By Khalida Sarwari
At Judy Wely’s Campbell piano studio, there’s a lot more going on than just lessons in fingering techniques, learning how to read sheet music and grasping chords and scales; students are getting an education in empathy and the importance of giving back to one’s community.
And that’s why even though they vow each year they’re through with holding yet another Kids Helping Kids concert, they keep coming back. After a hiatus last year, Wely’s students will be putting on their 10th Kids Helping Kids concert on Oct. 24 at the the- ater at West Valley College, 14000 Fruitvale Ave. in Saratoga.
The concert, featuring a mix of contemporary and classical pieces, is a benefit for Second Harvest Food Bank, according to Anna Janakiraman, a parent who’s helping to get the word out about the event.
“We have chosen to help the Second Harvest Food Bank this year because one person at our piano studio has a friend who was helped by the food bank before,” said Janakiraman. “To support the food bank in return was on this person’s bucket list.”
In fact, the students have already been bringing in canned food to donate, and the cans have been piling up under a grand piano at the studio. Some of them also volunteered at Second Harvest over the summer so that they could understand how the organization operates.
The concert will feature musicians of all ages and skill levels, most of them former and current students of Wely, a music teacher for more than 40 years. She held the first Kids Helping Kids concert in 1999 to give her students an opportunity to give back to the community. Since then, the concert has raised more than $70,000 for family- and youth-focused charities.
“The journey from the first Kids Helping Kids Concert in 1999 to the 10th one this year has been filled with countless hours of practicing, rehearsals, car washes, garage sales, bake sales, and laughter and tears,” said Janakiraman. And yet, what keeps them coming back, she said, is knowing “we can use our music to positively impact our community.”
The fundraising aspect aside, the concert will aim to show that classical music is fun, Janakiraman said. To that end, eight harpists are expected to join pianists for some of the pieces.
“One of the fun pieces this year is the ‘Half Filled Cookie Jar’ piano suite,” said Janakiraman. “Through spunky music, it tells the story of how, when everyone is sleeping, the lid of the cookie jar opens and the cookies come out to play. It is a perfect piece for children to learn to engage their imagination while listening to music.”
There will also be an inventive audience participation piece where audience members will be asked to stand up, dance and play percussion with paper plates to the song “We’re All in This Together” from “High School Musical,” with prizes awarded to the best performers.
The concert starts at 2 p.m.
In addition to a monetary donation, organizers are asking that people bring canned food to donate to the Second Harvest Food Bank.
