Music4Life announces another record year providing musical instruments to schools

Music4Life™ has closed another record year by providing 2,036 ready-to-play musical instruments at no charge for use by students at eight Puget Sound public school districts.

The instruments are valued at nearly $183,000. This is an increase of 12 percent in instruments and nine percent of the total value of those instruments from those delivered the previous school year.

Included were 311 full-size instruments and 1,725 recorders (the little flute-like instruments that stick straight out of the mouth) to third- and fourth graders to two public school districts.

Shoreline Public Schools received 54 instruments valued at $21,334.

“We are very grateful to all those donors of ‘lovingly used’ musical instruments who make our work possible,” says David Endicott, Music4Life Co-Founder and President. 

“It is people who have a trumpet, flute, clarinet, violin or other used musical instrument in their garage or attic and donate it to Music4Life who make participation in school-based instrumental music activities available for students in need.”

Endicott says “the reason we do this is because research shows that students who participate in instrumental music activities do better in math, science, history, literature, international languages, reading and writing, even in computer science, in addition to what it teaches in terms of teamwork and self-discipline.

These are advantages that should be available to all public school students regardless of a family’s ability to provide them a musical instrument. The sad fact is that many families today can’t even afford to rent a musical instrument for a son or daughter to play.”

Music4Life provides ready-to-play musical instruments at no charge to public school districts for use by students in need. The Seattle-based non-profit acquires instruments from adults who no longer need them and decide that their highest and best use is to put them back into play.

Music4Life operates programs supporting Auburn, Bremerton, Edmonds, Everett, Highline, Northshore, Seattle and Shoreline Public Schools. Music4Life also accepts donations to help pay for instrument repairs. At least two other local public school districts are being considered for the program.

Music4Life enjoys the support of notable music advocates and other community leaders. Gerard Schwarz, world-renowned conductor laureate of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, has endorsed the program, saying, 

“This wonderful program begins with children in elementary school at a time when, if they’re interested and talented in any way, they have the greatest chance of success. Many people tell me of the impact that direct knowledge of instrumental music has had on their lives. We intend to give this advantage to all our children.”

Music4Life™ is supported in part by grants from 4Culture (formerly the Seattle-King County Arts Commission); the Highline Schools Foundation; the Everett Public Schools Foundation; OpenSquare; Knossos Foundation (based in Shoreline); the Hazel Miller Foundation; various local Rotary, Lions and Kiwanis clubs; the Community Foundation of Snohomish County; the Auburn Schools Foundation; as well as by the law firm of Garvey Schubert Barer; Seattle Symphony Orchestra; the Seattle Folklife Festival; Rafael Carrabba Violins; Encore Media Group; Lamar Advertising; 98.1 Classical KING-FM; KNKX Radio; GMA Research; the Early Music Society of Seattle; Cascade Symphony Orchestra; the Washington State Blues Society; Randy Oxford Entertainment; the Stacy Jones Band; the Edmonds Center for the Arts; Kennelly Keys Music stores; Hammond Ashley Violins in Issaquah; Ted Brown Music; and others.

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For more information or to donate an instrument to Music4Life, contact info@Music4Life.org or go to the website. Instrument donation forms are available online, as well as at designated instrument drop-off sites.