Local charity concert continues to grow

North End

Winnipeg

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This article was published 19/04/2023 (1139 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Paul Ong sees music as way of bringing people together and a tool for change.

Ong, a vice-principal at Garden Grove School, has been co-producing and performing the annual Concert for a Cause since it began in 2015.

He said that the event has grown considerably over past years, mostly thanks to transparency and the motivation of those involved. Prior to last year’s presentation — a version of Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat — Ong said the concerts had raised over $70,000 over the years and that last year’s event raised over $20,000.

“You know, music is a part of culture, but it’s also a tool,” he said. “(A tool) for raising awareness for making a difference in the community and bringing people together.”

Ong said wants to treat the event as a way to bring a large group of people together to support a common cause — hence the name.

“I’m an educator, but my community involvement, aside from being in the education system, is hugely due to the fact that I’ve been given the privilege to perform in front of audiences and to use my voice,” he said. “My gift as a platform is to bring people together for a shared cause each year.”

This year’s Concert for a Cause, to be held April 29 at Calvary Temple, will raise money for Sistema Winnipeg, an after-school music program for kids living in lower-income areas. Sistema is a completely donor-funded partnership between the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg School Division and Seven Oaks School Division. All ticket proceeds will benefit the program.

Ong added that he has started an equity fund with the Winnipeg Foundation, so that Concert for a Cause can be sustained for years to come.

He’s also excited about what this year’s concert might earn, given that it’s being held at Calvary Temple, which can hold up to 2,400 people.

“It’s a new high,” he said. “This is what we can achieve when everybody pitches in, right? So, it’s not an isolated effort. It’s a community effort. That makes this possible.”

The concert’s program will mirror those of previous years, but with some new additions. Ninety kids enrolled with Sistema Winnipeg will be singing, Ong said, as well as 80 kids from Garden Grove. He was also very pleased that the WSO has helped arrange some parts of the concert to be performed in Tagalog.

In addition, all the parents of the Sistema Winnipeg performers will be able to attend for free.

Showtime on April 29 is 7 p.m.

As of April 11, tickets were $30 and running low.

Those interested in attending can email Ong at paulkelvinong@yahoo.com