An instrument for change: Young violinist uses talents to help Cambodian orphans

By Scott Nowoselski,
Citizen Special
Ottawa Citizen

Violinist Laurent Côté is running a concert Sunday to benefit the foundation that he founded, Kids Helping Kids. Since the foundation was born four years ago, Kids Helping Kids has raised more than $12,000 for orphanages in Cambodia.

Photograph by: Julie Oliver, The Ottawa Citizen

When Laurent Côté first started to learn the violin, he felt trapped by the stringed instrument.

"It was like homework," he said. "You didn't want to do it, but you didn't want to not do it either."

But after years of hard work and success around the globe, Côté has begun to see the violin as a tool for liberation.

One of the brightest up-and-coming stars on the Ottawa classical music scene, Côté, 17, has used his gifts to establish a youth-run charity that raises money for Third-World children.

The charity, Kids Helping Kids, supports Cambodian orphans through an annual concert put on by Côté and some of the city's most promising young musicians.

This year's concert will take place Sunday night at MacKay United Church on Dufferin Road.

"Part of the concert, and the organization, is recognizing how lucky we are as musicians," Côté said. "To be able to play and give back to others who don't have that privilege, it's quite special."

Since the foundation was born four years ago, Kids Helping Kids has raised more than $12,000 for orphanages in Cambodia. Initially run almost solely by Côté, the organization has now grown into a team of more than 10 youths aged 12 to 17.

The success has not gone unnoticed, either. On Wednesday, Côté was awarded the 2009 Outstanding Youth Award by the Ottawa chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals for his role in building Kids Helping Kids.

But the award is just one of many lofty accomplishments for a young man who claims he is "not a musical genius."

Having started to play the violin at age four, Côté has won multiple prizes at the Kiwanis Music Festival and was a provincial finalist at both the 2008 and 2009 Canadian Music Competitions.

Last year, he toured China as a soloist, making stops in Beijing and Shanghai.

Locally, Côté is a co-concertmaster of the Ottawa Youth Orchestra and is heavily involved in the Stellae Boreales violin choir.

Fellow choirmate Laura Telford said the group's leader is an endless source of inspiration for young musicians looking to make it big.

"He's very much a role model for all of us," she said. "Not only in his maturity in starting an organization and putting on a concert, but his expertise in music also inspires us all and helps us to realize that even as teenagers, we can do big things."

And while he's flattered to be considered a leader amongst his peers, it's really all about the music for Côté.

"We're giving to others, but we also get a lot out of this concert ourselves," he said. "Getting the chance to play and the chance to perform, it's a lot of fun."