August 2019

In This Back to Class Issue:

President's Message

Orientation Information

FAYM Visits The Summerlin Rotary Club

FAYM Scholar Liam Mansfield

Performing at the House of Blues

Getting to Know our Board

President's Message

Dear FAYM family.

It is a pleasure for me to be part of FAYM. I have been a volunteer mother for 5 years which I have enjoyed a lot as I have learned much more from this wonderful foundation. Now I have the pleasure of serving as chair of the board. We are very excited because the beginning of classes is approaching and we want to invite you to know our foundation.

Before we go forward, let me fill you in on the past few months. On May 2 our Mariachi had the honor to play at an exclusive event for the Founders Club at the House of Blues; it was a new experience for our students.

Our Orchestra Chamber group was invited to perform for the second time at the event of Empowered Women of the Scouting program.

Thank you to the teachers, fathers and students for their dedication to our foundation. We are on the final sprint of this scholar year but we are already planning for the next school year. Our hope is to make it even better.

Claudia Rivera
President

Please join THE FAMILY OF FAYM today by donating online (click HERE)

Orientation Information

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

EAST LAS VEGAS COMMUNITY CENTER: Tuesday, August 27 at 6 pm

PEARSON COMMUNITY CENTER: Wednesday, August 28 at 6 pm

New and Returning Students may Register NOW
to save time at Orientation -- Click HERE

We urge each family to attend to get

all the information needed for the semester.

FAYM Visits The Summerlin Rotary Club

Juan and Marco Arelis, Andrea Torres, and Guadalupe Terrones performed under the direction
of Board Member and volunteer teacher Chris Bonds at an early Summerlin Rotary meeting.

Please join THE FAMILY OF FAYM today

by donating online (click HERE)

FAYM Scholar Liam Mansfield

Violinist Liam Mansfield received FAYM's Collegiate Scholarship each of his four years at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. Following graduation from I.U.last June, Liam embarked on a long-dreamed-of adventure to Berlin, Germany where he studied the language and became immersed in the musical culture of that remarkable country. Recently he won the prestigious DAAD scholarship which will cover his master's studies.

He will be moving to Munich in October to study under one of his favorite violinists, Christoph Poppen.
Before moving, however, Liam will be in Las Vegas in September and has volunteered to play and teach with FAYM's "Violins for Kids" program.

Liam writes: "Thank you for everything you have done for me!!! I’m really excited for the future!!" And all of us at FAYM are excited for him as well !!

Hear Beste Toparlak and Liam Mansfield play Cafe 1930 from "History of Tango" by Astor Piazzolla. (CLICK)

Performing at the House of Blues

Getting to Know our Board

FAYM's Board of Directors includes educators, musicians, and people from other professional fields. They all have the desire to see Las Vegas' students thrive and dream. You all know about FAYM, but let's take a look at some of the very special people who help to make it possible for your child to be a part of our fantastic organization.

ARTURO OCHOA: I dropped out of high school as a junior in 1969 and went to work for

Circle K Stores as a produce packer, sandwich maker, sandwich delivery driver, inventory clerk, and eventually as a store manager. I left Circle K to drive a 150 ton dump truck in an open-pit copper mine in Sahuarita, Arizona where I worked for 2 years. I then applied for and received my GED Certificate, enrolled in the University of Arizona and graduated in 1979 with a degree in Elementary Education with special emphasis in Bilingual Education. I was then hired by the Clark County School District where I taught at Walter Bracken, Halle Hewetson, and Madison Sixth Grade Centers.

In 1987 I graduated from University of Nevada with a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and Higher Education and continued my career as a Dean of Students at Rancho High School, an Assistant Principal at David Cox and Cynthia Cunningham Elementary Schools, and a Principal at Robert Taylor, Sunrise Acres, and Ruby Thomas Elementary Schools. I retired in 2006. In 2009 I co-founded the Violins for Kids Program with Hal Weller, the Founder of The Foundation to Assist Young Musicians, FAYM. Since then I have served as the Board President for two years, Project Coordinator for two years, and as a Board Member for the Foundation to Assist Young Musicians (FAYM). I am a strong believer in the African proverb, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’

JUAN SOTO: Juan Soto studied and learned instrument repair and restoration from Robert Cauer in Los Angeles. He routinely worked on some of the most valuable and famous instruments in the world, including the works of Stradivari, Guarneri, Tourte, and Sartory. Many world-class soloist and players from major orchestras entrust their priceless instruments and bows to his talents. After 24 years with Cauer, Juan moved to Las Vegas to open his own shop

Juan is a top color & varnish restorer. He specializes in rehairs and professional restoration of violins, violas, and cellos. Recently he has also repaired guitars, vihuelas, guitarons, harps, and other stringed instruments.

CHRIS BONDS: Orchestra Director Christopher Bonds grew up in Coolidge, Arizona, where he began his study of the violin at the age of five. His principal violin teachers were George Bennett and Eugene Lombardi. He has degrees in music from Arizona State University and The University of Iowa.

He has also studied composition with Grant Fletcher and Richard Hervig and conducting with James Dixon. His 40-year teaching career includes colleges and universities across the country, most recently Wayne State College, Nebraska, where he is Professor Emeritus of Music. For 22 years he led the Sioux City (Iowa) Symphony as concertmaster. Chris also is a voluntary teacher of Chamber Music for FAYM.

He and his wife Debi now enjoy life in Henderson, Nevada, where he composes and practices violin.

Please join the Family of FAYM

You can donate directly online (click HERE) OR by mailing your check to:

FAYM: PO Box 1993; Las Vegas, NV 89125-1993.

Share your love of music with a deserving youngster. You'll be glad you did!

(All Contributions are Tax Deductible.)

You can support FAYM students at our website.
FAYM keeps our costs low by relying on highly qualified volunteers to handle our administrative tasks.
You can be sure that your donation will go directly to scholarship assistance, program support, and student lessons.