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Story and Photos by Ray Breslin
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Amber Keates plays guitar at the SoBe Music Institute recital | On Saturday August 4, SoBe Music Institute bid farewell to their summer eight week intensive workshop with a wonderful recital and concert held at the 21st Street Recreation Center.
The raised stage, complete with a curtain, was perfect for friends and family to see their beloved children perform what they had leaned over the eight week program. Many of these kids had never picked up an instrument let alone play it before the program. They not only played for their families but they learned to read the music as well. The school was broken into two age groups, with age 12 being the mid-point. The recital alternated the children and teens to keep a good mix.
 The afternoon began with instructor Rebecca Diderrich's violin students. Although what they played may seem to be simple pieces, we must remember everything starts with basics. In this case, the basics were "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Mary Had a Little Lamb." It was interesting to hear the different tempos that were played and every parent was certainly proud of their child's enthusiasm and visible happiness for what they had accomplished. Amber Keates plays guitar at the SoBe Music Institute recital
The second group of students showed off the guitar skills they leaned from instructor Paul Martin. Each of the young students played the selection of their choice. "Twinkle" again was the song of choice, but Jailene Hinojosa played "Happy Birthday" to anyone who might have been celebrating that day. The advanced students played more classical pieces.
The recital continued with teens playing saxophone led by instructor Wim Forstmann. Then there were the piano recitals with the little ones guided by instructor, Ariana Ochoa. The only teen, Danae Hunter, was instructed by Ciro Fodere. By far the largest number of students took voice lessons. The little kids were instructed by Kathleen Bell and the older ones by Cassandra Claude.
Listening to them made me realize what these eight weeks meant to them and also made me wonder what they might have done had this terrific program not been available to them. It is a scary thought, when there are so many unpleasant things that these kids could have been doing but weren't. They were singing and their voices were happy and melodious.
In one of the moments when the stage curtain was closed and they were setting up for the next group, Dr. Carson Kievman, executive artistic director, explained to those present how very important it was for them to write, call, or e-mail the mayor, commissioners, and city manager to let them know how important this program was to them this summer and how it affected or influenced their children. The City played a huge part in the success of this program. In fact, without the City of Miami Beach, this would not have happened. It is always important to tell the funding sources that they made a great decision and hope that it continues.
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Student musicians get ready to perform at the SoBe Music Institute recital | Even though I did not have a child in this program, I felt eminently proud that in some small way, I made a difference in these kids' lives. I hope that anyone who donated time, energy or money to this very worthwhile cause feels as I do. Just seeing the kids beam from ear to ear made it all worthwhile to me.
However, there were further rewards. When the kids were done, there was a short break and then a fantastic concert was played by the Faculty Ensemble with a reception after. It was a great summer. Hopefully, the SoBe Music Institute will become a permanent part of our diverse community and the CANDO Arts District.
If you want to help, contact them at 305-674-9220 or e-mail them at info@sobemusic.org. They will be happy to hear from you. Remember, children are our future and we must nurture them if we want them to become productive and be a creative part of our society.
Ray Breslin is a community neighborhood activist, president of the Collins Park Neighborhood Association, board member of the CANDO Arts Neighborhood, advisory board member of SoBe Music Institute and advisory committee member for Miami City Ballet School. | 
This summer, my son attended the summer program at the SoBe Music Institute wanting to learn how to play the guitar. It would be his first experience with the guitar. I heard about the summer program and went directly to their website to read about the program which included music theory and chorus. After reading about the staff and who would be teaching my son to play I knew this was the place for him. During the summer program I observed the students playing many different instruments and watched them throughout the day. Many students had traveled quite a distance to be part of this program since an opportunity to learn on this level is not available elsewhere. By the end of the summer I sat and watched as they performed what they had learned in eight weeks. Most of the students had not ever played an instrument before and this was a first. I was amazed at what could be learned in such a short time. During the performance one student's mother came and sat next to me. I learned her daughter was playing the piano for the first time and she was performing a solo. We spoke for awhile after and she had told me she could not believe how much, and how well, her daughter had learned from this program. The need for a program like this is greatly understated. I hope that you continue with this program as it would be a substantial loss to the community if it were not. Thank you."
Blast from the Board
Thanks to generous contributions, over 80 children and many seniors were able to study music in our intensive 2007 Summer programs. 
