Yearly, I teach two percussion ensemble classes with a total of 25 students, and then 3 steel drums classes with a total of 60-70 students. The steel drum ensemble has students at a variety of different levels, some who have played steel drums for 3 years, others who have never played a musical instrument. The percussion ensemble classes have highly skilled students that work on advanced techniques and repertoire fit to serve them should they continue studying percussion in college. The students are extremely eager to learn, and there is a tangible feeling of momentum in all the classes. After a successful first 3 years, the students are beginning to understand what they are musically capable of!
My Project
Our percussionists have access to great materials; our equipment is organized and the kids are sounding great. However, in the past, we've had much fewer students (when I started 3 years ago, we had 13 percussionists in marching band, now we have twice that many!) and don't have enough mallets for everyone to play using 4 mallet technique at the same time with a good matching sound!
At the end of the day, we need to have matching implements in order to achieve the same sound quality across the (key)board(s).
Help us blend our sound and make sure that every student has access to the same quality equipment. Sometimes the last 10% of clarity takes 90% of the effort, and making sure that we are matching across the group will help us chip away at achieving our clarity goals!
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Kilby and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
