Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, access to music has significantly decreased. Live performances have been postponed, and music lessons have had to stop, or transfer onto an online platform. In such a challenging time, music has a unique opportunity as a universal art form to create peaceful connections across people of all backgrounds.

Ian Song, a junior at Cleveland High School and a longtime violinist, recognized these challenges and created an organization that hopes to address them. In August 2020, Song, junior Kaleb Ho, and a few students from other schools founded toRhapsody. As stated on their website, the nonprofit’s mission is to “empower and unite people through music.” 

They provide music education in a virtual format, hold fundraising performances for communities in need, and offer benefit concerts to provide comfort to those in nursing homes, hospitals, etc. They also aim to build communities of musicians that help to further their mission, overall working to “promote diversity and equity in society.”

On their website, past performances can be found, as well as some introductory violin lessons. As a nonprofit, toRhapsody relies on donations to support their mission, but also gives community members the opportunity to donate to other causes. The Oregon Food Bank and the Equal Justice Initiative are provided as options when donating. To learn more, visit torhapsody.org.