Music has always been a part of our lives. From birth, our parents' favorite songs played on Sunday morning cleaning, and dad's playlist rocked the car on every road trip we remember. Discovering your own music is part of growth as well, and as we get older it helps shape our identity and helps us recognize what we like and even what we want in life. Music is powerful, and all of us are blessed to be able to hear it. However, listening to the genius of the musically gifted and being musically gifted are two very different things, and although it is rare to make a career out of music, the opportunity to do so should never be wasted.
Although many parents may not put their child in piano classes or other musical instruction, schools provide the opportunity for children to explore musical endeavors, and it starts relatively early. From elementary school, the reedy and noisy recorder is typically the first musical instrument we play, but starting in middle school, more conventional instruments are handed out. Whether it be woodwinds, string, or percussion, there is a plethora of instruments that students can try, and if they stick with it, can be a defining part of their personality. Instruments teach care, diligence, and hard work, giving students some of the greatest academic tools to aid them in their educational journey, all while helping them learn beautiful and fun musical pieces. It is also incredible to see the progress children make from the first moment they pick up an instrument to not even a full year later playing their annual concert. There is tangible growth to see and hear, and parents are bound to be proud of their child's ability to be part of something so magical and seeing their ability to create.
In the age of smartphones and technology, many students suffer creatively. Giving students access to well-maintained instruments can help foster creativity, extending knowledge beyond musical theory and opening the doors to a wide range of musical adventures, potentially piquing the curiosity of at least a few of the students and fostering a deeper connection to music itself. The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) is seeking to build that connection between instrument and child, and are soliciting responses from qualified vendors for the purchase of musical instruments and supplies. Beyond the aforementioned benefits, access to musical instruments can help students in an even more important way: building self-confidence. Learning an instrument is not easy, and in conjunction with potentially strenuous course loads and extracurriculars, it is definitely a commitment, but sticking with it can help students feel confident in their own abilities to tackle whatever the school year has to give them, making it an indispensable part of any school curriculum.
if interested in this opportunity to provide SBCUSD with musical instruments for their children, click on the link to learn more about this opportunity. The bid closes January 24, 2025 at 1:00 PM PST.