A group of Naperville Central High School students is using the universal language of music to make a positive impact on the community—one note at a time.
This year, Leo Zhang, Ethan Zhang, and Connor Yao founded the nonprofit MU5IC4GOOD, a group of 10 student musicians leading that initiative.
“Our purpose this year is to essentially raise awareness about the rising rates of autism, the impact it has on children and their families, and also how music therapy can be used to benefit those children with autism,” said Ethan Zhang.
Creating MU5IC4GOOD
Growing up, Leo and Ethan Zhang had a close friend with autism and witnessed the comfort the piano had on his life, helping him communicate and express himself. That friendship and a recent experience inspired the brothers to use music for good.
“We recently visited a family friend in California, and their oldest son has autism. Recently, they moved to Nevada because there were just so many children with autism in California that they had to move to Nevada to seek adequate facilities to educate their child,” said Leo Zhang.
Upcoming concert
To raise awareness of the benefits of music therapy for children with autism, MU5IC4GOOD is hosting a concert on Saturday, Aug. 2, at 2 p.m. at the 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Dr.
Guests can expect performances featuring piano, cello, violin, and vocals.
“There’s a lot of good pieces going on. There’s some classical, some pop, and it’ll be a great concert, in my opinion,” said Leo Zhang.
The concert is free, but the group will be accepting donations to help support children with autism.
Though this is the group’s first year, the students hope to continue expanding their efforts in the future, creating more opportunities for all to be in harmony.
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