Escondido Elementary School Band Playing for Christopher Gibney Foundation 2009

Miller School Band Playing in Support of Christopher Gibney Foundation

Principal's Speech: Students Performing in Miller School Auditorium April 2009

On April 30, 2009, a group of about 80 students from Escondido's Miller, Felicita, and Pioneer Elementary School and performed a spectacular benefit concert to help raise money for the Christopher Gibney Foundation which is a 501(c)(3) public charity that supports public school music education in the Escondido Union School District and elsewhere. It also contributes to groups working towards finding a reliable screening and improved curative therapies for neuroblastoma, a solid tumor childhood cancer of the central nervous system. Christopher Gibney passed away from neuroblastoma after 11 months of fighting the disease on December 19, 2007.

The students ranging from age 8+ to 10 played an assortment of wind instruments, percussion instruments, and bass guitars in the presence of their parents, siblings, the Miller school principal (Mr. Jim Scott), and Mrs. Paula Pendell, administrator of music program in the Escondido Union School District. The concert was directed by Mr. David Gibney, whose son is Christopher Gibney. One of the many songs played called 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' was dedicated to Christopher because it was his favorite song.

Mr. Gibney is an experienced music teacher for many elementary/middle schools in Escondido such as Felicita, Pioneer, Farr, Reidy Creek, Mission Middle, etc. Prior to this concert in Miller School, similar concerts had been held in Reidy Creek, Farr and Pioneer School. Mr. Gibney plans to conduct these concerts every year at the schools. Mr. Gibney and his wife, Quynh Gibney are the founders of Christopher Gibney Music Foundation and they work very closely with the Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation.

The students were talented, excited, and felt proud of themselves for helping out the foundation. For further information and support for the treatment of childhood neuroblastoma, please visit this site.

Your kind donation and support of these foundations are very much appreciated. Mr. Gibney can be contacted at christopher@christophergibney.org