Foster care - and all that jazz
By Nicole Muller/
nmuller@cnc.com
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Brian Nygard is studying jazz voice at Boston's New England Conservatory of Music. At age 12, Brian was separated from his identical twin brother, Brandon, when the boys were sent to live with different foster parents. Brandon is studying graphic and broadcast design at Savannah College of art. Both twins' penchant for the arts were nurtured by their foster families.
"Not all foster families can afford the cost of music, art or dance lessons," says Christine Johnson-Staub, executive director of the Cape Cod Neighborhood Support Coalition. "For some, the registration fee for Little League or a town recreation program is beyond their means."
With that in mind, the support coalition and the Foster Care Support Task Force are hosting "Take a Child to Heart: An Evening of Jazz" to benefit enrichment for children in foster care 6 to 8:30 Sunday night at the Cape Cod Museum of Art, off Route 6A in Dennis.
"My brother and I both believe in helping foster care," says Brian, 19, whose jazz quartet is donating its performance at the $50 per person event. All proceeds will benefit the Foster Care Enrichment Fund, enabling foster children whose families apply and qualify for grants to participate in dancing, art and music classes, sports and recreation programs and other enrichment activities.
From age 12 to 18, Brian lived with foster dad Stu Peoples, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod and the Islands. "I started taking saxophone lessons when I was very young," Brian said. "When I went to live with Stu, it was a shock to have no TV. I continued sax lessons at school, and every night, Stu and I listened to jazz radio."
Stu took Brian to jazz concerts around the Cape, sharing his knowledge and love of jazz with his foster son. "He visits me in Boston where we go to dinner and take in jazz concerts. It's a shared love. Stu really knows how to show kids a functional way to get through problems, and jazz was part of that process for me."
With this in mind, Brian was happy to pitch the donation of their time Sunday night to fellow quartet members Will Slater of Barnstable, his classmate at New England Conservatory of Music; Dave Scandurra of Barnstable, who will begin classes at Berklee College of Music in September; and Maxine Libarsky, a jazz pianist from the Boston area.
The evening will feature food, wine, jazz and a silent auction of valuable items donated by area businesses and artisans.
Tickets are $50 and can be reserved by calling Christine Johnson-Staub at 508-539-2711 or by e-mail at
ccnsc@cape.com. Tickets also will be sold at the door.
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