The cash-strapped Philadelphia Orchestra has offered a 9-year-old trombonist a replacement instrument after his trombone went missing last week, according to Philly.com. Aidan Milligan, who has Down Syndrome, loves to play the trombone so much that he gets excited for his lessons on the instrument. He got so excited last Thursday that he took his trombone to the end of his driveway, where the school bus picks him up, and left it there before going back inside. When Aidan left his house again several minutes later to catch his bus, the trombone was gone. The instrument might have been picked up by the garbage collectors -Â Thursday was garbage collection day in Milligan's neighborhood - or it might have been stolen. The Philadelphia Orchestra has offered to replace the instrument and has invited the Milligans to the orchestra's first Family Concert of the season. Philly.com quoted Aidan's mother, Helen Milligan:
What a thrill! This is just so amazing. That's so generous, I just can't even imagine. It's overwhelming.
The Philadelphia Orchestra filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 in April 2011. The orchestra is now out of bankruptcy but still faces financial problems. Read more:
- Orchestra Plays Hero to Student (Philly.com)
- Details Emerge of an Orchestra's Bankruptcy Plea (NYT)
- What the Philadelphia Orchestra Needs to Survive - and Thrive (Philly.com)
