Past projects 8
Timpani Time
Funded Oct 11, 2023After some delays and issues with availability of timpani heads, we have FINALLY received all of the materials from this project! We now have a set of 4 timpani, all with the same heads, all with covers, AND with a real timpani throne. This is huge for the band program. I'm excited for the timpani to sound better than ever, all thanks to your overwhelming generosity. Thank you SO much for your kindness and support, it inspires me to no end how much the community cares for the Million Dollar Band!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Hernandez
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community & an Anonymous Partner and 9 other donors.Can You Hear Me Now? Good!
Funded Sep 21, 2023The impact of your donation has already been felt! We had a speaker that we were able to use for our rehearsal, and I was able to communicate with everyone from hundreds of feet away with ease! Not only that, but the band was able to practice with an audible metronome, and even had background music to enjoy during their water breaks. And I personally did NOT have a sore throat after rehearsal from yelling. This is going to be a game-changer, I just know it.
The additional materials are also already being used, as one of our bass drum heads needed an immediate change and one of our tenor drum stick bags was literally hanging on by a thread. That student no longer has to worry about losing his sticks while performing!
Thank you again for your donation. Hope to see you at one of our performances!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Hernandez
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 11 other donors.Mellophone Mayhem
Funded May 23, 2023Your donation has supplied us with the mouthpieces we need for the marching band mellophones! These mouthpieces are too specialized to warrant having the students purchase them (at about $50 apiece, this not not a burden we want to give the students), and having a class set of the same-size mouthpiece will do wonders for the tone of the band. The students will know that their supplies came from a generous donation, in hopes that one day they will pay it forward and help the future generations of the Million Dollar Band!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Hernandez
Directing Harmony
Funded May 9, 2023Our goal was met so quickly, some students didn't even realize we had completed the project until we actually received the new materials! For that I cannot thank you enough. The new Harmony Director has been installed and now plays over the classroom speakers. I can give pitch references, drone tools in multiple voices, metronome, and even demonstrate the differences between equal temperament and just intonation, which is hugely important for the level of success we are trying to achieve.
My students were amazed after seeing everything the new Harmony Director can do, and I have already shown my new student leaders how to work it. They will now be able to independently warm up the group, creating even stronger musicians and leaders for our band. So again, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Hernandez
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Foundation and 13 other donors.Get Your (drum) Head in the Game!
Funded Oct 26, 2022The new drum heads have been great. Besides providing a great clean look and an improved sound, the band members feel more confident in their playing. There was great excitement when the materials first came in, in a HUGE shipment of multiple boxes. The new heads, paired with freshly painted drum hoops, made all the difference in giving the drumline a sleek look to finish out the season with the highest MPA ratings for Miami High School since 2018! The next step is bringing back a full percussion section (meaning a front ensemble) for our 2023 marching show, which will be announced at the end of this school year. Your help is invaluable, thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Hernandez
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 12 other donors.We Got The Beat!
Funded May 3, 2022Thank you for your generous contribution to the Million Dollar Band program. The percussion instruments that were purchased through this project were sorely missing from our percussion section, or at least badly damaged. This will greatly help us develop a well-rounded sound in our percussion, and give the band's sound an overall better feel.
We are looking forward to using some of these instruments in our 2022 marching show, which draws very heavily from Latin styles of music! And many other instruments will be utilized by our symphonic band, especially when we play Sleigh Ride during our Winter Concert!
Again, thank you for your donation. Your support helps make us better.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Hernandez
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 6 other donors.(Mouth)Peace of Mind
Funded Apr 17, 2022Thank you for your generous contribution to the Million Dollar Band. The materials we received are going to be implemented immediately in the classroom! The brass mouthpieces will be made available to marching band students who are unable to secure a second mouthpiece due to the prohibitive cost. Though I will continue to encourage them to be responsible musicians and to purchase their own primary instrument mouthpiece, having our own store of marching band brass mouthpieces will make this process significantly easier for everyone involved.
Truthfully, some basic music classroom functions would not be possible without your help. For that, I am deeply grateful, and my students are equally grateful for their new materials. Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Hernandez
Extra, Extra, Reed All About it!
Funded Mar 15, 2022Thank you for your generous contribution to the Million Dollar Band. The materials we received are going to be implemented immediately in the classroom! The woodwind reeds will be made available to students who were unable to secure reeds on their own, or who accidentally chipped their reeds before a performance. Though I will continue to encourage them to be responsible musicians and to purchase their own reeds, having our own store of reeds will make this process significantly easier and safer for everyone involved. The other materials will also be put to good use. Soon we will be able to re-string our double bass, and now all of our keyboards have headphone adapters so that students may practice without disturbing others.
Truthfully, some basic music classroom functions would not be possible without your help. For that, I am deeply grateful, and my students are equally grateful for their new materials. Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Hernandez