The theme of this year’s Menuhin Foundation gala fundraiser is “Passport to a World of Wines” and the October 4 event will take guests on a culinary and musical trip through the wine-producing regions of France, Italy, Spain and California.

The Menuhin Foundation was established almost 40 years ago and its primary mandate is to bring free lessons in stringed instruments to the children of Bermuda.

“With the help of the wonderful team at Beau Rivage restaurant at the Newstead Belmont Hotel, led by chef Jean-Claude Garzia, this fundraising event will feature culinary delights prepared by him and his capable crew,” said a Menuhin Foundation spokesman. “The great folks from Discovery Wines have also taken the time to put together a carefully chosen selection of accompanying wines from each of those four regions.

“In keeping with the theme of the evening, pieces of music from the various regions have been selected by the Menuhin Quartet and will be played by them.”

The evening will also feature performances by Menuhin Scholarship Students Liam Peniston and Gabriel Jones.

“The music promises to keep things animated and there will also be live and silent auction events,” said the Menuhin Foundation spokesman. “Among the wonderful items on offer will be a dinner at Beau Rivage at the Chef’s Table which was very kindly donated by internationally acclaimed and award-winning executive chef Jean-Claude Garzia.

“Members of the Discovery Wines team will be on hand to let guests know about each of the wines they are sampling. There will be a total of eight wines available on the evening — two from each chosen region. The option will be available to purchase any of the wines sampled during the event. The team at Discovery will be happy to deliver any wines purchased on the night. As with all wine orders through Discovery Wines, delivery is organised to suit their customers and is a complimentary service.”

Lord Yehudi Menuhin, after whom the Foundation is named, was one of the most talented and most celebrated violinists of the 20th Century. In 1963, he established the Yehudi Menuhin School for young music students at Stoke d’Abernon in England.

In 1976, the Menuhin Foundation was established in Bermuda to fulfil the same mission of bringing music to children after Lord Menuhin appeared at the Bermuda Festival (now the Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts).

The Foundation has multiple in-school programmes and also provides private tuition.

“In order to sustain and, ideally, expand its work within the community, the Foundation needs your support,” said the charity’s spokesman. “The skills and the benefits which are enjoyed by the children in the Foundation’s programmes go beyond the ability to play musical instruments.

“The music brings to the children the ability to express themselves, to work collaboratively, and well-established benefits to their academic endeavours.”

Tickets can be purchased at: http://www.bdatix.bm You can also contact the organiser at nadiawhamza@gmail.com for more information or call (441) 734-6237.