Derek Brameyer has a certain routine that he follows when preparing to play Jimi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" or classical music, such as the piano concerto "Scotch Poem, Op. 31, No. 2," which he performed at a May 14 benefit recital.
"I put on rock music, and that gets me in the mood; or I put on classical, and that gets me in the mood," Derek said.
Derek plays the Hendrix song with his band Brahmer, which is made up of fellow musicians from Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology. He played the piano concerto with fellow students from Hearts in Motion Center for the Arts in the Saratoga area of Springfield. The concert offered 15 musical performances in a benefit for the Ecumenical Community for Helping Others (ECHO). Musicians and members of the audience were asked to bring nonperishable food items to the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church for the performance.
"I think he was more nervous at Nation," said Derek's mother, Jan Brameyer, referring to the Washington, D.C. venue at which Brahmer performed.
DEREK BRAMEYER learned to play guitar at Lake Braddock Secondary School, before he switched to Thomas Jefferson the following year. He was invited to perform with the McLean Youth Orchestra Chamber Ensemble this summer.
Brittany Bascope, 15, is another Lake Braddock Secondary School student who took singing classes at Hearts in Motion, as well as Lake Braddock. She sang "Via Dolorosa" at the May 14 recital.
"I'd like to continue singing because I really enjoy it," Brittany said.
Kathy Marchetti, an ECHO representative, was in the audience, and she was appreciative of the donations. Last year, ECHO assisted 6,300 people, distributing $123,000 worth of financial assistance in addition to food and clothing.
"It's an all-volunteer organization. Less than 1 cent per dollar goes toward overhead," Marchetti said.
"They do so much to help the families in need," said Tracy Longerbeam, co-owner of Hearts in Motion Center for the Arts.
FOR SEVERAL years now, ECHO has been preparing for an expansion to its building, which is located next to Garfield Elementary School on Old Keene Mill Road.
"The new building space will be used for storage and counseling space," Marchetti said. "We need to raise about $200,000 more."
Construction on the addition is expected to begin in November, said Pat Gauthier, ECHO's executive director at ECHO. "We've gotten the zoning we need."
To help raise some of that money, ECHO is planing its second annual golf tournament for Monday, July 19. Gino Marchetti is chairing the event, and he can be reached at 703-644-1689.
"That will be a big fund-raiser toward the building," Gauthier said.