I am very impressed by this initiative - it has a clear focus, a set time-frame and a very worthy goal. I hope that I can play some part in achieving that goal, and work together with the other participants to provide something which will enrich the lives of children in a struggling area of Croatia.

Suzi Curtis-Kojakovic

Music has been around for thousands of years, people from almost ever culture listen to some type of music. Music gives people the chance to express themselves in more than words, it can make us love, hate, laugh, cry, feel happy or sad.  It offers an escape, a wave of sound that takes us to a far away place, away from the reality that is life.
The citizens of Pakrac suffered greatly during the war and there are many who are still recovering. My hope is that the greatest gift of the human spirit can restore a glint of wellbeing into these people's lives. This is one of the creative arts that has successfully been used worldwide in hospitals, convalescent homes, pediatric wards and psychiatric facilities to aid concentration, recovery and to give a general sense of well-being.
The gift of music should be something everyone has the pleasure of experiencing and is one we should all be working to make accessible to everyone.

Joseph Whitfield

I have gladly accepted the invitation to participate in the 'Upright piano for Pakrac' benefit action and I am looking forward to its success, to the cooperation with nice people and all the new understandings which surely I will gain by performing this work. I am particularly looking forward to the cheerful and sincere children's smile when they touch the keys of the new upright piano at their music school in Pakrac and when they let themselves be carried away by music along its miraculous paths.

Branka Kuzmanović, Hauska & Partner

'The City of Pakrac is the founder of Pakrac Music School and has financially and technically supported it since the founding. The Pakrac Music School is a very active institution, which is attended by a large number of children, who participate in almost every cultural and other event in our city. The pupils and teachers have achieved notable success on competitions and deserve full support in Pakrac and support coming from outside Pakrac. We are pleased that you have recognized its value and have started a praisable action'.

Mr. Sc. Davor Huška, dipl. oec., Mayor of Pakrac

'All of us who work for children and with children know very well what joy the music is for them. Not all of them will become Pogorelich or other eminent musicians, and are not even supposed to become. Their lives are enriched and spirited by music, and this is something they will always carry with themselves, wherever they might go. Their parents, grandmothers and grandfathers are all jointly making the school' purpose even more evident.  We are still rather young a school, merely 10, and we have a variety of needs for the proper functioning of our school. That is why Mrs Žanina was a gift from heaven to us. The action has just begun and I do not know what the final results will be, but it is already a great thing, that we have acquired a new friend of the school, and a new friend of Pakrac itself, Mrs Žanina Bilić. To all people who will support the action, I herewith express my gratitude - on behalf of the school, the pupils, the teachers and on my personal behalf.'

Alfreda Petani Grafina, prof, Headmistress of Pakrac Music School

Your charity work is very conciderable and I wish with my whole hearth that you bring off this important project. Music has significance for people in many ways; for one individual but also for whole nation. For example, we have a very high level music education for children from 3 years up to 18 years in Finland. Schools are called Music institutes and there are these institutes in whole Finland, almost in every town. Education is quite inexpensive in these institutes because they are partly supported by Finnish state. It is said that one reason having quite many high-grade Finnish world-famous classic musician , is the system for music education.

You will find information about the Finnish music education at the address http://virtual.finland.fi/Education_Research/ The site is professional so that information on it is true being produced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. You can learn there very informative description on Finnish music education. For example, there is told about music classes at the normal comprehensive school; I have personal experiences about this good system because my daughter studied in this kind of class for 8 years when she was both at the comprehensive school and at the upper lever of the compehensive school. At that time all pupils of the age group were tested in the talent for music after their first school year and were selected to a music class on the ground this test. And education was free of charge as the Finnish education system is as a whole. All pupils of the class played first a soprano recorder and later a alto recorder but everyone of them trained some other music instrument by their own cost. But the strong educational footing at music was given at this class of the school.

Mrs. Raija Lofgren, Statistics Finland, International Affairs Unit

The French writer Victor Hugo, who lived 1802 - 1885, said this about music: Music expresses that which words cannot express, but is impossible to keep silent about.
From my personal experience I can confirm I have reached for the piano in certain moments in my life - some very sad moments, and some burstingly happy moments. I just sat at the piano and spoke through the music. The music has brought and is bringing great relief and pleasure, regardless of the current circumstances and what they are like - favourable or unfavourable. Piano playing has, inspite all, remained an unshakable positive power and seductive beauty, which has inspired me a year ago to re-start the active engagement in music, after 7 years of abandoning active engagement in music. My personal renaissance now lasts over a year, and I feel fantastic.
In my opinion it is certainly very useful and very positive to enable children and adults to acquire tools - the knowledge - with which they can open up a view upon a vast musical meadow and tools - a channel - with which they can meaningfully fill their spare time and channel or express their feelings, but also hear other people's feelings. This is useful and positive regardless of whether the children or adults will continue to make music professionally or as a hobby. This is something no one can take away from you, and something that is always with you. Learning about the basic of classical music bears manifold benefits.
Learning to play piano or any other musical instrument develops concentration, working habits, persistence, abstract thinking, cause and effect linking, fine motorics of the hands, coordination of hands and thought, instigates the activity and development of both sides of the brain, instigates and furthers the development of the ability to perform multiplex mental activities in parallel, enables expression of emotions, develops combinatorics, gives the pupil insight into the lives and works of many composers, enriches his general knowledge on arts, brings on new knowledge and actively involvs in arts, does good to the soul and brings joy.
This charity action is even more important as it helps the town of Pakrac, which beside itself being active, needs a helping hand to climb up a few more stairs up the stairs of development. The music school in Pakrac is very active and can proudly state the success of its pupils and teachers so far. Their work should be praised aloud and encouraged - keep on going!

Žanina Bilić on the charity action 'Upright piano for Pakrac'

Music is a strong motivation tool. Music follows me personally throughout the day. The rush of emotions which I felt during the last classical concert is difficult to describe. For some 'man's' pride sake I have struggled and withstood the tears that could have emerged. Tremendous excitement! The piano gives a very special touch in that synergy of instruments. It carves each emotion into one's heart in a very special way. Therefore I sincerely support this action. It is my wish that as may pupils as possible learn to transform emotions into sound and   thus send them off into the world!

Miljenko Hajdarović, prof.
editor of Croatian History Portal