Bring BHS to Carnegie National Chorus in NEW YORK

Greetings and Salutations,

My name is Adrien Owen Wagner, and I am a music teacher in Browning, Montana. I have been working with Browning Public Schools as a piano and choir teacher for around 10 years. Our Band Instructor, June Matt, and I, have been in the process of building the music program here for our school district. Any opportunity we can manage, we try to provide musical experiences beyond what we are able to provide ourselves at the school. Our musicians deserve a chance to see all the musical world has to offer!

With the help of alumnus Alicia Archambault, we had the chance to take a few singers to University of Montana for the 2023 NorthWest All-Star Chorus, directed by Dr. Coreen Duffy of the University of Montana, and Dr. Jace Saplan of the Arizona State University and University of Hawai'i. It was a momentous occasion for our musicians, and an opportunity we hope to continue to take part of in the future.

https://www.krtv.com/news/montana-and-regional-news/browning-high-school-choir-invited-to-perform-in-new-york-city

This year we were given an invitation to perform with a national chorus of students from all around the nation in Carnegie Hall, NYC. This iteration of the National Chorus will also be directed by Dr. Coreen Duffy & Dr. Jace Saplan as well!

In taking on such an endeavor, we are in search of securing funding and donations to help cover the cost of our registration, Which includes Flights, Ground Transportation, Rooming, and Food. We plan on bringing around 12 students and 8 chaperones. We hope to raise an initial amount of ~$10,000 to help cover these costs, with a deadline to finalize our fees and payments by MARCH 1. This is one of the most ambitious projects we have embarked on, but one that our students, parents, and community are committed towards. With past fundraising campaigns we were able to secure around $5,000 in funding to purchase a used Chickering Baby Grand Piano, as well as 4 new violins, 2 new violas, and and new cello, all of which our schools district have never had before! With word being spread of our efforts, the Faith family of Great Falls Montana donated to us ~20 acoustic guitars, and ~30 orchestral instruments (Violins, Violas, & Cellos)!

Although we have a significant amount of time between now and then, we want to kick off fundraising campaigns as soon and consistently as possible. Both locally within our small community, but also throughout the larger musical community online.

Please share widely to help our quest and bring our kids to music education on the National Scale! We greatly appreciate any and all assistance we able to procure, Your donation means you also believe in the future of music education for Browning Public Schools.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AOkw_RNfSQ

A short video submission to the Barry Manilow Project for Band Funding made a few years back in 2019

Addendum: We have just made it to and broken $10,000 mark!

Thank you all so much for your love, and for your support. This is something that would not be a possibility without your belief in our music program here in Browning!

Our gratitude and our appreciation are to all of your collective efforts.

Thank you for each and every donation given, and for your continued contributions. We give the greatest thanks to each and every individual and entity that have donated. Thank you.

The total cost for all of our planned attendees will amount to around $35,000 total. What we have achieved in this past week is unbelievable and our hearts are so full. This greatly helps our family and community cause and effort to lessen financial burden for each individual.

The browning music program will continue to fundraise until our ultimate deadline of February of 2024 as we prepare to embark on march 8th.

This means the world to our music students, their family’s, and to our local community as well as the larger world music communities.

If you or your institution are unable to donate by gofundme crowdsourcing, or otherwise wish to continue contributions, please feel free to reach out to us at the school district.