Student Leader Benefit Concert

Last spring, ESONA, our non-profit organization, orchestrated a benefit concert aiming to raise awareness for the unassisted, underprivileged, and marginalized communities of Afghanistan. The concert, held at the Foothills Library in Glendale, was an integral part of ESONA’s Student Internship program. For this initiative, we brought together 20 student leaders from across the valley, fostering unity and collective effort to mirror the needs of those in developing nations.

The concert showcased remarkable performances from student musicians hailing from a plethora of districts. Among these talents was the pianist, Bruce Ruan. He shared his experience, stating, “The opportunity to play for a greater cause added more emotion to my music. It is something I would definitely do again." Bruce regaled the audience with Franz Liszt’s 'Un Sopriso', a 5-minute, virtuosic piece composed in 1847.

Our list of performers encompassed diverse talents, including Esther Kim (Violin), Yameen Sekandari (Piano), Bruce Ruan (Piano), Claire Xu (Flute and Piano), Christina Diggs (Singing), Johnny Panfili (Piano), and Ananya K. (Piano).

One of the concert's highlights was a duet featuring Esther Kim and ESONA's Executive Director, Yameen Sekandari, who played an original composition. This poignant piece in G minor was written as a reflection on the current situation in Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, it's a tragic reality that over 50% of children are out of school, with thousands of orphans surviving on the streets. Even more harrowing is that over one-sixth of Afghan children are on the brink of famine. We implore your support for these individuals in desperate need. Your generous donations will significantly aid our humanitarian campaigns in this struggling nation.