Make-A-Wish Granted: Clavinova

This past February, Yamaha and Keyboard Concepts in Van Nuys, CA helped the Make-A-Wish Foundation fulfill a special wish for 17-year old Macy Engler. In the middle of her senior year in high school, Engler was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. A surgery in November and months of chemotherapy have sapped her energy, but her love for music and her new Clavinova CVP700 are helping to lift her spirits.

Jeff Falgien, co-owner of Keyboard Concepts, says, “We put a big bow on the Clavinova and included several piano books with the delivery. We feel it’s very important to give something back to our community whenever we can. It’s the right thing to do. Every dealer should contribute in this way.”

The Englers invited several friends and family members to be present when the Clavinova arrived. “Macy was very happy because she got what she wanted,” says Ellen Engler, Macy’s mom. “It was an incredibly special day for her. It’s a great instrument and she really enjoys it. She’s home by herself quite a lot, so it helps her to pass the time in a pleasurable and creative way.”

Macy especially enjoys listening to the Clavinova disks, and when she’s ready, a Make-A-Wish volunteer will give her free piano lessons. “I’ve taught myself to play the themes from Titanic and Born Free, and I wrote a song with lyrics, Like a Whisper,” says Macy. “It’s a slow song, like Celine Dion stuff, about relationships. I love all kinds of music, especially punk, country, and R&B, depending on what kind of mood I’m in. And I love to sing and use the Karaoke machine on my Clavinova. It’s a lot of fun.”

Shelley Ginsburg, director of public relations and communications for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles, says, “Make-A-Wish relies heavily on community
support to grant the number of wishes that we do each year. We greatly appreciate the generosity Keyboard Concepts and Yamaha showed for Macy’s wish by donating the Clavinova and music books.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Since its inception in 1980, the international organization has helped more than 97,000 children. More information about the organization can be found at its website www.wish.org.