Ranney Student Raises Funds for Asbury Park Music Foundation

By: Susan Murphy | February 21, 2021 |  Local |  Little Silver

In celebration of his recent eleventh birthday, Little Silver resident Sean Ricard decided to hold a birthday fundraiser on Facebook.

With the help of family and friends, he was able to raise more than $1,300 in January and to donate the funds to the Asbury Park Music Foundation (APMF). Sean, who attends Ranney School, shared what inspired him to write his first piano piece and hold the fundraiser.

“I wrote a song in school about generosity on my guitar for a school assembly and then had an idea I could write a song to raise money,” said Sean. “I did perform it in a video and I posted the video on my mom’s Facebook account and on my Instagram account @SeanRicard.”

Besides classical piano, Sean also plays the electric guitar and keyboard. He works with his piano teacher, Mrs. Lovell, on a weekly basis and performs both classical and contemporary songs.

“I have been taking music lessons since I was six years old,” said Sean. “I started with only piano, but then picked up the guitar. I recently completed Bohemian Rhapsody, and now I am learning Für Elise by Beethoven.”

Sean takes guitar lessons at Lakehouse Music Academy in Asbury Park from his teacher, Dan Haase. The academy is a progressive music school that features group rehearsals, individual lessons, and live performances at Asbury Park’s world-famous music venues. There are different programs at every level for every age.

“Sometimes I play keyboard on some songs with my Lakehouse band, whose name is Deadly Maintenance Crew,” noted Sean.

Aside from his music lessons, Sean enjoys reading mystery books and math in school. He also finds music as a way to help face challenges.

“I am interested in astronomy and have a telescope I use. I also collect foreign coins and enjoy building things,” shared Sean. “The biggest challenge of 2020 was how everything was changing and not knowing what was and what wasn’t safe. Music makes me feel good. Mrs. Lovell figured out how to teach me remotely first, and then Lakehouse did the same, and then I had a little bit of a routine in quarantine. Something I would want other kids to know about taking music lessons is that it’s really fun and music can make you feel better. I chose to donate to APMF because they give music lessons to kids who can’t afford them.”

The mission of the Asbury Park Music Foundation is to keep the Asbury Park music legacy alive by providing under-served youth with life-changing music education, helping the local music scene thrive and uniting a diverse community through music.