University of North Texas

Students from six area elementary schools will join the UNT Green Tones a cappella group in a benefit concert for the Shropshire Music Foundation, a nonprofit that provides free instruments and music classes to children in war-torn countries.

The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28 in the Music Building, Recital Hall. Admission is free; donations will benefit the foundation. 

Two past events planned by the UNT student group have raised $1,000.

The UNT Green Tones will team with Lake Dallas, Polser, Nelson, Rivera, Parkway and Providence elementary school students. Students will sing “Lean on Me,”  “Peace Like a River” and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” accompanied by bongos and guitar. Founder Liz Shropshire, Los Angeles composer and music teacher, will speak.

“The concert gives DFW-area children the chance to use their talents to help the children in Shropshire Music Foundation programs in Kosovo, Northern Ireland, and Uganda. It also gives them a chance to sing with college-aged musicians, and many of them are excited about that,” says Brittney Balkcom, underraduate music student who helped start Students for the Shropshire Music Foundation. 

Since 1999, the Shropshire Music Foundation has taught more than 10,000 young people through music, aiming to use music to help children heal from the emotional and psychological wounds of war.

UNT’s collaboration with the Foundation began when Terri Sundberg, professor of music, met Shropshire in California. Sundberg has since traveled to Kosovo to give concerts and see foundation activities. Sundberg is collaborating with psychology faculty to study the foundation's effects.

 Photo courtesy of Jennifer Callahan, associate professor of psychology.