More students will be able to participate in musical education this year thanks to the success of the Big Musical Instrument Drive.  

Last summer the Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools ran a campaign asking for used instruments to help students who couldn't afford to participate in their school's band programs.  

Bruce Buruma, Executive Director of the Foundation, said they received 81 instruments valued around $30,000, which will now give students the opportunity to explore music and gain valuable skills. 

“There are lots of studies that show that music really supports brain development and there are a lot of math concepts that are related to that,” Buruma said.

“But there’s also the soft skills like perseverance, being part of a team, making a commitment, all of those are parts of music education. We use musical education as a means for kids to be able to acquire some of those really important skills and values.”

Jennifer Mann, teacher at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive School, said they’ve been trying for years to get band programs started at north end middle schools in Red Deer.

“When they reconfigured the grades from K to 5 up to K to 8, we lobbied quite strongly for the existence of music programs, particularly band programs at those schools.”

“Events like this will help support the growth and development of those schools that haven’t been able to offer these kinds of programs before.”

Although some of the instruments received are in need of repair, Buruma explained they will all be used in one way or another.

“Most of them will go into music programs, some of them I have to be honest, they’re not in that good of shape. They may have other purposes that we can use in other ways.”

A few of the instruments even came with their own unique set of stories.

“We had an instrument from 1905 that really is no longer being used, but it was a really cool instrument,” Buruma said.

“We had a person who was involved in an accident where he had brain injury. He had instruments that he had a passion for but could no longer play and said well it’s time to pass those on and let the music play.”

Students will be able to choose the instrument they want to play added Buruma, thanks to the variety of instruments donated including violins, guitars and saxophones.

kwilson@goldenwestradio.com