An accomplished organist and longtime professor of music at Millersville University is donating a collection of musical instruments to the School District of Lancaster and endowing a scholarship to provide instrumental lessons.
Dr. Karl Moyer visited McCaskey’s orchestra class on Wednesday to remember his late wife, Carolyn, in whose honor he’s making the gifts. Dr. Moyer presented two violins, including a 1991 violin made by Nagyvary, a renowned violin maker, a viola, and a cello.
“These were all teaching instruments to her,” he said as he reflected on their 60+ years of marriage. “Short of life and salvation, the gift of music is third in line—to me.”
The instruments were accepted on behalf of the district by the Lancaster Education Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization supporting excellent and equitable education in the School District of Lancaster.
The Carolyn Moyer Memorial String Instrument Scholarship is a grant to Music For Everyone, a Lancaster nonprofit that provides and repairs instruments for SDoL music programs, as well as offers music lessons and programming for students across Lancaster County.
“We have over the years, provided a lot of group lessons and small ensemble lessons,” said Dr. John Gerdy, the MFE’s executive director. “But to be able to provide individual lessons is going to be transformative. It’s the cherry on top of our program.”
McCaskey sophomore violinist Jessa Groff, who played a short piece on the Nagyvary as part of the program, said the private lessons she had growing up helped her develop as a musician.
“I think it’s a way for kids to grow and learn more about music, and enjoy it more,” she said. “A lot of people aren’t as fortunate [as I was], so it’s really nice.”
Carolyn Moyer was a performing violinist as well as a beloved music teacher in the Lancaster community. She believed the personal discipline required for practice and performance carries over into mental discipline in other subjects in school as well. The scholarship will enable students who are often not able to obtain or afford private instruction to receive them.
“Teaching involving one student and one teacher is the most effective way to go about this,” Dr. Moyer said. “It’s what my wife did. That’s frequently not possible. But the MFE organization is now able to begin to make that a possibility.”