A Bass Clarinet for Ralph Yarl

From the organizers:

This campaign has quickly reached its goal, and is no longer accepting contributions.

The bass clarinet (complete with wonderful mouthpiece, ligature, and reeds) will be on its way to Ralph very shortly - and we’ll let you know when it’s arrived.

To the people and organizations who amplified the message about this campaign: thank you!

To everyone who made a gift: we are so moved by your generosity - but somehow not surprised. Musicians have always known how to work together to create beauty, and you’ve demonstrated this once again.

Our hearts are full.

The text of the campaign is below.

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On April 13, Ralph Yarl - a young Black man, a gifted high school student, and a committed bass clarinet player - was shot in the head twice when he knocked on the wrong door to pick up his younger brothers from a friend’s house.

Appalled by this act of violence and wanting to tangibly demonstrate their belief that people are better than that, many, many people have responded with great generosity to the GoFundMe campaign set up by Ralph’s aunt to help with medical costs. Their kindness has meant so much to Ralph and his family.

This campaign is a little different. Knowing how important music-making was, is, and will be to Ralph, we’re inviting people to help to buy Ralph Yarl a glorious professional bass clarinet - a Buffet Crampon Tosca bass clarinet, to be precise. We are undertaking this campaign with the support of Ralph’s family, and with Ralph’s own input about the clarinet, too.

As musicians, we know about the impact that a high quality musical instrument can have on our abilities to express ourselves to the world, and about the life-giving motivation that comes from this. We also know the unique power that comes when we are supported by our fellow musicians. We’d like to extend both of these gifts to Ralph - with your help.

A respected clarinet dealer has volunteered to provide a wonderful instrument at wholesale cost for Ralph.

We’re now inviting musicians and music lovers to contribute, as each of the organizers is doing, to this campaign.

Thank you!

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, Conductor, amateur Clarinetist

Katherine Carleton, Clarinetist, Bass Clarinetist

Miles Haskins, Clarinetist, Bass Clarinetist

Jerome Simas, Clarinetist, Bass Clarinetist