Six youth musicians will have the chance to improve their skills and cultural awareness and to raise money for a music resource library during a benefit concert on Sunday.

The six advanced violinists, Liedy Sinclair, 10, Kelsey Ball, 14, Nicole Nelson, 11, John Adcock, 12, Avlon French, 11, and Christine Allison, 12, attend the Bermuda School of Music.

They will join 15 other student musicians from the Kingsbury Strings chamber orchestra of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Bermuda School of Music students will complement the featured guest orchestra during the concert which will also feature two professional American musicians, soprano soloist Joan Kirchner and violin soloist Ariel Parkington.

Shawn Verfaillie, violinist, faculty member of the Bermuda School of Music and founder and artistic director of the Kingsbury Strings, will act as concert director.

Mr. Verfaillie has been the instrumental force behind the initiative to create the community music library, named the Music Education Resource Centre, as an educational resource that will contain materials such as sheet music, musical scores, music related journals, music history and theory texts, professional recordings and videos as well as an up-to-date listening lab.

He hopes the concert will serve as the initial "catalyst" in promoting it.

The Cape Cod resident said "wherever I am I try to give back to the community."

Mr. Verfaillie planned the concert and has also made arrangements for The Bermuda College to house the facility and for The Bermuda Suzuki Association to act as steward.

The association, a sponsor for the orchestral event will take responsibility for overseeing development and growth of the endeavour.

"We're hoping the library will become a major educational resource here on the Island," Mr. Verfaillie said.

Because his students were very receptive to his idea, they will benefit from the sharing in the experience of giving back to the community and working with musicians of a different calibre and culture.

The conductor described music as a "great unifier" and as a "wonderful vehicle to give back, to entertain, to share our gifts."

He added: "I'm hoping from the experience the Cape Cod students and the Bermuda students will be able to share their experiences of diversity and it's important to give something of value back to the community whether it's your own community or someone else's."

Mr. Verfaillie asked for the public's support in building the Island's musical cultural awareness.

He said: "I think it's important to note that if at all possible we really need people to support the concert.

"It's a small way in which each member of the community can contribute to an educational resource that will have long-lasting impact."