In Every Note ♫
There is Hope
Bella Music Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting talented blind musicians in classical music by providing guidance on the path to excellence.
Bella Music Foundation Inc.
Tickets are available here: BMF Music Festival for the Blind in Fort Lee (bellamf.org) Sunday, April 28th, 2024 at 5PM @Barrymore Film Center (153 Main St, Fort Lee, NJ 07024) On Sunday, April 28th at 5 PM in Fort Lee, NJ, Bella Music Foundation will feature the distinguished winners of the 2024 BMFSO Concerto Competition for the Blind: Jisun Kim (Violin, S. Korea), Yerko Difonis (Piano, Chile), Ioana Gandrabur (Guitar, Canada), and Valérie Poisson (Soprano, Canada). They'll perform as soloists with the BMF Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Helen Cha-Pyo. Don't miss this exceptional performance! *This program is made possible in part by a grant administered by the Bergen County Division of Historic & Cultural Affairs from funds granted by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
2024 Seoul Int'l Music Competition for Blind and Visually Impaired Artists in S. Korea
Application Deadline: April 30th (Tue) Online Video Submission (No Application Fee) Announcement of Finalists: May 3rd (Fri) Finals & Awards Ceremony: June 6th (Thu) in Seoul, Korea Winners' Concert: June 8th (Sat) in Seoul, Korea Fill in the Application Form here: https://forms.gle/zcZVBPYwwjXirrK17 Eligibility: Limited to visually impaired music artists only 1) No age or nationality restrictions 2) Group applications not accepted Preliminary Audition Repertoire: A free piece of at least 3 minutes Categories: Piano, String Instruments, Woodwind Instruments, Brass Instruments, Vocal, Traditional Instruments (including Korean traditional instruments) Prizes: Total performance fee of KRW 20,000,000 and performance opportunities, festival participation tickets, and more. 1st Place: performance fee of KRW 4,000,000, orchestral collaboration 2nd Place: performance fee of KRW 3,500,000, orchestral collaboration 3rd Place: performance fee of KRW 2,500,000, orchestral collaboration 4th to 8th Place: performance fee of KRW 2,000,000 each Inquiries Regarding Applications: simbkorea@gmail.com Please find all details about this competition at www.simbkorea.com or here. In 2024, we are proud to host the BMF International Music Festival series for the Blind at UNESCO Headquarters' Main Auditorium in Paris, France, and in Fort Lee, NJ, USA. This collaborative endeavor involves blind organizations and musicians from around the globe. The festival is designed to spotlight the exceptional talents of blind musicians on prestigious stages worldwide, offering them a transformative space for healing and empowerment through the unifying force of music. It will showcase the distinguished winners of the 2024 BMFSO Concerto Competition as soloists performing with the BMF Symphony Orchestra. 2024 BMF International Music Festival for the Blind in the USA Date: Sunday, April 28th, 2024 at 5 PM Venue: Barrymore Film Center, Fort Lee, NJ, USA Address: 153 Main St, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 *This program is made possible in part by a grant administered by the Bergen County Division of Historic & Cultural Affairs from funds granted by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Purchase tickets here: 2024 BMF Music Festival for the Blind in Fort Lee (bellamf.org) 2024 BMF International Music Festival for the Blind in France (UNESCO Headquarters)
Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 7 PM Venue: UNESCO House: Main Auditorium (Room I) Address: 125 avenue de Suffren, Paris 7th, France
Bella Music Foundation CEO Mira Kim, BMF Symphony Orchestra conductor Helen Cha-Pyo, and concertmaster Khullip Jeung will be featured on the Virtual Concert Halls Live show on March 20th, 2024 at noon! Join us to learn more about BMF and the upcoming BMF Music Festival for the Blind in Fort Lee, USA, as well as the event at UNESCO in Paris, France.
2024 BMFSO International Concerto Competition Winners:
1st Place: Jisun Kim - Violin (S. Korea) 2nd Place: Yerko Difonis - Piano (Chile) 3rd Place(tied): Ioana Gandrabur - Guitar (Canada), Valérie Poisson - Soprano (Canada) We are pleased to announce that Bella Music Foundation has been awarded a grant administered by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs from funds granted by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for our 2024 BMF Music Festival for the Blind in Fort Lee, NJ on April 28th.
Join us for the BMF Concert Series: "In Every Note ♫ There is Hope"!
This fundraising concert supports the 2024 BMF Music Festival Series for the Blind, taking place at the Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee, USA on April 28th and UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France on October 15th. Sunday, April 7th, 2024 at 5:00 PM Bethany Church in Wayne (491 Alps Rd, Wayne, NJ 07470) Immerse yourself in the enchanting melodies performed by a talented ensemble of professional musicians, alongside the winners of the 2023 BMF Music Competition for the Blind. No tickets are required. The winners of the 2023 BMF Int'l Music Competition for the Blind: DIVISION I : Junior Division (10-18) 1st Prize ($1,500) winner: Laura Parra Muñoz - Piano (Spain) 2nd Prize ($1,000) winner: Haowen Deng - Piano (China) 3rd Prize ($500) winner: Iolanta Mamatkazina – Voice (USA) Honorable Mention: Logan Riman - Piano (USA) DIVISION II : Young Artist Division (19-30) 1st Prize ($4,000) winner: Guillem León - Piano (Spain) 2nd Prize ($2,000) winner: Julia LaGrand - Violin (USA) 3rd Prize ($1,000) winner: Bohee Kim (S. Korea) Honorable Mention: Ying-Shan Tseng – Piano (S. Africa) *Dancing Dots' accessible music notation software was awarded to the winners as well. Here is a captivating photo capturing our winners on stage, holding instruments and certificates, all smiles alongside our esteemed jury members:
JURY CHAIR: Thomas Muraco, Orchestra Conductor, Pianist, and Vocal Coach College Faculty, Manhattan School of Music JURY: Xiao Wang, violinist College Faculty, Manhattan School of Music JURY: Mira Kim, pianist Chief Executive Officer, Bella Music Foundation The concerts of Hanbit Trio J, a visually impaired piano trio from S. Korea, were an astounding success. "Darkness to Light: Hanbit Trio J" held on June 16th at Merkin Hall was a truly unforgettable experience that left the audience in awe. The concert hall was filled with captivated spectators who were eventually moved to tears by the breathtaking performance. The remarkable concert concluded with a thunderous standing ovation, a testament to the extraordinary talent of Hanbit Trio J (pianist Jae Hyouk Lee, violinist Jisun Kim, and cellist Minjoo Kim), and the exceptional New Jersey Youth Symphony (conducted by Helen H. Cha-Pyo) Especially notable was when the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey commended Bella Music Foundation as an exceptional nonprofit, valued for its engaging programs and unwavering support for blind musicians. Recognizing its significance within the classical music community and beyond, they sent Bella Music Foundation a joint legislative resolution signed by the Senate President, Nicholas P. Scutari, and the Assembly Speaker, Craig J. Coughlin. In addition, Euy Whan Kim, the Consul General of the Republic of Korea in New York, delivered congratulatory remarks. Special guests including Kwang Suk Kim, the President of the Korean Association of NY, Kyung Mun Nam, the President of KCC, and Leslie Jones, the Executive Director of FMDG Music School for the Blind, were in attendance and introduced. Similarly, the concert at Bethany Church on June 14th was a deeply emotional affair, with the music resonating so powerfully that it brought tears to the eyes of the listeners. It was a profound and meaningful event where Hanbit Trio J performed alongside pianist Mira Kim, BMF's CEO and bass Hyong Jo, the CFO. Together, they delivered a concert that touched the hearts of all in attendance. Mark Zinna, the mayor of Tenafly issued a proclamation recognizing the commendable efforts of the Bella Music Foundation in supporting blind musicians and delivered congratulatory remarks. On June 13th, the concert hall at Holland Christian Home became a sea of tears as the audience members were profoundly moved by the performance, both during and after the concert. Hanbit's exceptional skills and heartfelt music created an atmosphere of pure emotional connection, leaving a lasting impact on everyone present. Our concert received extensive coverage in numerous media outlets. |
Mission StatementBella Music Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting talented blind musicians in classical music by providing guidance on the path to excellence.
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