Young newcomers help raise over $13K for Charlottetown’s QEH

Not lengthy after 14-year-old Peter Ngo and his household arrived on P.E.I. from Vietnam, his father was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital with a well being drawback. 

Ngo stated he’ll all the time keep in mind the medical doctors and nurses who handled his dad, and the way properly they took care of him.

So when he heard a few profit live performance to lift cash for medical tools at the QEH, he stated he did not hesitate to signal as much as carry out.

“They saved my dad from virtually just like the final minute of his life, so I am grateful for them. That is why I am right here at this time.”

Ngo can play 9 totally different devices. On the July 22 charity live performance, Present for the Future, he carried out a rendition of Superb Grace on the clarinet. 

‘One thing that’s value doing’

The live performance acquired donations from many newcomer teams on P.E.I. together with the Chinese language, Vietnamese and Egyptian communities, and raised greater than $13,000 for the QEH Basis, which raises funds to buy medical tools for the hospital.

One other 14-year-old performer, Rey Tao, got here to the Island from China along with his household 4 years in the past. The trumpeter stated he is excited by acting at occasions that could make a distinction locally. 

In 2019, Tao received a gold medal on the P.E.I. Kiwanis Provincial Music Competition, however he stated acting at charity live shows is a way more significant and rewarding expertise.

“It is a very fascinating, distinctive approach to present your ardour for music and in addition elevating cash for others,” Tao stated.

So when his mom prompt he be part of the Present for the Future lineup, he stated he agreed instantly.

“I really feel like this live performance is one thing that’s value doing,” stated Tao.

The present’s artwork director Vivian Zhou stated younger performers like Ngo and Tao put in numerous effort to make the present occur.

“They spent numerous time practising devices at residence, hours and hours of observe,” she stated.

What it means to be a citizen artist

Zhou left China for P.E.I. 9 years in the past and just lately graduated from an arts-based highschool within the U.S.

That is the place she discovered the that means of being a citizen artist, which impressed her to come back again to the Island and assist arrange the present, Zhou stated.

“I feel being citizen artists means making artwork not just for your self, however having the concept of your group in thoughts,” she stated.

“It simply all turns into a lot extra significant if you’re performing in your group, if you’re making different folks really feel a way of that means via your efficiency, when you possibly can enrich different folks’s lives by giving in any approach you possibly can.”

Zhou stated she spent a few month planning the live performance, ensuring rehearsals ran easily and that the performers had sufficient area for his or her tools and to maneuver round comfortably at St. James Presbyterian Church the place the occasion happened.

“It was fairly a bit of labor,” she stated.

“I am simply grateful that we have raised a lot cash for the QEH Basis, and in addition having this to be one thing truly gratifying as a result of the standard of those performances is simply top-notch.”

Zhou’s mom, Lian Zhang, stated she’s pleased to see a charity live performance put collectively by younger performers and volunteers. Zhang was one of many present’s organizers and can be a board member of the QEH Basis.

“I attempt to get younger folks collectively after which make a contribution to society after they’re of their earlier age. I feel that is crucial,” Zhang stated.

“We come to the brand new land. We should always all be taught from one another, assist one another.”

Zhang stated she’s planning one other charity live performance for the autumn to proceed elevating cash for the QEH Basis.