More than 50 brass band instruments have arrived in Port Macquarie destined for local school students.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
A charity music program called Just Brass has sourced the musical instruments which were donated by the Salvation Army.
Free lessons will commence at the Salvos Hall from 4pm on February 10.
More than 200 people attended an open day held in May 2019 to gauge interest in the program, said program director David James.
"That initial meeting was out of control and way bigger than we thought it would be," he said.
"It was standing room only with over 70 students signing up. Hopefully the majority of them are still interested and will show up on the first day.
"We're creating a band basically out of nothing and hope to see improvement in their playing."
The first few lessons will involve splitting into smaller groups of individual instruments and studying musical theory and how they work.
Instruments donated for the program include trumpets, cornets, tenor horn, trombones, baritone, tuba, drums and drumpads.
The project aims to have one concert a year as a group performance. Ten brass band teachers will guide the students during the practice and performance.
Mr James, who began playing the trumpet when he was eight years of age, says musical instruments are a key driver in school studies.
"It's proven that playing a musical instrument has a knock-on effect to students' other studies," he said.
"The aim is to teach the students music and get them excited about learning how to play."
There is also the benefit of meeting people and making new friends, he said.
One of the program teachers, Jim Gebhardt, has been playing the cornet since he was 13 years of age. He is a current band master of the Port Macquarie Band of The Salvation Army.
"One thing people don't talk about is how motivating music is for students," he said.
"It gives them focus and helps them get the motivation to attend school.
"Just to be part of a musical program helps with the intellectual growth of a child.
"This program aims to bridge that gap for schools."
The project is similar to Just Brass initiatives in Hurstville, in southern Sydney.
For more information CLICK HERE.
What else is making news, sport?
While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox from the Port Macquarie News. To make sure you're up to date with all the news, SIGN UP HERE.
If you value local journalism, continue to support us and consider taking out a subscription. CLICK HERE for a 30-day free trial.
