LifeNets has helped UCG member Artur Aleksandrov in Tallinn, Estonia with his efforts to provide comfort and entertainment for disabled people. He sends us this report about the new non-profit that he has started.
April 10, 2020
Dear LifeNets board
Another season of touching and emotionally fulfilling concerts is complete. This was our first full season working as a registered non-profit which we named Ergo Musica.
After about 3 years of providing social concerts me and an Adventist coworker in this labor have decided to establish a non-profit charity organization. The name Ergo Musica is coombination of Greek and Latin and carries the sense of the labor of music or music as a solution to emotional needs and problems. Our goals include using music for fundraising for charities, bringing touching live music to people, whose access to cultural events is restricted due to health, physical or financial reasons. Another goal of our non-profit is to provide opportunities for paid performances (including via gift cards) for disabled musicians. I am currently looking for some stable ways to find funding for our non-profit.
This winter season, which lasted from the beginning of December 2019 to beginning of March 2020, we managed to accomplish the following:
- We’ve organized and conducted 6 concerts in three districts of Tallinn. These include social centers, day centers for the mentally handicapped and elderly homes. All in all, about 230-260 people attended our concerts.
- 3 disabled people presented music at our concerts.
Маrtin Trudnikov
- Viktoria Kapitanova – a lead vocalist of a Slavic choir „Slavjanka“
- Inga Kalts – a pianist educated in Saint- Petersburg in folk orchestra conducting.
- Еve – a cello
- Disabled musicians received Ülemiste and Kaubamaja shopping centers’ gift cards that totaled 120€ in value.
- 1 student – Martin Trudnikov, an accordionist studying at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, presented beautiful French music at one of our concerts and received a gift card for 10€.
- We also had 2 proffessional musicians and 2 volunteers with musical skills take the stage to perform to people who are clients of the social system:
- Lada Sheinina – a soprano who has won prizes at operatic singing competitions. (Presented with a gift card)
- Peter Põder – a young guitar master who has played with big names in the Estonian music industry. (Presented with a gift card)
- German Amelkin – self-taught singer- songwriter.
- Vlad Florea – self-taught, skillful in multiple instruments.
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Opera singer Lada Sheinina
Besides working on organizing, preparing for and conducting the concerts, a number of necessary administrative and financial tasks have been accomplished:
- Bank account opened and card ordered
- Sign-up for bookkeeping software service
- Searching for sponsors and donors, who are willing to contribute to Ergo
- Long-term planning, goals and principles for the development and work of Ergo
This spring, since public gatherings and concerts have been prohibited by the government, we are aiming to record an album that will be distributed, free of charge, to our target group, in either CD or USB-card format.
A big THANK YOU to the board of LifeNets for supporting the labor of Ergo Musica! Sincerely,
Artur Aleksandrov
Director of Ergo Musica
“Touchpoint” Project for the Disabled by Musicians in Tallinn, Estonia
