Leigh's Cello Repair and Equipment Fund
Donation protected
Hello everyone!
My name is Leigh. I'm a 32 year old disabled trans guy who currently works in gaming after working as a veterinary technician for a few years and sustaining several lower back injuries.
The pandemic threw multiple wrenches into the works in my life, and I decided for 'fun' to take up learning cello as a sort of quarantine project. I studied classical piano and violin for some twenty years growing up, and performing classical music was my original dream out of high school, but for multiple reasons I wasn't able to pursue music school.
Suffice it to say that picking up cello has felt like coming home after being lost for a very long time, and I don't want to lose any more of my life to working purely to survive, especially with how difficult full time work is with my disabilities. I've been taking lessons for nearly a year now and my goal is to pursue music school by Spring 2022. The problem now is... my instrument.
I briefly rented a cello from a fantastic local luthier, but shortly after got scammed into buying an 'antique' cello from someone on eBay. The cello works... now that I've already invested some $800CAD in repairs and modifications, on top of the original $3400CAD purchase price. I was able to get half my money back, in order to keep the cello (rather than end up with no cello at all), but this means I'm stuck learning on a less-than-stellar quality cello (the seller damaged it to make it look old so its days are numbered) on a very, very short timeline.
If I want to have any hope of succeeding in my goal of getting into music school next year, I NEED a better instrument as soon as possible. Fortunately I have found a nearby individual who is selling a beautiful 110 year old Hungarian cello following the death of its owner. It has been on Kijiji for months now, waiting. I'm working up the courage to ask for a play test... but I need to be sure I can pay for it once I do.
The seller's asking price is $7000. This is a FANTASTIC price for a beautiful old cello from a reputable maker in excellent shape, and I don't think it likely I will find anything better anytime soon.
I know this is a VERY big ask. But a few dollars here, a few dollars there... and I might be able to make my dreams come true after 32 years of waiting.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and any donations. You're helping change my life for the better.
Leigh
My name is Leigh. I'm a 32 year old disabled trans guy who currently works in gaming after working as a veterinary technician for a few years and sustaining several lower back injuries.
The pandemic threw multiple wrenches into the works in my life, and I decided for 'fun' to take up learning cello as a sort of quarantine project. I studied classical piano and violin for some twenty years growing up, and performing classical music was my original dream out of high school, but for multiple reasons I wasn't able to pursue music school.
Suffice it to say that picking up cello has felt like coming home after being lost for a very long time, and I don't want to lose any more of my life to working purely to survive, especially with how difficult full time work is with my disabilities. I've been taking lessons for nearly a year now and my goal is to pursue music school by Spring 2022. The problem now is... my instrument.
I briefly rented a cello from a fantastic local luthier, but shortly after got scammed into buying an 'antique' cello from someone on eBay. The cello works... now that I've already invested some $800CAD in repairs and modifications, on top of the original $3400CAD purchase price. I was able to get half my money back, in order to keep the cello (rather than end up with no cello at all), but this means I'm stuck learning on a less-than-stellar quality cello (the seller damaged it to make it look old so its days are numbered) on a very, very short timeline.
If I want to have any hope of succeeding in my goal of getting into music school next year, I NEED a better instrument as soon as possible. Fortunately I have found a nearby individual who is selling a beautiful 110 year old Hungarian cello following the death of its owner. It has been on Kijiji for months now, waiting. I'm working up the courage to ask for a play test... but I need to be sure I can pay for it once I do.
The seller's asking price is $7000. This is a FANTASTIC price for a beautiful old cello from a reputable maker in excellent shape, and I don't think it likely I will find anything better anytime soon.
I know this is a VERY big ask. But a few dollars here, a few dollars there... and I might be able to make my dreams come true after 32 years of waiting.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and any donations. You're helping change my life for the better.
Leigh
Organizer
Leigh David Desormeau
Organizer
Montreal, QC
