For immediate release: Nov. 7, 2014Contact: Amy Miller, 812-760-1575, aedmiller@gmail.com
The third annual Isaac’s Day of Music will be held on November 9 from 1-5 p.m. at First Christian Church in Newburgh and will include live entertainment, activities, food, and music demonstrations for the entire family.
The family-friendly event will include an afternoon of performances by local vocal and instrumental music groups, dance groups and storytellers. The day will also include a parent/child music demonstration by Music Together®, inflatables, craft and activity tables sponsored by local organizations, food sales and a silent auction.
Admission is $5 per person, ages 2 and under are free. All proceeds from the event will go directly to the Isaac Miller Music Matters Endowment Fund.
Matt and Amy Miller, with the help of family members and friends, organize the annual Isaac’s Day of Music to raise money for the Isaac Miller Music Matter Endowment Fund, named for their son.
The Miller’s son Isaac was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma on November 4, 2010 at the young age of three. After 18 months of battling cancer, Isaac found his cure in heaven in April 2012.
Later that year, the Millers established the Isaac Miller Music Matters Endowment Fund in memory of their son. The fund promotes music education and music therapy programs in the Evansville area and is managed by the Warrick County Community Foundation.
“Throughout his life, we saw the impact music had on Isaac, whether he was using music to express his feelings, interact with other children, or just be a ‘regular kid,’ even for a brief moment,” the Millers said when asked why they started the music endowment.
During cancer treatments, Isaac benefited from music’s power. While a patient at Riley’s Children Hospital in Indianapolis he attended a regular music therapy group that involved playing instruments, singing and movement. Later, when he wasn’t strong enough to attend group sessions he received individual music therapy in his hospital room.
Isaac also participated in Music Together classes before and during treatment, which he loved, his mother said.
“He loved the music from his class. It was the only CD he wanted to listen to,” she said. “We especially loved the lullabies and would sing them before nap and bedtime every day. No matter what, we sang our lullabies. Even at the end all I wanted to do was sing him our lullabies.”
“Every child should have the opportunity to experience music in the same ways,” she said, “and we started this fund to give them that chance.”
The first award from the Isaac Miller Music Matters Endowment Fund was presented to St. Benedict Cathedral School in September. St. Ben’s will use the $800 award in its elementary school’s music program.
“We decided to grant the first gift from the endowment to St. Ben’s because Isaac would currently be in first grade there,” said the Millers. “The school was so supportive of us when Isaac was in treatment and after he passed away. We are so pleased that Isaac will continue to have a connection with his school through this gift, even though he isn't able to be a student there.”
For more information about the Isaac Miller Music Matters Fund and Isaac’s Day of Music, visit www.musicmattersfund.blogspot.com, facebook.com/MusicMattersEndowmentFund or contact 812-760-1575 or musicmattersfund@gmail.com.
