United effort is music to organizers’ ears

The magnitude-8 earthquake that hit China on May 12 did far more than flatten buildings. Its human toll has registered a world away in Charlottesville.

Students and staff members from the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, Chinese Students and Scholars Society and International Studies Office are teaming up to present a series of concerts, dance performances and other events to raise funds for people affected by the earthquake.

It’s not a task anyone can attempt alone, as almost 70,000 people have been confirmed dead, another 375,000 are listed as injured or missing and 4.8 million people were left homeless by the quake. And while sending humanitarian aid to help survivors rebuild their lives in China, the organizers of Help is Hope seek to build bridges here at home, bringing community members closer together.

Help is Hope’s performance series starts at 3 this afternoon, with violist Dominic Durham and cellist Marvin Brown performing at an opening ceremony at the Community Chalkboard and Podium free-speech monument on the Downtown Mall. The event is free, and donations to help temblor victims will be collected until midnight.

Next will be a performance by the Granville Mullings Quartet at 8 p.m. Tuesday over at enoteca.

Expect admission to the events to be a suggested donation of $5 to the cause, and larger gifts are always welcome, but don’t stay away simply because you don’t have the funds.

“Every dollar is appreciated. Every penny,’’ said Tom Rose, an organizer of the Help is Hope initiative. “We’re happy for whatever change is in someone’s pockets. We’re not trying to make this out of reach for anyone.’’

Rose, a multimedia specialist, Macintosh products specialist and classroom technology support staffer at the Curry School, and Jie Chao, a doctoral student at UVa, have worked intensely over the past few months to get the organization going.

Many Americans who watched the searing television images of collapsed schools and sobbing parents or heard the intense radio coverage from journalists present during the quake felt the impulse to reach out. But with rising gas prices and grocery bills sending their own aftershocks into family budgets, it can get tough to find spare cash to give on the fly.

That’s why Rose wanted to be sure that both deep-pocket donors and folks who simply had change left over from coffee breaks or even childhood allowances felt welcome.

“That’s the whole spirit of what this is all about,’’ Rose said. “It’s a marriage of the whole community saying that we care. We’re trying to keep this concept of community and unity behind it all.’’

So many local people have joined the effort that listeners turning out for the concerts can expect to see volunteers from many racial and ethnic backgrounds.

“We’re hoping to have just everyone represented,’’ Rose said. “This could have just as easily happened across the street. These natural disasters don’t discriminate — and we don’t either.’’

Support has come from many corners, including the Charlottesville Jazz Society, First Baptist Church and University Baptist Church. Rose said that more than 70 volunteers already have signed on, with a large contingent from the Chinese Students and Scholars Society.

Having so many different fields of expertise represented made it easier to reach beyond the concept of a one-shot benefit concert, Rose said.

“I just felt we had to look at this with a bigger, broader vision,’’ he said. “It should not be about one concert or one genre of music.’’

Among events coming up in the series:

l Aug. 8: Greg Howard at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar.

l Aug. 9, 9 p.m.: “Swingin’ Saturday Night’’ with Acme Swing Mfg. Co. and guests at Rapunzel’s Coffee and Books in Lovingston.

l Aug.12, 8 p.m.: Rick Olivarez Trio at C&O Restaurant.

l Aug. 15, 9 p.m.: “Blues for Sichuan’’ with the Biscuit Rollers and South 29 at Uncle Charlie’s in Crozet.

l Aug. 22, 5:30 p.m.: Fridays After Five with John Carden and Greenwich Swing Time at the Charlottesville Pavilion.

l Aug. 22, 9:30 p.m.: Chickenhead Blues Band at Durty Nelly’s Pub.

l Aug. 24, 8 p.m.: “Night of the Drum’’ with Darrell Rose at the Shebeen.

l Aug. 31: George Melvin Hammond B-3 Organ Quartet at Fellini’s No. 9.

l Sept. 5, 8 p.m.: “Night of Women’s Music’’ at University Baptist Church.

l Sept. 19, 7 p.m.: Devon Sproule at Gravity Lounge.

Keep an eye on the Web site, as more events will be added as they are planned.

Volunteers also are welcome — just visit http://www.helpishope.org and click on “Volunteers’’ to see which tasks best fit your skills.

The funds will be sent to the Chinese Red Cross to provide food, medicine, education and reconstruction supplies.

Learn more at http://www.help ishope.org or call 823-1659 or 924-1030.