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KTBA Donates Method Books in Bunkie, Louisiana

KTBA Donates Instrumental Method Books to Band Program Method Book Madness in Bunkie, Louisiana BUNKIE, LA – Thanks to your donations, Keeping the Blues Alive donated instrumental method books to the band students at Bunkie Magnet High School! About the Students “My students are some of the most fun, ambitious, creative, and thoughtful kiddos I’ve ever worked with!” Mrs. Reppond exclaims. Mrs. Megan Reppond is the Band Director at Bunkie High School. “Though our school district is the lowest-funded districts in the state, we are the number one district in growth! This means our students are eager to learn and better themselves every day.” Bunkie High School is now a ‘B’ rated school! In spite of the challenges that many of the students face at home, they still manage to thrive and seek excellence during music class. Mrs. Reppond was beaming. “These kids are so enlivened by what they get to do in band and they are willing to go the extra mile to help each other and support their program. They are truly something special,” she says. About the Project In order to match the skill level of all the students, Mrs. Reppond decided that she needed to expand her repertoire. However, with limited funding available, she needed to reach out for help. “This past year, I felt a little bad for my high schoolers because our method books were too easy for some and too difficult for the beginners in the same class,” Reppond explains. “Now, we have enough advanced high schoolers that we can begin to start learning from a more challenging book, so I know they will be thrilled to move forward a little faster!” The Essentials for Band books will guide students through learning to play more advanced rhythms, new key signatures, more technical studies, and expand their range. These books are a staple for many music classes – not just at Bunkie High School. The books are the second compilation in the series which builds upon previously taught concepts from the first book. “I think the structure of the Essential Elements 2000 books is outstanding, and I know that my students will appreciate them more once they feel the challenge of something more rigorous. I am hoping they find [the content challenging] in these new editions. Click here to visit Mrs. Reppond’s Band Page Attitude of Gratitude Eager to express her gratitude, Mrs. Reppond sent this note: Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc., Thank you for your generous donations! This project got funded with only TWO donations, which is AMAZING!!! Thank you so much to those who donated and made this possible. My more advanced students will be thrilled to have some new challenges, and this will be especially helpful when planning for quizzes or sight reading activities. With gratitude, Mrs. Reppond Every week, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation donates to a school in need of music supplies, instruments, sheet music and more! To help us fund next week’s project, please click here to make a donation: CLICK HERE

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KTBA Diversifies Music Library for Arts Magnet in Charlotte, NC

CHARLOTTE, NC – Thanks to your donations, Keeping the Blues Alive donated new choral literature to the choral program at Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, NC! “My students are quite unique as they have had to audition to attend our school of the arts,” says Ms. Stephanie Madsen. “They are creative and imaginative, from all walks of life and economic backgrounds. Using a hands-on approach and “learning by doing,” students are taught the arts by both full-time professional teachers certified in their arts disciplines and area and national professionals who teach master classes throughout the academic year.” Ms. Madsen’s students love learning music, singing, and sharing the love of music with their audience. Most students who come into the chorus stay in the program from middle through high school. “Our music library is replete with titles that have, at various times, been extremely helpful for students in the past,” she explains.  “However, we sometimes lack works that tell different stories or are written with modern singers in mind. Any chance we can find to expand our perception of the world is of tremendous benefit to our students and our community. With these materials, we’ll be able to further expand our music library to include pieces that are both new and tailored to the needs of our program. The works we are seeking will be supportive of young voices and minds, and provide opportunities to gain new insight into our world.” More than one-third of students come from low-income households.  Thanks to Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like you, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was able to fund Ms. Madsen’s project by sending three brand new titles including: “Kyrie”: 3-Part composed by James E. Green, “In Meeting We Are Blessed” SATB a capella composed by Troy D. Robertson, and “Will You Teach Me?” 3-Part Treble composed by Allen Pote. Each title will supply thirty (30) copies to the music program – an expensive that they would not have been able to cover this year.  Keeping the Blues Alive is a 501c3 organization that makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more every week! Your donations help us keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage. In order to keep the ball rolling, we appreciate your donations to keep music education funding alive in schools across the country. If you would like to help us to continue to make an impact on music education in America, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible and go to a GREAT cause! You can also check out our SUBMISSIONS page; make sure to send it to your local music teachers if you have a specific project in mind. Thank you for supporting music education for the next generation!

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