text: Philanthropic Pianists Music Students Raise Money For Local Charities While Polishing Performance Skills. - tribunedigital-sunsentinel
  Philanthropic Pianists Music Students Raise Money For Local Charities While Polishing Performance Skills.
  Shana Milian, 9, sat primly in her bright red dress with lace trim. Her fingernails were painted red for the occasion and her hair was pulled back neatly off her face.
  ``I`m a little bit`` nervous, she said, clasping and unclasping her hands.
  She listened politely as the other children played their pieces at the second annual Piano-thon at the Palm Beach Mall on Saturday. Then, it was her turn to play her selections: Autumn is Here and Military Marching Band.
  Shana did fine. She is a recital veteran. The Piano-thon is her third recital since she began playing the piano in October. She even likes practicing.
  ``It`s fun because when my brother is outside playing and I`m getting bored, I can play then,`` said Shana, of Palm Beach Gardens.
  Not only does the Piano-thon give about 250 piano students a chance to show what they have learned, it benefits several local charities.
  At last year`s event, the students and teachers raised $3,500.
  This year, The Haven, a shelter for abused children; Hospice, a program for the terminally ill; and a variety of music scholarships will receive the proceeds from the 10 hours of music that filled the mall on Saturday.
  The program is sponsored by the Palm Beach County Music Teachers Association. For the past several weeks, the teachers have been urging their students to gather pledges. On Saturday, the students turned in their pledge sheets.
  ``We`re raising about $320 an hour,`` said Kathi Kretzer, the organizer of the event. ``It`s much more organized this year. Nobody`s panicking. We`re getting greater cooperation from the teachers -- they knew how great it would be.``
  One of Sara Hardin`s students, Ron Schoolcraft, raised $168, setting the record of the day.
  ``I walked around the neighborhood. My mom and dad took (the pledge sheet) to work,`` Ron, 12, said.
  ``He`s our shining star,`` said Leigh Brown, Ron`s mother. ``We`re proud of this boy.``
  Ron played difficult pieces at this year`s Piano-thon.
  ``It`s getting more complicated, but it`s getting more fun,`` he said.
  Several local radio, television and arts personalities announced the young performers as they took the stage. But not all of the participants were young.
  One student, who sang and played the piano, is 93. The youngest student to take part was 4 years old, Kretzer said.
  ``It is a totally excellent experience,`` said Pat Johnson, a piano teacher from West Palm Beach. ``It`s a good experience for the students to perform and it`s good to raise money for worthy causes.``