PastSMF was started in 1996 when piano teacher and "Release the Butterfly" author Robert Murray Diefendorf began giving piano lessons to gifted students in a room at a local arts council. The students had to le
arn
on pianos that had missing keys, and there wasn’t even money to tune the
pianos. With help from the town social services department and an outpouring
of community support, practice instruments were acquired. Present
Today, Small Miracles Foundation has a network of dedicated volunteers, including a board of trustees, young teachers, teacher trainers, and logistical support.
"Our mission is to provide as many children as possible with private music instruction and, just as importantly, to instill the love of teaching in our talented high schoolers," says Director Robert Diefendorf. "We believe that playing a musical instrument will enhance intellectual development,
give spiritual sustenance, and bridge the social divide that often exists in unseen ways. And as more young people experience the joys of teaching, they will apply these skills in all parts of their lives and enhance the perception of the teaching profession."
A descendant of immigrants who often went without, Mr. Diefendorf has seen first hand how a gifted child deprived of the opportunity to develop leads to frustration. " Some families tell me their children wanted piano lessons but could only tap on the kitchen table — this was the extent of their musical education," recounts Mr. Diefendorf. "They wanted lessons to release music they possessed in the soul, but also, in order to be accepted in a society that had left them behind."
Future
We hope to become a national organization to bring our mission of loving
music and teaching to every town.