While world citizens can’t always communicate through the same spoken language, people’s affinity for music can form a critical connection with each other.
Mercer Island High School (MIHS) junior Elliott Yaroslavsky firmly believes those words, and he and a few of his friends are hoping to brighten some refugees’ days through song during an upcoming international trip during their spring break in April.
“It’s the type of thing that people hear all their life and can understand, regardless of what culture or what background you’re from,” trumpeter Yaroslavsky said about the power and significance of the universal language of music.
For one week next month, Yaroslavsky will join Denis Batalov, Leo Saloranta and Alexandra Zhupanov on their Gift of Music crusade to bring musical instruments to a plethora of refugee children from Ukraine, Russia, Belorussia and the Middle East at the Pristaniste camp in Budva, Montenegro, and jump start a music program.
Their initiative includes collecting old or unused band instruments from Islanders for the school-age kids, many of whom were involved in the music realm as instrumentalists at their schools and in bands. The Gift of Music collection drive will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 16 at MIHS.
They are hoping to secure woodwind instruments and recorders at the drive and over the next month. The locals are also raising money to buy an electric double bass to bring to the camp as part of their instrument assemblage. At press time, they had an old trumpet, an unused saxophone and a traditional Peruvian flute in their possession. Overall, the students aim to transport roughly 10 to 20 instruments on their flight, Elliott said. To donate to their cause, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/qmz9v-music-education-for-refugees.
“I am very proud of the project Elliott, Denis and Leo are working on. I see it as a continuation of the work Denis and Elliott started last year. They feel connected to the world and feel responsible for making the difference in lives of children living far from their friends, their school, their families,” said Rouslana Yaroslavsky, Elliott’s mother, who will accompany the students on the trip. Last October, Elliott and Batalov traveled to Washington, DC, and made an impact as the youngest delegates at the Ukrainian Action Summit.
Along with participating in MIHS marching band in the fall, Elliott keeps up his musical chops in the school’s concert and jazz bands and also performs with the Music in the Community club with some of his classmates.
Extensive planning on the Gift of Music project has been in the works for a couple of months and has included some vital assistance from the MIHS band program.
MIHS band director Parker Bixby praised the students for tuning up their caring spirit and unleashing it into the world.
“We couldn’t be more proud of Denis, Elliott and all of the band student leadership that is helping with this project. The MISD (Mercer Island School District) bands have always had a community service element to our model. This project is another example of the fantastic work our students do to take action to improve the lives of those around them. I know that the amazing Mercer Island community will rally to help support the cause,” Bixby said.
As the trip to Montenegro nears, Elliott said a range of emotions are stirring inside of him. There’s nervousness because he doesn’t know exactly what awaits the group when it arrives and how impactful the trip may be.
“But at the same time, it’s also very exciting because you’re going to be in a new place and meeting new people, and you’re at least going to make a little bit of a difference in someone’s life,” he said.
