The email that started it all

Our journey to Rome started in June 2023. I had found out that 2025 is a Jubilee year of celebration. Each month of the year or period of time in that Jubilee year celebrates various aspects of the Catholic faith such as Priests or Laity. I found that April happens to be the Celebration of Persons with Disabilities. So I thought “Hmm…nothing to lose by shooting off an email to them”. And so I did shoot off an email into their general mailbox asking if our little awesome special needs orchestra could come invade St Peter’s Square for the celebration.

In August 2023, I was surprised that someone from the Vatican actually replied back expressing interest in our orchestra. On March 1, 2024, I had a mild heart attack to open up my email to find a formal invitation from the Vatican Dicastry of Evangelization to perform as part of the celebrations of the jubilee of persons with disabilities on April 29, 2025.

Our current crazy plan is to bring 12 of our beloved Hearts For Music musicians over to Rome to perform on April 29, 2025. An even crazier plan is in place to link up with other special needs communities in Rome to form the largest multinational, multi ethnic, multi disabilities music ensemble, playing that day.