Musical Instruments Project GOALS

Nature of the Project:

When we opened our doors to children at risk in 1995, one of the main pillars (in establishing a well-developed educational service) was the discerning use and integration of relevant expertise and proven-effective skills and tools in the programs we deliver. We realized one of our important goals was to familiarize these children with elements beyond their normally restrictive and impoverished environments.

Hands-on exposure and familiarity with Music and Musical Instruments opens brand new areas of self-discovery for these children; exposure to music promotes inquiry and self-determined learning. By exposing these children to such a means of expression as well as a coincident enjoyable and fun approach to learning , we help to place them on a more equal footing with their peers for entrance into Grade One (i.e., our social action mandate).

Musical instruments and our specialized music-education programs also provide additional remedial support for our on-site specialists (teachers, speech and occupational therapists, psychologists, etc. who intervene in therapeutic ways), working with individual children who suffer moderate to severe speech, memory retention, and cognitive challenges. We have found that a wide variety of beneficial and effective forms of clinical therapy for a child can be insightfully managed through comprehensive sensory interventions wherein music plays a crucial part.

Current Status of Music Program:

Our original instruments’ inventory is well worn. We have exhausted both the repair potential and support costs to maintain and patch these objects to where they no longer adequately meet the needs of our children. So too, the few instruments we have lost their effectiveness as therapy means or educational tools – we are losing the beneficial therapies that can be effected by their use by our professional staff.

A baseline need identified so far, through the investigations of our expert consultant, is the acquisition of a percussion instrument set for the Monterey site which has the most urgent and greatest need our other sites.

Our on-site musicologist has employed an aboriginal drum maker who makes especially strong drums made of double elk skin. The required drums would all be one-size, which is good for "equality" and for children’s hand size. For $1,500, 20 drums could be purchased for $75 each*, and 20 drums would supply the Monterey school. The drums would be used in music, but could also be used in drum circle for the beginning and ending of each day as the children and teachers initiate such routines. Drum circles are used to enhance community, to aid the children in focusing on the beginning of the school day, and drumming is shown to be a very good way to deal with emotions, especially anger and fear.