House of Blues Anaheim and the Music Forward Foundation provided the gift of music by donating new instruments, valued at more than $20,000, to the new music program at Samueli Academy, a free, public charter high school serving foster and community youth in Orange County. The new, high-quality instruments will directly benefit more than 20 aspiring young musicians, providing them with the opportunity to strengthen their talents, expand their possibilities, and pursue lifetime goals with state-of-the-art instruments.
Tim Jorgensen, General Manager of House of Blues Anaheim and Marjorie Gilberg, Executive Director of Music Forward Foundation, presented the instruments to the Samueli Academy’s band instructor, Tom Idzinski, and students on Wednesday, September 20.
“I used to be just like these kids,” Stated Tim Jorgensen, “It’s incredible to be able to give this gift to them, knowing it provides an opportunity for them to further pursue their musical aspirations.”
“I’m thrilled to take our music program to the next level,” said Samueli Academy Band Instructor Tom Idzinski, “This is not only exciting for our band students, but also inspires the rest of the student body to pursue music.”
For more information on House of Blues Anaheim visit http://www.houseofblues.com/anaheim.
About House of Blues Anaheim:
The new House of Blues Anaheim at GardenWalk, marks the first new House of Blues to be built in the U.S. in a decade. The venue spans 44,000 square feet of space, with live music in four unique entertainment venues all under one roof including the main concert hall, the intimate Parish, the Foundation Room and House of Blues Restaurant and Bar. All four of the entertainment and food spaces offer the most advanced sound system of any House of Blues, and the location will feature live entertainment every night.
About House of Blues:
Founded in 1992, House of Blues are located throughout the United States and form the country’s pre-eminent group of intimate music venues. Each features state-of-the-art sound and lighting technology in one-of-a-kind custom designed environments aimed to bring fans as close as possible to the artists. Every location’s restaurant and bar is adorned with signature original folk-art – part of the world’s largest collection – combined with the House of Blues legendary hospitality and tantalizing cuisine.
About Music Forward Foundation:
Founded in 1993, Music Forward accelerates career skills for youth using the music industry as the bridge to success. Music Forward sets the stage for success by providing workshops and showcases to kick-start musical careers, and inspiring the next generation of music industry leaders with hands-on career exploration. Visit www.hobmusicforward.org for more information.
About Samueli Academy:
Samueli Academy is a free public charter high school located in Santa Ana. It opened in August, 2013, and is a program of Orangewood Foundation which serves foster and community youth in Orange County. Samueli Academy is open to any student with priority enrollment and specialized support services for foster youth. The school has a project-based learning approach and a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) curriculum. In June, 2017, Samueli Academy celebrated its first graduating class with a 99% graduation rate and 97% of seniors going on to college. Samueli Academy is a 2017 California Gold Ribbon School. www.samueliacademy.org
