Punch family aims to share the gift of music with a new generation

Wednesday, December 12, 2007
By Nancy Churnin, The Dallas Morning News

Richmond Punch knows what a difference music can make in a child's life.
He was all of 5 when a teacher at his school changed his life by putting a violin in his hand. His love for that instrument, and later the viola, drew his family on a journey that took him from a tough neighborhood in South Dallas to Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Juilliard and the Yale University School of Music. He graduated with a master of music degree in viola two years ago.

Now he's giving back, as artistic director of the Dallas Uptown Youth Orchestra, which the Punch Family Foundation started in September. It's a diverse group of 25 kids from all over Dallas-Fort Worth, most of whom participate for free. Their very first concert, a celebration of Christmas music, will be Saturday at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center's Horchow Recital Hall.

"It's always good to do something you love," says Mr. Punch, 27. "I can't believe that I'm able to share a gift as a career. I think that's pretty extraordinary."
Mr. Punch and his mother, Gayle, and sister, Lauren – who make up the Punch Family Foundation – have been volunteering their time to work with the children while raising money to provide them with lessons and instruments.

Also, the Punch Family Foundation raised more than $2,000 in June for scholarships and grants for minority string students. It provides an after-school orchestra program at St. Philip's School and Community Center in South Dallas and an opera education program for student residents of the Dallas Housing Authority. It's currently running the Dallas Uptown Youth Orchestra program in the red in an effort to keep it tuition-free. The students are mentored, introduced to basic music performance and taught music theory by Mr. Punch.

In the meantime, the family pays its bills with Mr. Punch driving from city to city, performing and giving private lessons and lectures, and his sister, a cellist, working two jobs, at Starbucks and Delta Air Lines. Meanwhile, Gayle Punch, who is on dialysis, goes straight from her procedure to help organize the orchestra program each Saturday.

It isn't easy, but this is a family that has never found an obstacle it couldn't overcome on the way to pursuing its dreams.
Gayle Punch remembers dark days – literally – when she was a single mom living in South Dallas and the kids were young. Once, when her lights were turned out because she couldn't pay her electric bill, she sent her children to stay with a neighbor and went back to the house, where she wrote letters by candlelight.
She wrote to Lee Iacocca and Mary Kay Ash, asking them how they got to be who they were. A few weeks later, letters arrived back from both. Mr. Iacocca told her that he had managed to surround himself with people who had expertise. Ms. Ash wrote her that when one door closes, there is also a window that opens.
"So I try to find people with expertise who can help me," Gayle Punch says. "And if someone says, 'No,' I know my job is to look for the open window."
Through the years, the letter-writing continued, with Gayle Punch writing to then-Gov. Ann Richards and sending her the children's report cards.
What did the kids think of that?

"After a while I got used to it," Lauren Punch says and laughs. "We would go to Governor Richards' campaign rallies, and she would hug me. I didn't want to mess up at school, because I didn't want to disappoint her." And the music was always there, helping and sweetening the journey, with Gayle Punch pursuing support and scholarships and the children giving benefit recitals to help pay their way.

"Music kept us from getting in trouble," Lauren Punch says. "For my brother, it was his life."
Now the Punch family hopes to bring the gift of music to a new generation. And Gayle Punch is looking for an open window to make it happen.
"We have no sponsor, and we are operating on the faith that sponsors, whether they are corporate or individuals, will decide they want to help us in our vision," she says. "I met with one potential donor and showed him our budget for $100,000. He said, 'How are you going to do that?' I said: 'It may be $1 a time, but I don't think about that; I just go forward.' "

Proceeds from this weekend's ticket sales will help pay for private lessons and instruments for the children. For more information about the orchestra, write to the Punch Family Foundation at P.O. Box 710656, Dallas, Texas 75371, call 214-823-4269 or visit www.richmondpunch.com.
Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Meyerson's Horchow Recital Hall, 2301 Flora St. Tickets available at the door.
$10, $5 seniors, $1 children.