The Michael for Berklee (michaelgemina.com) PayPal donate button is here!
In response to everybody's questions about my son...
My son, Michael Gemina, is a 20 year-old drummer who was accepted at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA for their 5-week summer performance program. Just last month, Michael finished his 3-year Music Production & Sound Engineering course at the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde on Full Scholarship. Michael won in 3 different inter-band competitions here in Manila, one in which he was awarded Best Drummer. His band, Private Publiko, recently launched an album which hit the radio this month. He has been a part of our church worship team as drummer (Victory, known as Every Nation worldwide) for the last 7 years. As an aside, he is the youngest male black-belter in Aikido in Asia.
We feel that this gift in Music is God-given and we are moving heaven and earth to make this dream come true. Michael has had his heart set on Berklee even before he entered college.
Coming from his home-school background of 10 years, Michael was disheartened at how young people his age live either aimlessly or in mediocrity. His vision is to excel in what he does so that he can make an impact in his generation and inspire others to live excellent lives that will honor God and affect society for the better. By God's grace, when he returns, he would like to share what he will have learned with other young people by teaching part-time in his alma mater and going full blast as a drum artist.
Our means are limited. We look to family, friends, and patrons who will help him run with his vision. My former ballet student & godfather of musicians, Paul Pajo, help set up his fan page and we are rallying 1000 true fans (friends) to give $10 USD each (about P500) to raise approximately P500,000 to cover the cost of tuition, plane fare & accommodations.
We brave this move, in humility, because we, too, have sown our own financial seeds in the area of education in the past. We applied for scholarship, but, Berklee grants this only to high school graduates. Michael is above the age limit.
If you wish to help, please click on the donate button below
Those in the Philippines may deposit at:
Bank: Banco De Oro
Account Name: Maria Lucia B. Gemina or Gerry Gemina
Account Number: 1470000871
Our family wishes to thank the following patrons: my mentor Mary, Eileen De Matta, Stephan & Mish Suarez, Jojo & Divi Malolos, Ayessa Balat, Joan Crisanto, Mona Gonzalez, Rean & Tes Tirol, Toops & Jan Manlapig, Fred & Ashley Magbanua, Lawrence Laureta, Miel & Mash Maguigad, Jun/Mina/Aaron Yap, Irma Bringas Aguado, Liza Aldaba, John & Chotto Go, & Botond and Binky Bognar, Alvin & Liezl Borromeo, Tanya Aritao, Cliff & Cres Logan, Caleb Galaraga, Ichet Lacsina, Miguel Calayan, Grace Marci, Michael & Pia Paderes and an anonymous donor.
We also wish to thank those who have done liaison work on our behalf between the US and Manila: Pastor Steve Murrell, Pastor Jun & Mabel Lee and Mrs. Binky Bognar. Special thanks to Paul Pajo, godfather of musicians who conceived of the Michael-for-Berklee campaign. Thank you all for lending us wings when ours can't seem to fly. We will always be grateful.
To honor God and advance His kingdom in the performing arts. Thank you. :-)
