Past projects 55
Dirty, Stinky Instruments are NO FUN!
Funded Nov 12, 2018Thank you for contributing to a cleaner classroom environment. Since this project was completed, all 60 of our clarinet students have cleaning swabs, which they use at the end of each rehearsal. This keeps the to keep the instruments clean and in optimum playing condition.
The students are also benefiting greatly from the mouthpiece cushions. As a result of this project, every saxophone and clarinet student now has a mouthpiece cushion. This helps to mitigate the vibrations felt in their upper teeth, and therefore makes it more comfortable to play their instruments.
As we head into our concert and festival season, these resources are an invaluable component of our success. Thank you so much for your kind support of our band program. The students and I sincerely appreciate your kindness and generosity!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Schecter
This classroom project was brought to life by Yamaha Corporation of America and one other donor.Percussion is More Than Crash, Bang & Boom!
Funded Dec 17, 2018Percussion instruments not only provide an underlying rhythmic pulse for the band, but add vibrancy through the use of many different sound colors. The students absolutely love the bell practice kits. They are small and easy to transport, thus making home practice possible. The new xylophone mallets add a bright, resonant sound to our ensemble and the set of triangle beaters allows us to choose the right beater for each piece, as each one produces a unique tone.
Over the next few weeks our students will be performing in several concerts and our seniors will participate in a state adjudication festival. Your kind donations will ensure a successful concert season for our bands. Thank you so much for your incredible generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Schecter
HELP! My Instrument Weighs More Than Me....Part 3
Funded Oct 22, 2018"I have too many low brass players in my band" said no middle school band director ever...except maybe Ms. Schecter! With the donation of the plastic euphoniums, more of my students have chosen to play the instrument, as the lightweight plastic ones make home practice much more accessible. There are 10 euphonium players in my 6th grade band, 7 in seventh grade and 8 in 8th grade! How many other middle schools can boast that they have 25 aspiring euphonium players in their band programs?!
As we prepare for next month's concert season, we are deeply appreciative of you - our guardian angels. Your donations have helped our band program flourish. Thank you so much for your incredibly kind support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Schecter
HELP...My Euphonium Weighs More than Me!
Funded Sep 21, 2018Most middle school band teachers share a common complaint. Few, if any students desire to play the large lower brass instruments, such as tuba and euphonium. This year in 6th grade band I have NINE euphonium students and FOUR tuba students. Many of these students are small in stature and would not have chosen to take on these large instruments without having the opportunity to take home the plastic euphoniums. Thanks to donors like you, we own three plastic euphoniums (blue, purple and black). My sixth graders use these for home practice and the older students use the metal ones. Your kind donations have made the euphonium an accessible instrument for the smallest students. Words cannot even begin to express our sincere appreciation!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Schecter
Band Basics - The Fabulous Flute!!!
Funded Sep 7, 2018Thanks to your incredible kindness, each flute student in my program now has his or her own flute on which to learn. This significantly reduces the wear and tear on the instruments and prevents the sharing of germs between students. The students in our band program absolutely love learning music! Over the past month, we had our eighth grade winter concert as well as demonstration concerts for the sixth and seventh graders. We are looking forward to a Spring filled with music making, including a District Music Festival (which will be hosted at our school), All County, State Festival Adjudication and of course our 6th, 7th and 8th grade Spring Arts Festivals. With your generous donation, all of our flute students will be able to participate in the concerts without having to trade off instruments between groups. Thank you so much for your kind and generous donations. Wishing you much health and happiness in the New Year!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Schecter
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.Yuck...Someone's Spit is in My Flute!
Funded Aug 10, 2018The plastic flutes are AMAZING! My students and I are so impressed by how good they sound. My sixth graders love them because they are much lighter than regular flutes and the bright colors are fun! With 300 students active in our music program, the plastic flutes have increased our inventory enough that every flute student has his or her own school-issued flute. This significantly cuts down on germs and the student appreciate not having to clean another student's saliva out of the instrument.
My students are filled with energy and enthusiasm. The 8th graders will be presenting the Winter Arts Festival concert next month, and the beginners in grades 6 and 7 are working hard at learning the fundamentals of playing band instruments. Your generosity will help my students be successful because you have provided them with the tools they need to learn. Thank you so much for your kind support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Schecter
Good Intonation is Music to Our Ears!
Funded Feb 1, 2018Playing in tune is not easy for young students, as tuning can be a very abstract concept to teach. With the 15 tuners from the grant, we now have enough tuners so that most students can have one on their music stands during class. The tuners help them to understand their own pitch tendencies so that they will learn how to make the proper adjustments. Soon after receiving our tuners, the students participated in our state adjudication festival. They not only scored a prestigious Gold rating at NYSSMA level III, but received accolades from the judges for their overall solid intonation. Thank you for helping my students learn this essential concept. The tuners are regularly used in all of my classes, and they have made a significant difference in my students' musical proficiency. Thank you for supporting our band community!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Schecter
Drumming Makes Me...
Funded Nov 29, 2017When it comes to expressing the emotions of middle school-aged students, there is no better tool than drumming. With your kind support, we have been able to offer both in-school and after-school drumming circle programs. Through drumming, our students are learning to work as a team while coping with they day-to-day pressures they feel. We also use drumming to explore world cultures. Currently, the students are studying West African drumming and learning about the people and culture of Ghana. Your generosity has been vital to the on-going expansion of our music program. Thank you so much for supporting our community of talented, energetic and determined young musicians!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Schecter
This classroom project was brought to life by Born This Way Foundation and 9 other donors.Help...My Instrument Weighs More Than Me!
Funded Dec 27, 2017Thank you all so much for your support! My students and I love the blue plastic euphonium. For the first time, even my smallest 6th grade students are comfortable bringing the instrument home to practice, as it only weighs about two pounds! Even though the instrument is made out of plastic, it has a fairly authentic quality of sound. Our next step is to write a grant to get another plastic euphonium...and maybe even a plastic tuba. Thank you so much for choosing to help our classroom! We truly appreciate your generous support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Schecter
Unity Through Drumming
Funded Oct 23, 2017Thank you so much for the new drums! With your kind donation, every student in our World Music Drumming class has his/her own drum. We no longer have to use buckets from Home Depot! The students in my World Music Drumming class all have special needs. Through drumming they are learning how to feel and play a wealth of rhythmic patters, which are interwoven to make exciting music. Furthermore, they are learning to cooperate, sharpening their listening skills and relieving the many stresses that the school day presents. Thank you all for your kind support of our music program!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Schecter