Eddie Van Halen, who lost his battle with cancer in 2020, left a “transformative” gift to a charity that supports music education in at-risk U.S. schools.
Los Angeles-based Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation (MHOF), announced last week it received a bequest from the late rock guitar icon. The amount was not disclosed but the organization said Van Halen left “a meaningful percentage of his estate.”
In a release, son Wolfgang Van Halen said: “Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and the work they do for music education was always something that was important to my father. I am incredibly proud to help facilitate this donation as he wished.
“Mr. Holland’s Opus are champions for our musicians of the future and it is my privilege to continue supporting that mission and carrying on my pop’s legacy.”
MHOF said Van Halen’s donation will enable it to serve more schools, boost its staff and improve its technology.
“Eddie’s support and friendship over the years meant the world to us and to his fans,” said president and CEO Felice Mancini, in a release. “His passion for music and our work created a strong bond, which is evident in his extraordinary bequest. To know how much our foundation meant to Eddie is intensely humbling and gratifying to all of us.”