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Anthony Lettieri Memorial Benefit Concert at ISL
International School of Luxembourg faculty, friends, students and parents pooled their talents in a musical tribute to the life and extraordinary courage of former ISL student Anthony (Tony) Lettieri who died of leukaemia in June, just a few weeks after his ninth birthday. The Anthony Lettieri Memorial Benefit Concert took place on Thursday, 23 October, in the ISL Auditorium. All proceeds from the concert are being donated to support paediatric cancer research.
This unique concert featured the well-known ISL Faculty Rock Band, the newly formed Teachers’ Dance Troupe, and the ISL Wind Band. The audience was also treated to a surprise performance by Donna and the Dynamos! Special guest blues artist Randy Melton got his mojo workin’ and the programme closed with an air by ISL director Chris Bowman and his Celtic musicians.
ISL kindergarten teacher and concert organiser Michaela Dennis explains how the idea of staging a benefit concert originated. “Shortly after Anthony passed away, a small group of teachers wondered what they could do to fulfil the wishes of Anthony’s parents and also to create something tangible for the school community to remember him by. Following on the success of our Faculty Benefit Concert for Tanzania last spring and the fun and excitement of that performance, we came up with the idea of a school wide faculty concert not only to entertain, but also to raise awareness and funds for paediatric cancer research.”
ISL faculty came together not only to perform, but also to help behind the scenes with concert organisation and logistics. Those not involved on stage were helping behind the scenes with ticketing, marketing, refreshments, and other tasks. The children who were in class with Tony designed the invitations. “The entire effort has drawn the school community closer together,” Dennis affirms. “People came together to practice before and after school and on the weekends and have had the chance to interact with colleagues they don’t normally work with.”
A fitting tribute to Tony’s memory includes raising funds to donate in support of paediatric cancer research. Ticket sales and corporate sponsorship are key to achieving this aim. The concert took place under the haut patronage of the Embassy of the United States of America in Luxembourg and counts Kaupthing Bank Luxembourg and Caves Krier Frères among its generous sponsors.
Funds raised from the concert are being donated to the two paediatric cancer organisations which supported Tony during his battle with cancer: Luxembourg’s Een Häerz fir Kriibskrank Kanner asbl, whose mission is to support young cancer patients and their families, and the American Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where Tony received a bone marrow transplant during the course of his treatment. This institution treats children from all over the world, regardless of their financial situation.
Donations are still being accepted by bank transfer to the ISL Charities account at Fortis Banque, IBAN LU87 0030 0613 5407 4000, Swift Code BGLL LULL.
