Sarah's Orchestra Performance Tour to Berlin

Erin Maurer Start Date: May 26, 2016 - End Date: May 25, 2017
  • Berlin, Germany

My Travel Story

by: Erin Maurer Start Date: May 26, 2016 - End Date: May 25, 2017
This is my daughter, Sarah. She is a junior in high school this year, but let me tell you the hurdles she has jumped to get here. Sarah has high functioning autism. For most of her time in elementary school, she was verbally and socially challenged. She had no friends, teachers arranged for lunch buddies and social interactions. In middle school, she started to blossom. Speaking more and interacting more. She still had socially awkward moments but they were few and far between. In 6th grade, we found her passion. She started playing violin in the beginner's orchestra and she has flourished from there. 

She now plays viola in her high school's philharmonic / symphony orchestra, she has friends I can't keep up with, she has generated interests even I don't understand. She loves math, and science and how they both intersect with music. She plans on pursuing all of these into college. Watching her come this far and work so hard has made me so very proud of her. She enjoys bringing music to her community and is enthusiastic about playing. 

In April of 2017, during spring break, her orchestra is planning to go to Berlin, Germany to rediscover the cultural beginnings of Beethoven, Bach, and Brahms. It is a unique opportunity to perform in front of German citizens, to meet other musicians of their calibre, and perform with them. I very much would love for her to make this trip. We will, of course, make every effort to get her there but your help would be invaluable to a young girl who has worked so hard to go on a trip of a lifetime that focuses on the subject she loves. Music.
  • Berlin, Germany