A fanfare for Annabelle

A new Bach Stradivarius is in sight for Annabelle Stewart.

'They gave me a thousand dollars,” says Mount Maunganui College student, Annabelle Stewart, who now has a flash new Bach Stradivarius professional trumpet in her sights.

Umm…I suspect it was $2000 Annabelle. Yes, the Tauranga Harbour City Lions definitely gave her $2000.

'Oh my goodness,” says a speechless 16-year-old. 'It was morning when she rang and I must have misheard her. Oh my goodness.”

Throw in the $1200 from a benevolent The Weekend Sun reader after her story appeared in the newspaper recently, plus the $700 savings already in her account, and the new trumpet Annabelle needed but couldn't afford is definitely now a happening thing.

'That particular person mentioned he had been involved in music and brass banding, and he had been a music teacher who'd supported other people. I am humbled.”

Annabelle already has a trumpet but it's no longer up to the job. 'The valves keep sticking no matter how much I oil and clean them. There is an issue with the slides and the air is leaking.” In non-music parlance, her trumpet is knackered, broken, finished. But Annabelle is now playing in an orchestra, is auditioning for a university music degree in two or three weeks and desperately needs a new instrument. But the $5000-6000 price tag for a new professional trumpet was beyond her.

The Lions heard about her difficulty and next moment she's playing that extraordinarily difficult ‘Concert Etude' by Goedicke for the Lions at their mid-winter Christmas dinner. Then they quizzed about her about her music and her career. And that all translated into an outpouring of Christmas goodwill and the $2000 cheque from Lions was in the mail.

'It's quite humbling the support I have had,” says Annabelle. 'If people can support people they do. It's quite wonderful. And it makes me wonder what I would do if I was in the position to help others.”

Annabelle is planning to leave school a year early to do her music degree next year. 'Having the right equipment will help me as a player get there. It would lift me to new levels.” Her present trumpet is too tired to do any lifting. But there's a Bach Stradivarius professional trumpet, ideal for playing in orchestras and at uni, sitting in the Vanguard Orchestral musical store in Wellington.

'It'll last me 10 years plus.”

Annabelle just needs to give it another run. And if the numbers stack up, her music career is very definitely back on song. 'I am very, very grateful. Thank you so much.”

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2 comments

Heartwarming good news, for a change.

Posted on 20-08-2017 14:45 | By morepork

It is really good, amidst all the chaos and heartbreak in the world, to be reminded that Human Beings are capable of generosity, kindness, and the desire to excel. Thank you to everybody who made this possible; it made my day.


@Morepork

Posted on 22-08-2017 19:04 | By Papamoaner

You're a good man. Your post speaks volumes. And all power to Annabelle.


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