Thanks to a crowdfunding campaign in America, students of the late Hanze classical guitar teacher Sabrina Vlaskalic will be able to attend her funeral in Serbia.
Translation by Traci White
The Groninger Internet Courant reports that students of Vlaskalic, who died after being struck by a lorry last week while biking, will have their travel expenses covered by the money raised by Jeremy Hiniker from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Hiniker’s fundraiser aimed to raise 7,000 dollars, but ultimately brought in brought in 9,388 dollars (8,267 euros) to pay for students in Vlaskalic’s studio at the Prins Claus Conservatory to travel to Serbia for their teacher’s memorial service. Hiniker hosted the online fundraiser together with Vlaskalic’s partner. Hiniker is also a classical guitarist and expressed his admiration for the late guitar virtuoso.
“Along with many others in the classical guitar world and beyond, I was shocked to hear of Sabrina’s passing”, he wrote on Facebook. “In the days that have passed since the news, I have seen countless posts across the world from people who knew her and others who were fans. The stories shared truly show the great impact she has made in the guitar world.”
Hiniker says that he wanted to find a way to help Vlaskalic’s partner and decided to start the fundraising campaign to make is possible for at least 16 of the students in her studio travel to the funeral. Money raised beyond the initial goal will also go to paying for additional students to travel to Serbia for the memorial. The fundraiser ended on Tuesday.
Welcome Sabrina’s students to Serbia. We will be together connected in our love towards our dear, never forgotten Sabrina.