If you have you got a working trombone or a saxophone sitting in the corner collecting dust, then a class full of high school music students would be more than happy to take it off your hands.
Armadale Senior High music teacher Anea Duratovic is currently campaigning for either monetary donations or four working trombones and four saxophones for a music program for the incoming year seven cohort in 2019.
The instruments would be given to a class of 30 students who had successfully auditioned for the school’s concert band.
Miss Duratovic said the school previously had a strong concert band through the 60s, 70s and 80s but it diminished about 20 years ago due to lack of funding and support.
“The idea of the concert band is that all of the students learn in class at the same time,” she said.
“Usually the class time is for written work and they have to do ensembles after school, but this gives the students the opportunity to learn by actually playing.”
Each of the students will receive a trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone or a percussion instrument, which is theirs to keep for the duration of their schooling years.
“We have 22 out of 30 instruments so far that have been donated by various people and organisations in Western Australia and around the country,” she said.
“The year seven students will then take these and we would hopefully get another set for the following year and so on until we have six sets of working instruments.”
Miss Duratovic said she had visited other schools that participate in the program and was excited to see the student’s progress in learning a new skill.
“There is a lot of scientific research-based evidence that shows learning an instrument can directly impact how a student learns in a lot of other subjects,” she said.
“There is also the element of emotional wellbeing and mental health that comes from learning how to play an instrument.
“Learning an instrument and playing music provides students with an outlet and helps them out of depression and other mental health disorders.”
To donate contact the school on 9497 6400 or visit the fundraising page.
