19 March 2026
When one door closes, another door opens. Or, in this case for Chibuike, when one country closes, another one opens.
On March 16, Chibuike received confirmation that he is being recommended for admission by the School of Music to the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In the acceptance letter, Dr. Steven Capaldo, current director of UVic’s School of Music, stated, “Congratulations on being selected … we look forward to welcoming you to the University of Victoria.”
The School is recommending him for a $3,000/CAD scholarship with additional funding from the University possible. However, the challenge will remain to reach the total price tag of tuition, housing, and other expenses that will top off at over $50,00/CAD. We currently should have just enough funds that would cover Chibuike’s remaining weeks at MUSON, visa costs, and transportation to Vancouver, British Columbia.
Beyond that, we will immediately be looking at various professional contacts Michael Jones, Chibuike’s cello mentor, has and other sources such as the Canadian government and organizations in Canada that support Nigerians and Nigerian culture. Please let us know if you have any suggestions or contacts that could help with this next step. There have been so many generous people along the way and invite you to share this with friends you feel would join us all in this cause.
UPDATE: On 20 March, Chibuike received formal notification that he has been accepted by UVic following the recommendation of the School of Music.
Raising Arts ... Serving the Arts Community 