Katy-area student musicians raised $11,000 for UNICEF Syria relief at a one-hour benefit concert Aug. 29 in the Grand Lakes subdivision.
The event was the ninth annual benefit concert organized by Music of Harmony, a student-led nonprofit founded in 2017 that brings live music to senior communities, hospitals and schools. Twenty-seven MOH team leaders performed at the Rainwood Park Lane Pavilion from 6 to 7 p.m. that Saturday, according to Music of Harmony. The concerts draw audiences of more than 500 each year.
Nelson Bowman, senior managing director of philanthropy at UNICEF USA, attended in person. Bowman, who is based in Houston, said partnerships like the one between MOH and UNICEF matter because the agency provides healthcare, nutrition and vaccines in emergency situations around the world.
"Youth helping youth is such a wonderful thing because you'll probably never meet the youth you helped," Bowman said at the concert. "But it doesn't matter, because you're working with an organization where that's all we've done for 80-plus years."
Bowman also praised MOH's weekly performances at senior homes, describing the visits as a "breath of fresh air" for residents who don't get many visitors.
Audrey Li, a senior at Seven Lakes High School, leads MOH as executive director. Li said she was glad to see the Katy community gather for the cause.
"I'm truly glad to see our music translate into meaningful impact halfway across the globe," Li said.
The nonprofit now counts more than 2,000 volunteers across seven branches nationwide. Its members perform 16 to 18 times each month at more than 30 senior facilities, totaling more than 1,200 concerts since the group's founding. MOH's reach extends well beyond Katy.
Across all nine benefit concerts, the organization has raised more than $55,000 for humanitarian causes. Past beneficiaries include UNICEF relief efforts in Sudan, Ukraine and Gaza, as well as Katy Christian Ministries.
MOH's weekly senior-home performances continue on a rolling schedule. The organization posts upcoming dates at musicofharmony.org.
