Every day, Jesuit students creatively find some way or another to dedicate their service to different communities, pledging service ranging from missions trips to education.
Recently, sophomore Michael Boyson decided that he would use his musical talents to provide young children with a wonderful Christmas. As a violin player, Boyson hoped to accomplish this goal by playing in the New Conservatory of Dallas Orchestra and by helping this chamber orchestra gather toys for Christmas to give to the less fortunate children.
On December 1, Boyson played in the Meyerson Symphony Center of Dallas where the New Conservatory of Dallas Orchestra held a fundraiser event which gathered toys for the children of Dallas. As part of the chamber orchestra, he joined many other musicians in playing Christmas songs such as “Silent Night” and Antonio Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons (Winter).” Boyson mentioned that the musical choice of songs “lured people into coming to hear some of the best [played] music of the [season].”
Keeping the theme of “The Symphony of Toys,” the New Conservatory of Dallas Orchestra features instruments from the wood winds such as the clarinet and oboe along with “toy” instruments such as the triangle and kazoo. The leaders and moderators of this orchestra are Mr. Gary Needham and his brother Mr. Craig Needham who work alongside the Chamber Orchestra & Artistic Director Mr. Arkady Fomin.
In order to gather toys for the children of Dallas, the orchestral concert required participants to bring a new toy for entry. Boyson noted that the tickets “were essentially free,” and that the new toys “did not have to be extremely [expensive].”
Although Boyson did not play a solo, he was glad to be part of a fundraiser that aimed to collect toys for the youth. As an active member of the orchestra, Boyson believes that he is being a man for others by using his musical talents to benefit others unselfishly. He mentioned that “it is important to play for others and for their enjoyment and a greater cause.”
In the future, Boyson plans to continue bowing on his violin and plans to help fundraising programs to not only provide aid for the children of Dallas, but also for the children across the country in nation-wide fundraising events.
