Dayton Music Program Recieves $1,000 Donation

DAYTON - 'Tis still the season of giving for local American West Bank branch manager Andie Holmberg, who presented the Dayton School District band director Scott Carson with a check for $1,000 on behalf of the bank to help support the music program.

Holmberg said the money was presented to the music department so Carson could purchase instruments, music and make any repairs nec- essary to instruments the department currently owns.

"Repairs are our number one need," Carson said. "Because with more playable instruments, then more kids can start and continue and (we can) get the cost as much off the parents' shoul- ders as possible."

Carson said the donation could make 10 to 12 instru- ments playable.

Holmberg said this year's band has been exciting to watch and she thinks Carson has done a great job with the group at all levels.

"Keep up the good work," she said.

The donation will go a long way in a department that needs financial support on a lot of fronts. Elementary and middle school Principal

Katie Leid pointed out the chairs in the band room, an assortment pulled from different sources. Many of the chairs are old folding chairs several decades older than the students who inhabit them.

The program is essential to people like Holmberg, who said she had an incredible experience with a great director when she was in the school band. Holmberg said she had the opportunity to play with two different state bands and that the experi- ence will stick with her for the rest of her life.

"I think band is very important," Holmberg said. "It's just exciting. It's an outlet for kids."

Holmberg said band also provides a lot of opportuni- ties for students to pick up scholarships for college as well as a route for people of all ages to better themselves, making music a valuable program in the district.

Carson said being in band was a point of pride for him. He said he has had some incredible experiences as a member of the band.

Carson said that when he was in school in California, some of the football players went on to the NFL and many of the athletes were recruited to Division 1 col- leges.

"Out of all of (the other students), I'm the only one who got to stand on the 50 yard line at the Rose Bowl game and that's because I was in band," Carson said.

Carson said band is a lifelong hobby because people can come back and continue playing in community bands and other groups, while athletes are restricted to the abilities of their aging bodies.

"The challenge we have today as music educators is finding that balance, espe- cially in the small schools," Carson said. "My high school band is 16 kids, nine of whom are involved on the basketball teams."

The workaround Carson often has to use is pulling middle school students up to play in the pep band at basketball games, often an overwhelming task for the young students.

Long-term, Carson said he hopes to introduce more music theory to younger students so more students will stick with band and those who choose to continue playing will have more mu- sic knowledge to start with and can advance faster.