Concert at Schuler to benefit Children’s Village

Listening to beautiful music can be a great way to spend an evening. But in this case, it will do more than soothe the listener. It also will benefit the kids at Children’s Village.

Pianist and composer Brian Crain will give a benefit concert — his first concert in Coeur d’Alene — Oct. 1 at Schuler Auditorium. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated to Children’s Village, a foster care group home in Coeur d’Alene.

Crain, a Hayden resident for 13 years, has been an ongoing supporter of Children’s Village.

“I heard his music at the (Coeur d’Alene) street fair,” said Children’s Village Development Director Tinka Schaffer. “I was enthralled with his music. I called and asked if he could donate a couple of CDs. He came over and learned what Children’s Village was about, and he donated a large number of CDs to use as an ongoing fund-raiser.”

Crain is very popular in Korea, where in 2001 he performed a 12-concert tour. He’s planning another concert there later this year. He only recently started performing in the United States, focusing instead on composing and selling CDs of his music. According to his Web site, he’s sold hundreds of thousands of CDs.

His music, as evidenced by his favorite CD, “Sienna,” is melodic, flowing and relaxing. One can imagine it as the background music in a sweeping movie saga.

“I’m into film music,” Crain said. In his early 20s, Crain composed songs for children’s films and in his teens, did sound for Hollywood movies.

“Sienna” was inspired by a trip to Italy, and it will be songs from “Sienna” that Crain will play at his Children’s Village concert. He will be accompanied by the BC String Quartet.

Early in life, Crain was more interested in baseball than piano and had hopes of becoming a major league player. However, as a kid, he would whistle tunes that he made up. His parents bought a baby grand piano and enrolled him in piano lessons, but he gave it up when it took too much time from baseball.

Then he started doing sound for the movies and would occasionally sit down at the piano and play with notes, improvising tunes. He taught himself to compose at the piano.

“I compose at the piano almost entirely (now),” he says. “Usually, when I whistle, it’s unconscious.”

Crain recently contacted Schaffer and told her he was ready to do a concert in Coeur d’Alene. He expected something a little smaller, however, than the 1,800-seat Schuler Auditorium. “I assumed she’d do something at the Hayden (Lake) Country Club.

“It’s nice to be in my home town,” he said.

Children’s Village hopes to raise at least $10,000 and, if all tickets are sold, could potentially make $20,000, Schaffer said. Seats are reserved and tickets are $24 for general admission and $19 for seniors and students.

Children’s Village has been operating at maximum capacity throughout 2004, Schaffer said. The home is currently full, with 22 kids, plus several other children who attend a day program.

Beyond the fees-for-services the village receives, it takes another $16,000 to $20,000 per month to operate. In addition, the village is working “slowly” toward building another house.

“The thing that causes us great stress is turning away kids when we’re full,” Schaffer said.

Besides grants, fees-for-service, sponsorships and many small fund-raisers, the village does two big fund-raisers a year — a spring charity auction and a fall holiday luncheon and silent auction. “Brian Crain will add another (big) one this year,” Schaffer said.

She said she hopes the community will support the concert and make it a family event. “They will be thoroughly impressed with his beautiful music and will be helping the children of the community.”