Names of board of directors (L-R):
Mary Chung, Chinyarai Hamilton, Sandra Fuchs, Jane Lee, Kara Jassy, Noriko Ward, and Emile Mack
Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra Chiappari Fuchs and Jane Lee.
Sandra and Jane, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Musical Miracles was born from Jane Lee’s, our founder’s vision and passion of bringing the arts to students in underserved communities. Jane is an extremely philanthropic person who is always looking to help others and improve our communities. After working hard to create a very successful music and art academy in Los Angeles’s South Bay, she felt it was time to give back. And what better way than to share her gift of music with children that had no exposure to the arts through their schools. Research has proven the endless benefits that exposure to music and the arts has on developing minds, but Musical Miracles has found that more and more schools are reducing or eliminating funds available for art programs.
So, here we are! Helping educate the whole child! We strive to give children the opportunity to sing in groups and perform for their schools, friends, families, and communities. Jane and I met years ago when she first opened her music and arts academy, and I was immediately impressed with her talents, ability, and desire to make children feel welcomed, loved, and understood. And she has such enthusiasm for the arts! So when she approached me to help with Musical Miracles, I could not resist. Although our journeys are different, we have two things in common, MUSIC and giving back! Started in 2014, Musical Miracles is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) with an all-volunteer board. Most of the board met Jane while they or their children were taking music lessons from her academy in Torrance. They know the importance of art exposure for young children and thus were happy to join her on this journey. Today, we have seven board members, from different facets of life, that volunteer to fundraise and keep our organization on track and moving forward. We are focused on increasing our exposure and funds so that we may bring music and art to more schools.
Has it been a smooth road?
It is never a smooth road! This is how we learn, how we grow, and how we succeed. Like many non-profit organizations, as we grow it’s always a challenge to increase and maintain volunteer and board member participation. Raising funds as we expand our exposure to the community is also an ongoing challenge. It helps to recruit and maintain a diversified board with each member bringing a different perspective and area of expertise. The board is constantly learning as we work on updating our website, engaging with social media, and learning about the many requirements of a nonprofit (such as legal, tax reporting, insurance, and implementing appropriate internal controls). There is so much to do in order to provide our programs to children but, like our students, we continually learn and grow from our experiences. When challenges and obstacles are overwhelming or when we are tired and feel like giving up, a child will say, “Thank you for coming to our school and teaching us music.” Or a teacher will share what a difference our music program has made to his or her students, and we re-energize. We remember why we are doing what we do.
Please tell us about Musical Miracles.
Musical Miracles is dedicated to sharing the gifts of music and art with children in underserved communities and supporting their dreams to succeed. Our experienced professional instructors go on-site to teach classes in performing and visual arts. Our teachers are amazing. They are passionate about helping children participate and appreciate music and the arts. We teach. We inspire. We help them to succeed. Currently, there are over 330 students in our programs; two LAUSD Title 1 schools and an after-school program where at least 80% of the students come from low-income families. We offer chorus, percussion and art. Our students have two annual performances; an on-site Holiday Show and a Spring Showcase where we bring all our students under one roof. This gives students from different schools a chance to get to know each other. This is what sets us apart. Our children get to perform together on a big stage. The Spring Showcase is an amazing experience. Parents, teachers, and administrators walk away seeing their young artists shine. And this brings us back, year after year. No matter what language you speak, the color of your skin, your religious beliefs, or your socio-economic level, music brings us together. As Hans Christian Andersen once said, “Where words fail, music speaks!”.
What were you like growing up?
Jane Lee is a singer, pianist, and educator. At the young age of three, her piano teacher realized that she had perfect pitch. By the time she was 14, she had won numerous national and international piano awards. She was the recipient of many music awards. When she was 19, she signed with Sony Korea as a singer/songwriter. As a Sony Solo Artist, she toured all of Asia, performed on National Television, and was a featured artist on the FIFA World Cup Album for Korea and Japan. Jane also shares many of her piano covers on YouTube which totals close to 5 million hits. Currently, Jane is the Executive Director at Torrance and Palos Verdes Arts Academy and the founder and Executive Director of our non-profit organization. She is a talented, caring, loving person that always gives of herself to everyone. She loves music, teaching, family and giving back to those that need it most.
Sandra Chiappari Fuchs is a highly experienced executive in the fields of accounting, finance, and non-profits. Music was a big part of her family life. She began taking music and vocal lessons at a young age and was part of her school’s choral program from elementary school through senior year in high school. Music helped her express and released the many emotions of life. “I never realized what a blessing it was to have such a wonderful music program. Now I want other children to experience that same sense of belonging, help improve self-esteem, and potentially reduce depression and stress that is so needed in today’s children.” She still loves music, dancing, learning, the outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.musicalmiracles.org
- Email: [email protected]
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