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.
 As reported by Younghee Jung from The Korea Times on 12/23/2024, the Young Woo Kang Foundation, led by Chairperson Eunok Seok, has generously donated $1,000 to the Bella Music Foundation. This donation will support visually impaired musicians with exceptional talent in classical music, offering them greater opportunities to pursue their passion. Chairperson Seok expressed her hopes for this collaboration, stating: “I hope this donation serves as a stepping stone for the two foundations to work together and provide hope and opportunities to more visually impaired individuals.” The Bella Music Foundation continues to empower visually impaired musicians by providing various forms of support and performance opportunities. In an exciting development, the foundation is preparing to host the world’s first-ever music festival for the blind at the main auditorium of UNESCO Headquarters in Paris next year. The photo shows the news from Korea Times in Korean. http://www.koreatimes.com/article/1544554 Dr. Kang made history as the first blind Korean to earn both a Master's degree and a Doctorate, achieving this distinction as a Rotary Foundation Scholar at the University of Pittsburgh. He also served as a policy advisor to the National Council on Disability at the United States White House, working under former President George W. Bush. Additionally, Dr. Kang held the position of Vice Chairman of the World Committee on Disability at the United Nations, further advancing his legacy as a global advocate for people with disabilities.
On December 5th, 2024, our CEO and CFO attended the National Federation of the Blind Supporters' Celebration and had numerous great meetings with people at the NFB. December 10th, 2024, our CEO and CFO met with county directors and other leaders of great arts organizations as a Bergen County grantee at the Bergen County Arts Awards Ceremony.
On November 6, 2024, we had the privilege of featuring the exceptional blind pianist, Yoojin Noh, as our special guest artist for the BMF Concert Series at the Messiah Presbyterian Church of Washington. During the process of inviting her, we also had the exciting opportunity to introduce her to the Academy of Music for the Blind (AMB), where she was hired as a piano instructor. This collaboration was a wonderful success—AMB gained an inspiring teacher, and Yoojin began an exciting new chapter in California!
The concert was deeply moving and a great success, and we are truly grateful to the Messiah Presbyterian Church of Washington for their generous invitation and support. We also extend our thanks to the talented musicians who joined us for this memorable evening: Min Jin (Tenor), Eunae Ko Han (piano), Hyong Jo (bass), and Mira Kim (piano). The photo slideshow above features the concert poster and captures unforgettable moments from the performances. The theme that underpins our music festivals is connection. Blind communities worldwide have already demonstrated remarkable achievements, and we believe that fostering global connections among these communities can further amplify their impact and raise awareness. Given that music is our medium, the BMF International Music Festival serves as a platform intended to catalyze communication and foster community across linguistic barriers. By inviting talented blind musicians and esteemed speakers to share their stories at our festivals, each event embodies the ethos of collaboration and the unity of global communities working together to shape a brighter future.
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. 2025 BMF International Music Festival for the Blind in France (UNESCO Headquarters) Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 7 PM Venue: UNESCO House: Main Auditorium (Room I) Address: 125 avenue de Suffren, Paris 7th, France The photo slideshow above includes images of the festival poster, the main auditorium at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, and performance photos from the festival on April 28th in Fort Lee, NJ, USA.  We were thrilled to welcome three extraordinary blind musicians— Iolanta Mamatkazina (mezzo-soprano), Yerko Difonis (piano), and Mackenzie Jacquemin (soprano)—as special guest artists for the BMF Concert Series at The Ocean County Library on October 5th & 19th, 2024. Their performances were a resounding success, deeply moving every member of the audience. Many were brought to tears by the powerful emotion conveyed through their music. We are profoundly grateful to The Ocean County Library for their invitation, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to the highly acclaimed musicians who joined us for this special event: Sungji Kim (soprano), Eunae Ko Han (piano), Ye-jin Han (violin), Gloria Kim (cello), Hyong Jo (bass), and Mira Kim (piano). The photo slideshow above beautifully captures the unforgettable moments from these incredible performances.
 We are thrilled and honored to announce that Mr. Joel Smirnoff (Violin faculty at both The Juilliard School and Indiana University), Mr. Daniel Epstein (Piano Faculty at Manhattan School of Music), and Ms. Anne Harrow (Associate Professor of Flute and Piccolo at the Eastman School of Music) have officially joined our advisory board! Their exceptional expertise as renowned musicians and esteemed professors from the Juilliard School, Indiana University, Manhattan School of Music, and the Eastman School of Music will be invaluable in advancing our mission to empower blind musicians. We look forward to the incredible impact they will bring to our organization!
The image shows the BMF Advisory Board with photos and titles of three members: Joel Smirnoff, Daniel Epstein, and Anne Harrow. BMF CEO, Mira Kim, and CFO, Hyong Jo, were interviewed by KBS (Korean Broadcasting System), one of the most notable national radio broadcasters in South Korea. BMF was introduced on the show (aired on July 6th and 13th, 2024), '함께하는 세상', as an international non-profit organization for blind musicians where our CEO and CFO also shared the inspiring stories that have begun to be woven through our mission. Listen to the interview below in Korean. Supported by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and co-organized by Bella Music Foundation and the Korean Disabled Performing Arts Association, the 2024 Seoul Int'l Music Festival & Art Market for Blind Artists was a very successful series of events.
On June 6th, the 2024 Seoul Int'l Music Competition for Blind and Visually Impaired Artists was held, with numerous blind musicians competing from all over the world. Renowned music professors from both foreign and Korean universities, along with our CEO Mira Kim and CFO Hyong Jo, served as judges. Winners received awards from a prize pool of 20 million KRW to acknowledge their accomplishment. All the judges noted how they were amazed by the exceptional talents of the blind musicians. On June 7th, during the K-Mentor Class, visually impaired musicians had the opportunity to share not only music with distinguished music professors but also their diverse cultures with each other. That evening, the Legendary Professor Concert presented an intense night of outstanding performances by the amazing faculty. Finally, on June 8th, the Dream Forest Park Concert featured a day packed with performances, including orchestra collaborations with competition winners. At the Art Market for Artists, BMF held a booth which provided many great opportunities to meet visually impaired musicians, artists, and curious visitors, while promoting our foundation and mission. The successful first part of the 2024-25 BMF Music Festival series for the Blind will be broadcast on May 11th at noon EST on internet TV, Virtual Concert Halls. On the vibrant evening of last Sunday, April 28th, the 2024 BMF Music Festival for the Blind drew a packed house, showcasing the exceptional talents of the winners from 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). These gifted blind musicians took center stage as soloists, accompanied by the magnificent Bella Music Foundation Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Helen Cha-Pyo. Their performances were nothing short of breathtaking, leaving every member of the audience profoundly moved. During this special event, Mr. SoonKyu Shin, an experienced analyst with over 30 years of experience in stock and bond analysis, delivered a "Freedom" themed message as Wall Street's first blind professional analyst, showing support for blind musicians' professionalism. In recognition of Bella Music Foundation's outstanding contributions, we were honored with a Congressional Certificate of Recognition by Congressman Josh Gottheimer, and received a Certificate of Commendation from Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco, III. View more photos here: Photo Gallery: BMF Festival on April 28th
The first part of the 2024-25 BMF International Music Festival Series for the Blind was very successful. We anticipate welcoming audiences, including the UNESCO Secretariat and representatives from 195 UNESCO member states, as invited guests for the finale of the music festival for the Blind at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on January 7, 2025. Photo descriptions: The photo collection includes images of a poster showcasing the conductor and four soloists from the 2024 BMF Music Festival for the blind. In various shots, they are seen standing before the BMF Symphony Orchestra near a Steinway grand piano, smiling and holding flowers, while the audience stands and applauds. Several photos capture the event's full-house attendance. One particular image features guest speaker Mr. Shin delivering a speech on the stage's right side. Additionally, other photos capture the lobby bustling with people engaged in conversation. The final photo features an image showcasing the UNESCO headquarters' Main Auditorium in Paris.
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 on April 28, 2024, as well as the event at UNESCO in Paris, France on January 7, 2025.
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.
2024 BMF Concert Series: "In Every Note ♫ There is Hope"!
Sunday, April 7th, 2024 at 5:00 PM Bethany Church in Wayne (491 Alps Rd, Wayne, NJ 07470) Iolanta Mamatkazina, mezzo-soprano Haowen Deng, piano Hyong Jo, bass Sujung Kim, soprano Mira Kim, piano Ye-jin Han, violin Jane Lee, cello Eunice Kim, piano 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. |
