AMERİKA'DAKİ GENÇ TÜRK YARDIM BEKLİYOR !!!

Hi! My name is Elif. I am passionate about music, particularly the piano. After years of dedication and hard work, I have been accepted into several prestigious colleges, including my dream school, the Manhattan School of Music – renowned globally as one of the top 10 music schools.

Despite this incredible opportunity, the financial burden of attending such an esteemed institution is beyond my means.

For 17 years, I have poured my heart and soul into mastering the piano, earning prizes in international and national competitions worldwide. Countless hours of practice and persistent determination have brought me to this point in my musical journey.

Today, I am facing financial difficulties in covering my college tuition fees:

As an international student, I am ineligible for student loans, grants, governmental funds or help and there is hardly any scholarship available for international students.

As a result of the ongoing economic crisis in my home country, Turkey, I only have limited and irregular support. The impact of this crisis is evident in the exchange rate, with the Turkish Lira experiencing a significant depreciation against the U.S. Dollar. Today, 1 U.S. Dollar costs 32.49 Turkish Lira. This sharp increase and fluctuating exchange rates severely limit my family's financial capacity to support my education here in the United States.

Despite my relentless efforts, the funds I have managed to save up fall short of what is needed for my school. I have come a long way and do not want to give up on achieving my ambitions. I am determined to overcome these hurdles and pursue my education. I am hoping to get help to cover my college tuition & fees.

Your support could be the lifeline I need to relieve some of the financial burden on my family and me. Every contribution, no matter how small, brings me closer to achieving my dreams and continuing my education at the Manhattan School of Music, where I hone my craft and share my music with the world. Your support is not just about finances; it is about belief – belief in the power of dreams, and the resilience of the human spirit.

So, I humbly ask for your help. Your donation is not just an investment in my education; it is a testament to the transformative power of kindness. Together, let's create a symphony of hope, where every note resonates with the joy of possibility.

The expected cost of attendance at my school can be found here: https://www.msmnyc.edu/admission/tuition-overview/

ABOUT ME:

When I was three months old, my family and I were in a head-on car accident that left me to be blind and deaf. Doctors explained that the way my head was pinned against the car might result in this permanent loss. Not giving up on her only child, my mother took me to numerous hospitals until we found two doctors who were able to miraculously restore my hearing and sight. After a year of brain swelling, multiple costly surgeries, and tricky recovering times, the return of hearing and sight allowed me to become the passionate musician I am today.

When I was five years old, I was hit by another blow: my mother and father divorced. To distract me from the pain of never hearing from my father again, my mother filled my life with hobbies. One of these activities was playing the piano. Music became my language of preference to communicate with people’s hearts. Every time I stroke the ivory keys, I am limitless in my ability to touch the hearts of people, awaken souls and give momentary relief to those who suffer.

Shortly after I started my piano lessons at the age of four, I auditioned to get into a music conservatory. I first learned how to play J. S. Bach, a great German composer. Bach taught me at a young age the profundity of religion and instilled in me what I know can verbalize as empathy. The conservatory’s opportunities allowed me to learn from virtuosos which helped me to win multiple international and national awards. As someone almost robbed of the awe and beauty of music, sharing it through performance and teaching is paramount for me.

In my quest to reach more people around the world with my music, I took it upon myself to learn more languages. In order to connect with more people and composers, I learned Russian, German, and English. Becoming closer to composers in turn inspires me to keep striving to meet my full artistic potential.

To become one of the greats, moving to the U.S. with its boundless opportunities was a necessity. When my family asks me if moving here four years ago was worth it, I tell them that music and its unifying power are worth staying after school for five hours every day to practice on a piano because my family could not afford to have one at home. Still not having a piano, I go to church every day to practice piano and connect with the church community through music.

I began volunteering to teach piano to a 6-year-old girl last June to better master my art. Prior to learning piano with me, she had a hard time expressing herself due to a speech disorder. After just four months together, she began verbalizing at much higher levels. This experience especially touched me because she and I are similar in that musical notes are our letters and lines are our phrases.

I hope to continue growing my hunger for learning about my art, connecting with international audiences, and passing on my zeal for music.

I sincerely appreciate your help. Even the smallest donation can make a huge difference. Thank you for reading my story and supporting my educational journey. Thank you so much for your time.

Elif Karakas

Watch me perform!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8ssIMApOMAE6Z4odDXuSoQ]