Benefit concert helps music programs without funding
by Kate Slaboch, Outpost Staff
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Sigma Alpha Iota President Kate Slaboch and Benefit Concert Chair Joanna Love present the awards at the Benefit Concert. Photo by Brett McGinness |
Erin Ferree's Orchestra programs get almost no funding from the Washoe County School District annually. She is the teacher in charge of Reed High School and Mendive Middle School's Orchestra programs. In fact, the middle school gets no financial assistance frmo the school district and has been using music with missing parts for years.
"I don't know why the funding is so bad, I don't know the logistics. I came from Georgia, where we had $800 a year for each program," Ferree says. "There's just not a lot of funding for any music program here, it's not high on the list of priorities."
Students who play in her programs here begin playing their instruments in the sixth or seventh grades, and many continue from Mendive to Reed in the strings programs. They spend time fundraising by going door-to-door selling whatever they can - but as Ferree says, "...it's basically a big pain."
Her programs are always growing, which is another reason Ferree needs new music for her students. This year she has 50 students at Reed and 35 students at Mendive, and she plans for the programs to expand even more next year.
Ferree reports that the money her programs receive from Sigma Alpha Iota will go to purchase new music. "We play mostly modern composers that have fun-type music, and a little pops music at the end of the year. But we have needed new music for a long time." Many programs have to borrow music from each other, she explained, and that is a troublesome manuever because many teachers are weary of loaning out their music.
Sigma Alpha Iota puts on the concert annually in order to help local musicians continue in their education. Last year's concert raised about $1000 and helped to purchase music as well. And in years past, they have purchased instruments for programs whose students did not have anything to play.
The third music program to be awarded money from Sigma Alpha Iota is the band program at Sparks Middle school, directed by Martha O'Neill. They will also use the money to purchase music for their program.
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Posted April 14, 2000
Copyright 2000 Nevada Oupost
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