Friday, July 23, 2010

Instruments Needed for New City Music Program

From Emily Troll

I'm starting up a community music program in Middletown this fall. And I'm desperate for instruments! I have a very small budget, so I was thinking that before I went out to buy stuff, I might just see if any of my musically-inclined friends had used instruments they might want to get rid of.

My definition of instrument is quite broad. Kazoos are instruments. Actually, kazoos are awesome. And if you have a banjo that you always meant to play but know you never will, maybe this would be a good home for it! Instruments should be in playable condition as I am no repair expert.

Instruments will be used communally for the most part - to facilitate jam sessions by providing a variety of musical possibilities. On occasion, I will rent an instrument out for a few dollars and a signed agreement to be nice to it, both of which will be returned when the instrument is returned to the program.

If you have lonely instruments looking for some music-making - PLEASE send them my way! Just shoot me an email (etroll@wesleyan.edu) and we can talk details. All donations are tax deductible. You'll receive a thank you letter from my organization which is an official 501-c3.

Thank you so much for your support!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's a program in Hamden called Horns for Kids that collects instruments and gives them out to schools that need them.

Google Lee Walkup - he's the contact person.

Viktoria Sundqvist
Editor
The Middletown Press

joseph getter said...

While it sounds like Horns for Kids is a great program, I don't think it is relevant to The Eye, to Middletown, or to the original post about an effort to establish a new music program in Middletown.

On the website for Hamden-based Horns for Kids, there is a list going back to 2005 of instruments they've donated. Not a single item has gone to any school in Middletown (aside from one to the "CT Christian Academy", which is listed as being in Middletown but is actually located in Meriden). Nonetheless, it is an impressive and commendable list of donations.

I hope that people reading about Emily's program here in The Eye will consider making a donation to her program. She is an amazing person, talented, hard-working, and committed to serving Middletown. Let's put our donations to work in our own town first.

joseph getter said...

Upon further contemplation, I see that the intention of Viktoria's comment was probably to direct Emily to Horns for Kids, so that she may request instruments for her program. My apologies for that mis-reading; the comment thus is relevant.

About Horns for Kids: I wonder why no Middletown programs or schools have received a horn or guitar from them (at least in the past few years). Just due to lack of requesting? Or do we actually have adequate funding from families and schools so that every kid here who wants an instrument can have one?

Emily said...

Hey everyone - thanks for the advice and support! More info about the program coming soon. In the meantime, keep sending on those instruments! Recorders, violins, and guitars are especially appreciated.

Gratefully yours,
Emily

joseph getter said...

Hi, the follow-up comment I sent yesterday has not been published. Please post this, and thanks.

My apologies to Viktoria for saying Horns for Kids wasn't relevant; it is! I mis-read your comment, thought it was suggesting Eye readers should donate there instead. Then I read it again and realized it was directed to Emily as a suggestion for help, and a good one, too. Sincerely, - joseph