Big Giving Hands are Out There

Are you a band director longing to have more instruments in your band room? Do you want to have enough instruments for students who want to learn how to play? Do you teach music at an elementary school and want to start a band with your students? Check these out.

On Nov. 5^th, 2010, there were surprise and joy in the band room of Thomas C. Boushall Middle School in Virginia. Six school and Fidelity Investment bank officials marched into the band room holding eleven new instruments: saxophones, clarinets, trumpets, and a trombone. The total of $25,000 worth of instruments was given to the band that day. According to my search at Google, Fidelity Investments’ gift giving started in 2006 by the name of “Future Stage” program. The company’s donation has been about 2000 instruments to more than 160 schools so far. Fidelity is not alone in giving children chances to enrich their lives through music. VH1 Save the Music Foundation “provides complete band, string, keyboard, and guitar programs to benefiting schools”, especially to the elementary schools.

The music program in public school curriculum has often been threatened by economic down turns. Now things seem changed. Organization like VH1STM, and companies like Fidelity Investments want to help “the restoration of public school music program.” The first school band movement in history started in 1923. (Please check my posting “History of the School Band” on Nov. 15) I can feel that another one is started and I wish I am not wrong. Please check the following websites and participate making a difference in children’s lives through music education or get information to create your dream school band.

If you teach music at an elementary school, visit: www.vh1.com/partners/save_the_music/who_we_are/foundation.html

If you want information about Fidelity’s “Future Stage” program, visit:           www.futurestage.com/home

If you are interested in Fender Music Foundation Grants info, visit:      www.fendermusicfoundation.org/index.cfm