The first half featured Mariia and Simon playing a number of classic pieces from the late romantic period. Works by Tchaikovsky and Saint Saens featured. Mariia’s  playing was just exquisite and, combined with Simon’s precision and feel, created a magical mix of music.

In the second half, Simon teamed up with longtime friend and jazz pianist Kevin Hunt for duets that would make the represented composers of Gershwin and Bernstein forever impressed by the sheer joy of interpretations. Clair de Lune by Debussy also featured and was simply beautiful.

A standing ovation at the conclusion of the concert underscored how much people had enjoyed the evening.

Not only did everyone experience a great night, but we managed to raise over $4,400 from ticket sales. In addition, we were absolutely delighted to receive $2,000 from Globe Metals and Mining Limited, a listed Australian mining company, which is developing a multi commodity mine in central Malawi which should be fully operational by 2013.

We are also grateful to Hutchings Pianos who provided a magnificent tuned grand piano for the night without charge.

We would also like  to thank St James Church for their assistance, and we encourage anyone who has the chance, to attend one of their Wednesday lunchtime concerts as the ambiance is simply stunning, and the acoustics magnificent.

A great night was had by all – and now 65 new loans can be written to allow some of the world’s poorest women work their own way out of poverty.

We urgently need volunteers for the following:

1) Now until 22nd July
Helping us with our Simon Tedeschi & Friends Concert at St James Church Sydney 7pm on 22 July by:

a) Selling tickets – around your workplace, social network or by, for example, making up a group of friends to come along together and enjoy what will be a fantastic evening of exhilarating entertainment
b) Distributing promotional fliers around theSydney area – workplaces, cafes, bars, music venues, etc.
c) Help us on the night by ushering etc.

2) Ongoing
By helping us expand the Foundation in Australia so we can better meet the huge demand for our funds and services in Malawi. You may be part-retired, or can afford the odd hour or two promoting the Foundation.

Remember, no matter in what role you help us, you can enjoy the personal satisfaction of really making a difference – by giving an opportunity for self-sufficiency to the impoverished women of Malawi and their children.

If you can help, or if you’d like to know more, please call our Chairman, Brian Keen on 0417 211366.

We’ve had a bit of press coverage for the concert on 22nd July:

• City of Sydney
• The Weekend Australian – review
• 7news on Yahoo
• What’s on Sydney

There’s still time to get tickets: Order tickets now

Order tickets now

More on the concert

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/entertainment/1075149/tedeschi-to-play-benefit-for-malawi

At MicroLoan we are really looking forward to our patron Simon Tedeschi’s concert in aid of MicroLoan Foundation Australia. You can come along and hear some great music from some amazing musicians and help us at the same time! Ticket are $35 (or $25 concession).

You can buy your tickets directly from Moshtix – follow this link to the concert listing on their site:

http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=37749&ref=moshtix

We look forward to seeing you there!

At 7pm on Thursday 22nd July at the beautiful Francis Greenway designed St James Church in the Sydney CBD, world renowned classical pianist, Simon Tedeschi will be joined on stage by his friends Kevin Hunt and Mariia Gorkun, to perform a concert in aid of the MicroLoan Foundation.

Simon is one of Australia’s most gifted pianist who is now based in Boston. He has performed all over the world with many great orchestras and performers.

He will be joined on stage by Kevin Hunt, the well-known Sydney jazz and classical pianist, and Mariia Gorkun, an amazing violinist from the Ukraine and a Masters of Music candidate at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA.

The concert will help raise funds for, as well as awareness of, the work that the MicroLoan Foundation Australia does in Malawi to help some of the world’s poorest women start and run small businesses and support themselves.

Tickets are a mere $35 and are currently available online at Moshtix – book via this link:

http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=37749&ref=moshtix

MicroLoan Foundation Australia CEO, Clive Hughes thanked Simon for his generous gift of his time, as well as his ongoing involvement with the organisation,

“We are absolutely delighted that Simon and his friends have made time in their busy schedules to put this concert on for us. Simon has been enthusiastic supporter of MicroLoan ever since he agreed to become our Patron more than a year ago.

I think a lot of people have become very cynical about the ‘aid’ that the West gives to many countries in need. Many feel that much of the money is either wasted or subject to corruption.

Simon and I both recognize the great thing about MicroLoan is that every dollar raised in Australia ends up being lent directly to poor women in Malawi so they can set up their own little businesses, to generate extra income to help them lift themselves out of poverty. The model we use must be working, as more than 99% of all the money we lend is paid back and re-lent to other self motivated women.

MicroLoan is unapologetic that it only helps those that wish to help themselves.

And, if the poor could eradicate poverty for themselves, then we wouldn’t need to provide so much international aid, and our children might even benefit from the new demand created from these developing countries, in the same way we are currently enjoying a resources boom caused by China increasing demand to reduce poverty in its own country.

Having seen Simon and Kevin perform before I cannot wait to see them on stage in the wonderful acoustics of St James Church.”

MicroLoan Foundation Australia Chairman and Founder, Brian Keen goes on to say,

“We are very proud that our first office opened in Mulanje in Malawi in May last year and is now fully operational, with two lending officers at any one time servicing over 500 individual loans to women living in the rural areas of the 10th poorest country of the world.

In fact in our first 12 months we have now made over 2,500 loans! These women look after more than 10,000 dependents including 2,500 orphans.

They have set up a myriad little businesses from baking, to brewing, to chicken sales, to knitting, to selling potatoes, to making fritters to even running a hair salon.”

The average loan at the Mulanje office is just $80, but the average savings for each client is now up to $15.

Profits made are used by the women to support their families, be it to put more food on the table, send their kids to school, improve their basic medical care, or just stop the leaks in their mud huts when the rainy season starts.

I encourage everyone to make it on 22^nd July as it will be a wonderful evening – Simon, Kevin and Mariia will make a fantastic combination.”

If your community or service group would like to know more about what MLFA does, we’d be delighted to come along and present to your group! For more information contact Brian on 0417 211366.

Photo caption: Brian at the Zonta Club of Coffs Harbour as featured in the Coffs Harbour Advocate

Grace is a 38 year old married woman.  She used her current loan to buy tobacco and fish. To find fish at a good price, Grace travels to a market that takes her 3 day to make the return journey.

As she lives in a remote area she has to walk long distances to sell the fish direct to other households. Her husband helps with the business and looks after the children when she is away working.

Some information on Grace

Number of dependents:   6
Number of orphans:   2
Business type:   Sells fish; grows and sells tobacco
Income before first loan:   K3,000 (A$23) per week
Net income now:   K6,875 (A$53) per week
Original loan size:   K10,000 (A$77)
Current loan:   K40,000 ($300)
Time in programme:   16 months

How has MicroLoan helped you?
Having the loans has helped me care for two orphaned grandchildren as well as my own children. Before the loans the children were often only eating one meal a day; now they eat lunch and supper every day.

What problems has your business faced?
The business is going well, but it is hard work. I sometimes find it difficult to repay the loans every two weeks but I have always managed to get by.

What plans do you have for the future?
I would like to move closer to the market as it is very difficult walking so far for everything. I would like to open a grocery store, and to make enough money for my children to eat three meals a day.