Can music save humanity?

About Me

Hi! My name is Asim Kapoor, and I am a high school senior in Seattle. This fall, I am heading to Whitman College in Washington State to study cello performance and math. I started playing the cello in middle school and over the past 6 years, I have come to love playing the cello.

 

What Music Means to Me

In the past couple of years, I, alongside many of my friends, have witnessed growing racial unrest peaking with the George Floyd killing, democracy on a precarious edge especially after the January 6th insurrection, a global pandemic that forced us into isolation at a time when we should have been distracted by friends, and the ever-looming crisis of climate change threatening the habitability of the planet. How is an 18-year-old to make sense of this? I invite you to watch the short video above for my answer. (Spoiler alert - It has to do with music )

The Ask

For the last four years, I have been playing on a Chinese cello, which has served me well. However, for recent auditions and competitions, I was generously loaned a 140-year-old cello. After hearing me play it in lessons, my cello teacher had said we are "made for each other." It requires more of me, but in return, also gives more - more varied colors, subtler and more nuanced, and yet able to project the sound farther. I fervently hope I can procure the funds ($30,000) necessary to buy this cello before beginning college this fall. Given the price tag is ambitious for such a campaign, I am starting with an initial fundraising goal of $10,000, with the intention of seeing how successful this initial campaign will be, as well as pursuing grants to help make up the difference.

Goal 1: $10,000 - establishes seriousness of intent to the violin shop
Goal 2: $20,000 - serves as a down payment for the cello
Goal 3: $30,000 - full payment on the cello
Goal 4: $40,000 - allows purchase of a bow for the updated cello. Typically it is recommended that a bow be ~25% of the cost of the instrument.
 
Recent Accomplishments

Playing this loaned cello, allowed me to win 2nd place at the WA State Solo and Ensemble competition. Feel free to check out the  8-minute video of the performance below.


 
I also was grateful to be chosen by my fellow for the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra (SYSO) Inspiration award. My four years as part of SYSO have been an extremely enriching experience for me, and I will miss being an active part of the SYSO community.



About the Cello

Maker: Neuner & Hornsteiner
Origin: Mittenwald, Germany
Date: c. 1880
Value: $30,000

 

 

 

 

If you are able to contribute I would be most grateful. If you are also able to share this campaign with your own networks, that would be amazing as well. After all, "drop by drop is the water pot filled."

Thank you for considering!