The Raider Band at has been practicing for Thursday night to perform an original work called 'Heart of Hope.'
"Did you kind of get the 'feels' a little bit?" Highland Park Middle School Director of Bands John Vanhook asked his band students. "We're playing music from the heart for no other reason than just the joy and love of music."
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WATCH HEREThe music was commissioned by the to tell the story of 13-year-old Will Woleben.
"It's such an uplifting and just a really heartfelt story," 'Heart of Hope' composer and UNT graduate student Ryan Fillinger said. "That's really what I tried to capture, was just the heartfelt spirit and overwhelming positivity."
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SIGN UP Woleben was diagnosed with Leigh Syndrome, a degenerative genetic disorder, when he was 2 years old.
"Ever since then, we have been on a mission to find something to help my son and others with this disease," Will's mom Kasey Woleben said. "It is terminal. There is no treatment or cure."
The Wolebens founded the to help children like Will.
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Before Will started showing symptoms, he was learning to walk and singing his ABCs. Now he can no longer walk or talk, but he understands... and loves.
"He still is cognitively a 13-year-old boy who is funny, who loves sports," Woleben said, pointing out he is a huge Dallas Stars fan. "So these kids are kids that are trapped in bodies that are not working anymore."
The Wolebens wrote the story 'Heart of Hope' about Will's capacity to love people and sports. His younger sister did the illustrations. It was the foundation for the Sing Me A Story original piece to share Will's story with others.
"Yeah," 8th-grade bassoon player Beckett Woodson said. "I just feel like it might be nice for them to, like, hear his story through music."
"You can really feel it with the music and feel the message, that is honestly being inclusive and making sure everyone feels equal," 8th-grade French horn player Taylor Ramo said. "Because we're also around that age, we know what it feels to be a little insecure about yourself at this age, and I think children probably actually can understand more and relate to the piece more than adults can."
"The whole thing just kind of hit me very emotionally, very heavy, and it felt like maybe one of the most important things we do all year because it's humanity," Vanhook said. "I don't teach music. I feel like I teach humans through music."
'Heart of Hope' will be performed Thursday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m., during the Highland Park Middle School band's spring concert at 3555 Granada Avenue in Highland Park. The Woleben family will be there. All are welcome to attend.
