Eddie Van Halen was a long advocate of the value of music education in schools, so it should come as no surprise the guitar icon left a substantial sum in his will to be donated to music education efforts.
In a press release from The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, Van Halen left the foundation “a meaningful percentage of his estate to the organization in his will.” While an exact figure was not disclosed, Guitar World reports the amount was a “seven-figure sum.”
The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation noted, “Before his passing in October 2020, Eddie Van Halen spent over a decade nurturing a close relationship with MHOF…The donation will enable MHOF to fulfill requests from a greater number of schools, add employees to its staff, improve the foundation’s technology and more.”
Eddie’s son, Wolfgang Van Halen, who donated the proceeds from his first single “Distance” to the foundation, said in a statement, “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.”
