varsity, which is a guitar quartet that competes in music contests.

My school’s population is 98% Mexican, but the majority speaks English. My guitar teacher knows both English and Spanish, so if students don’t understand something he can say it in Spanish.

My whole family has a history of music: my dad played in a band in the 80’s and 90’s, my older brother is a high school band director, my middle brother played in band in middle and high school, and my youngest brother was in an Estudiantina, a traditional Cuban guitar  and singing group.

I found out about ACG because my teacher intended for my quartet to go to ACG Fest, but my school didn’t have enough funds. That’s when I started looking at y’alls website, reading about all you do and the concerts y’all host. I love the organization because I feel like not many kids, especially younger kids, realize what classical guitar is. When people say “classical guitar”, they probably imagine an electric one.

The fact that you bring classical guitar to young kids is really inspiring.

I love the guitar because it’s so versatile. It can be played very forcefully or delicately. You can play ponticello or dolce. And music can be arranged so well for the instrument, ranging from piano pieces to modern pop pieces. The repertoire for guitar is the absolute best!

I definitely plan to pursue a career in guitar performance. I know people say that music degrees and careers are very risky, and even my teachers ask if I have support from my family. But my family all supports me. I’ve applied to the Butler School of Music, University of Texas – Austin, and I plan to apply to two more schools as well.”

Matt’s story reaffirms our belief that no one should be barred from attending or participating in any ACG event because of the cost. If you’d like to be involved in helping kids like Matt take full advantage of the opportunities we provide, contact us at [email protected]