Canadian trumpeter to play for Nashville Symphony after crowdfunding tuition to Juilliard

Four years ago, William Leathers was a teenage trumpet player from Mississauga, Ont. who made headlines after launching a crowdfunding campaign to attend the Juilliard School in New York City.

Now, as he's about to graduate, Leathers will be heading to Nashville, where he's earned a coveted spot in the city's symphony orchestra.

"The last four years have been fantastic. You know, I've just been very grateful to be here at the Juilliard School," he told CTV's Your Morning on Monday. "None of it would have been possible without the generous Canadian people and all the people all over the world who donated to my GoFundMe."

Back in 2018, the then-17-year-old was one of only three trumpeters chosen to attend the prestigious performing arts school, but couldn't afford the $364,000 cost of his four-year education.

But thanks to the generosity of Canadians who donated to his crowdfunding campaign, the trumpet-playing prodigy was able to finance the first two years of his education, while a fellowship program covered his last two years.

"I've always had goals in mind. And I always knew, as long as I put a plan together and I put the work in and follow that plan, everything's going to work out the way I planned it," Leathers said.

While working with the Nashville Symphony, Leathers will also be simultaneously completing an accelerated master's program at Juilliard remotely. He also had dreams of starting his own teaching studio in the Music City.

"I'm looking forward to getting down there and seeing what it's all about and getting some hot chicken in my stomach and all the different types of music that they got down there," he said.