In 1995 Gayle Punch held a large garage sale to help with her son’s expenses for music studies. Her attempt at fund raising ended when a city officer demanded she close her garage sale down. Her efforts were cited in a news article that announced the next fund raiser would be a recital. Within the week $5000.00 was raised. Her son attended the Interlochen Arts Camp that summer.
In 2004 a news article about Gayle Punch and her children was written. The article called “Gayle's Gift” spearheaded an Idea. Gayle knew other music students were struggling and she had to help. The benefit recital held that year allowed her to raise funds. In 2004 and 2005 a Gayle’s Gift Of $1000.00 was awarded to two music students.
His story
Let me introduce you to Mr. Richmond Punch, a young man whose life was changed by caring people. Richmond now an accomplish musician has a vision to bring opportunity to children in his community…please let me share his story with you.
At age six Richmond was given a violin by a schoolteacher in Dallas, Texas, who also guided Richmond to a youth orchestra at Southern Methodist University. The Director, Mr. Arkady Fomin, suggested that Richmond try a viola and introduced him to a teacher that provided private lessons. He studied very hard and practiced three to six hours per day.
By the age of 14, Richmond was growing as a young musician and had been accepted into the Dallas Symphony’s Young Strings Program. Richmond became First Chair Viola in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra and toured Europe visiting the Eiffel Tower and Stonehenge, performing in castles, and even seeing the Mona Lisa, all being opportunities provided because of his musical skills.
In 1998 he was accepted to the Julliard School and graduated with a BA in Music Performance in 2003. He entered the Yale School of Music and graduated in 2005 with a Masters in Music
