Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial

Did you know timpani come in sets? Trying to play the timpani without one of the drums is like trying to play a violin without a string, or a flute without a couple keys: pretty impossible! When we learned that Mr. Sutherland’s students at Venice High School were missing one of their timpani drums, we were happy to partner with 25 others through DonorsChoose to complete their set. The students (and even the teacher) are busy making up for lost time. Read all about it below – thanks for making this possible!

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

Timpani are the king of orchestral percussion instruments! At the beginning of the year, we started with a mismatched set of 26, 29, and 32 inch timpani. We were missing our 23 inch drum. Without that drum, we were severely limited in our options when choosing concert repertoire for bands and orchestras.

Each drum in a set of timpani plays a different range of notes of roughly half an octave apiece (with some overlap), and allows the musician playing a set to tune each head to a specific pitch. Most music is written for a standard set of four timpani, covering a full octave-and-a-half's worth of pitches with plenty of time to re-tune to different notes as necessary.

I wanted to take a few moments to update you on the outcomes of your generosity! Once I learned our project was funded, I spent winter finals week diving into our decades-neglected library to pick repertoire for spring performances. On a rare rainy day in LA, our new 23” timpani finally arrived. I got called out of a teacher meeting (thanks for that!) and bolted across campus to help unload and get it safely into the band room. Once it was unboxed, a few days of acclimating and tuning the head (similar to breaking in new guitar strings), and it was ready to go!

Student enthusiasm toward playing timpani has skyrocketed, and it's RIGHTFULLY surpassed playing snare drum in popularity—even for me, as I have recently taken up the mantle as timpanist in a local community band! As timpani need to be tuned every day and for every piece, percussion students are developing their aural skills as well as improving their dexterity in playing these four huge, demanding instruments.

The new instrument was used in concert performance for the first time on Thursday, March 21, 2024 by our advanced wind ensemble AND the largest concert band Venice has seen on stage in years—88 members strong! The musicians were incredibly successful, and audience feedback has been supremely enthusiastic.

We can't wait until we can afford to replace our 26- and 29-inch drums to have a complete and matched set.

Thanks to your funding of this very necessary instrument, we have cleared a major hurdle in determining what we can and can't play! Through your donation, you helped provide necessary materials that we would otherwise be unable to afford. Your gift will be treasured by Venice High School Gondolier musicians for generations to come. Go Gondos!!

With gratitude,
Mr. Sutherland

How many times have you had to play from sheet music propped precariously on chairs or suddenly taking flight every time the doors slammed shut? Not very conducive to learning a new instrument! That's why we were excited to partner with DonorsChoose and over two dozen other donors on to purchase new music stands for Mrs. Strand’s students at Horace Mann Elementary School in Long Beach, CA. Now the students can focus on learning music, instead of chasing their scores around!

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

I hope this note finds you doing well. I wanted to drop you a massive thank you for your generous donation pitching in on our music stand and storage cart fundraiser. Your support has made a world of difference.

Our previous stands had faithfully accompanied countless melodies, but they were showing signs of age. They weren’t just mismatched; they also struggled to hold up our music binders, adding an unexpected acrobatic element to our rehearsals. As our music program expanded, so did the need for equipment that could keep up with the enthusiasm of our young musicians.

We really needed something new! These stands won't just serve us now, but will resonate with the tunes of future generations. By supporting our school music program, you've contributed to a significant upgrade that will allow our students to focus on their music without the worry of stands teetering or music unexpectedly taking a dive. Imagine the confidence and concentration this will instill in our young musicians, creating an environment where their musical talents can truly flourish.

When the students first laid eyes on those new music stands, you should've seen their faces – pure joy! It was like hitting the musical jackpot, and I'm pretty sure a few of them did a happy dance. Your generosity didn't just get us new gear; it sparked a whole new level of enthusiasm for music class.

And let me tell you, classes are running like a dream now. No more toppling towers of music stands disrupting our groove. It's all smooth sailing, and I can see the focus and dedication in our students like never before. Your contribution has turned our music classes into a place where creativity can truly flourish.

Thanks again for being the rockstar behind the scenes. Your kindness is not only deeply appreciated by me but, more importantly, by our student-musicians. Your support and investment in our elementary school music program mean the world to us. Your donation hasn't just provided music stands; it's created an environment where our students can thrive.

The joy and musical growth that your contribution brings will resonate through our school for many, many years to come! Thank you so much for your support! We couldn't do this without your help and I truly appreciate it!

With gratitude,
Mrs. Strand

Music class can be very boring when you have to wait *forever* to play the one instrument being passed slowly from student to student. It’s so much more engaging when everyone gets their own instrument to play! Check out the pictures and story behind these new percussion instruments provided in partnership with DonorsChoose, Public Supply, and Lakeshore Learning, for Mrs. Schoettle’s students at Hemet Elementary School. Thanks for your support!

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

To engage students in a lesson, it is essential to have a hook that piques their interest in the activity. For instance, in music class, the hook is the instrument. Students are fascinated by instruments that can be hit, scraped, or shaken. These instruments allow students to maintain a steady beat and play rhythm patterns that can range from easy to challenging. Cabasas and Claves are the perfect instruments to provide a rhythmic experience for the students.

Cabasas and claves are two different percussion instruments. Cabasas produce sound through a specific hand movement, while claves are tapped together to produce sound. The major difference between the two is the material they are made of. Due to the wood used in claves, the sound produced is a dull, thick, and rich sound, unlike the traditional rhythm stick sound. Cabasas have a bright, rattling, metallic sound.

I want to express my sincere gratitude for your donations towards adding cabasas and claves to my class inventory of instruments for the students. When class sizes are 25-35, a handful of instruments does not go very far. This project, as you can see from the pictures, gives many students an opportunity to play an instrument, without having to wait too many minutes to receive one from another student, when there are not enough for large classes. This keeps them more engaged.

The students have now been able to play the cabasas and claves correctly because the technique taught can be immediately tried by more students at one time. This helps students watch, practice, and succeed in quicker fashion.

Thank you again from the bottom of our musical hearts! Your generosity fills our hearts with joy!

With gratitude,
Mrs. Schoettle

What an inspirational music program Mr. Gonzales has created with his “School of Rock”! We were excited to partner with DonorsChoose to help build out his vision at Helen Bernstein High School in Hollywood, CA. Just watch the kids rocking out! They are clearly having a blast improving their instrumental skills and musicality. Their teacher has more to share below!

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

Let there be rock!

This music program has become an in-school/afterschool haven from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of Hollywood. Even on non-rehearsal days, music can be heard coming from the band room after school. We have created a thriving Rock Band program, and are adding equipment to build the "School Of Rock" I know we can become. Many of my students have formed their own bands to cover some of their favorite artists, as well as write their own music.

My students come to me with a wealth of musical knowledge from around the world. Keeping that in mind, our music program tries to highlight the cultural music diversity of our student population. From traditional Armenian Folk songs to Cumbia to Hip Hop, Metal and Rock music, my students are ready and willing to create music for our community to enjoy.

I am writing to express our heartfelt gratitude for your generous contributions. This has been one of the biggest years for the Royal Dragon music program. Thanks to your support, we were able to purchase new electric guitars that arrived just in time for our spring concert, and we debuted our rock band at a district event. The moment the students laid their hands on these guitars, their excitement was palpable. It was a transformative experience that not only enhanced their performance, but also deepened their passion for music.

The impact of your donation was vividly showcased at our spring concert, which was a resounding success. The quality of sound, the confidence in our students' performances, and the joy in their music were all elevated by the addition of these guitars. Our audience was thoroughly impressed. It was a proud moment for everyone involved! The students' hard work, combined with the quality of the new instruments, created a memorable evening that celebrated the power of music and community support.

Looking forward, the guitars will continue to play a crucial role in our music program, offering students the opportunity to explore their musical talents and express themselves creatively. I can’t wait to see what my students do next year with these new instruments. Your generosity has not only made a significant impact today; it will also resonate with future generations of musicians. We are incredibly grateful for your continued support and look forward to sharing our musical journey with you.

With gratitude,
Mr. Gonzales

Almost as fun as outfitting a classroom with new instruments is hearing how excited the students are to play them. In this partnership with DonorsChoose, with support from several others including Great Wolf Lodge, Mrs. Cordova’s elementary music students at Lewis A. Bohn Elementary School in Tracy, CA, received a variety of new instruments – and wrote cards to thank you for them! Enjoy!

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

My K-5 students are self-motivated, kind, and ready to learn new instruments. Thanks to your contributions, we started the school year with brand new instruments including ukuleles, recorders and boomwhackers (tuned colorful tubes)! This is a huge help, because while some students can purchase their own instruments, many do need to borrow them from the school. The recorders are replacing ones that have gone through much wear and tear, while the ukuleles are part of a bigger project. Eventually, I would love to have a class set of ukuleles for my 4th- and 5th-grade students.

My students have been so delighted with our new instruments! Currently, we are using our brand new ukuleles in music club, which meets every other week or so. It's something they are always looking forward to. The students have been learning a basic strumming pattern with our first song, "Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” Oh, it's a little tricky for a beginner to sing, play, and tap their foot all at the same time, but they are doing it!

Also, in just a few short weeks, we will be starting our recorder unit, and the students are so excited! Our first song on the recorder will be "Hot Cross Buns," which is a really great starting point, because my students already know how to sing the song with solfege music hand signs. In the spring, the students will get to play the Boomwhackers and they can't wait! I get asked about the Boomwhackers almost weekly in anticipation!

When I first showed my students all the brand new instruments, they were elated. They thought it was incredible that people would donate to our music classroom. Then, when I told them how much money everyone donated to purchase all those instruments, they were in shock! As you can see in their letters, they are extremely grateful, as am I! Thank you so much for your generous donation and for helping me give my students a wonderful musical learning experience!

My students are so thrilled with their new instruments! God bless you, and may Dr. B’s legacy continue for generations to come!

With gratitude,
Mrs. Cordova

Learning an instrument is so much more motivating when you’re playing great music! When we learned Mr. Meyers was rebooting his school’s instrumental music program, but didn’t have sheet music in his library for his students to play, we were happy to partner with DonorsChoose to provide five great new pieces to inspire his students at Hollywood High School Sheiks in Los Angeles. Read all about it below!

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

Our music program is BRAND NEW! Having lost funding in 2008, instrumental music made a comeback in 2022. My students are passionate about music and their new program. They are eager to learn new and exciting music, participate in different events, and share their passion with their friends and family.

As a new and emerging instrumental program, we have been heavily lacking repertoire and instructional materials. My students love playing out of their beginner method books, but they are ready for the next level. My students are ready to perform literature written by well known American composers: Bazaar, Danza de España, Shenandoah, Starfire Fanfare, and Wildflowers.

Repertoire is the core and heart of the music program. Each piece has a specific topic or aspect that it explores. Some explore expressiveness, while others explore rhythmic accuracy. These pieces are teaching my beginning musicians several different topics such as phrasing, dynamics, expressiveness, articulations, and much more. They will remain a staple in my program even after my students graduate and new students fill their shoes.

Thank you so much for gifting this inspirational new music to our program. It’s equally accessible for beginners and advanced players. Each selection has something new for my students to learn and experience. Although we have a limited music library, these selections offer many different possibilities to teach about style, articulation, dynamics, tempos, and expression. Thank you so much for your support in my students’ music education. We are so very grateful for your help.

The students are very excited to perform this music for their peers, friends, and family. Starfire Fanfare is a particularly exciting piece that teaches students compound time signatures and rhythmic figures.

These pieces of music will be played by many different students over the years. Thank you for inspiring the next generation of musicians!

With gratitude,
Mr. Meyers

Happy New Year! 🥳 Thank you for all of your generous support through our year-end fundraising, which will help us continue bringing music into classrooms like the United Nation Child Development Center in Oakland, CA. With additional support from DonorsChoose and the Eat Learn Play Foundation, Ms. Chen’s students received drums to enhance their multi-sensory approach to reading. Here’s the teacher’s update!

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

Our classroom loves to sing and dance. These are foundational pre-literacy skills. We read classic books while clapping our hands on our laps and repeating the words to the beat. In order to read, many skills must be acquired first, and students must feel connected and regulated in their bodies. Music and movement help enormously with this, as does the fun factor!

Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom’s literacy and rhythm project. Our class has been having a blast with our new rhythm instruments. Our students were so excited to open the boxes and discover the drums inside. They happily banged on the drums and experimented with unusual instruments they had never seen before, including a gong that makes a cool resonant noise.

It has been an educationally rich experience for our students and teachers to pair the instruments with books and oral stories. We rhythmically chanted to Eric Carle's classic, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" while drumming with our hands. We also read a book from the Five Senses series called "Hearing," which is about how our ears hear sounds (vibration of molecules) and how some people, including a student in our class, use hearing aids to help them hear.

Room 3's most prized instrument turned out to be the giant gathering drum that many kids can play at once. They love taking turns with the mallets to make the deep drumming sounds. They can actually see the vibrations of this drum and when we put light objects on top, including little stuffed animal frogs, they bounce up and down!

We are thrilled, so thank you for making it possible! Thank you for supporting the arts at an early age and helping them read through rhythm!

With gratitude,
Ms. Chen

And now, for the final two winners of our 2023-2024 music education grants!

Barbara Barrett, Music Teacher/Choral Director at Bay Elementary and Grant Elementary in Redding, CA, has a brand-new floor soprano xylophone coming to her classroom for her students to explore.

And Becky Stewart, Music Director at Yuba Gardens Music Department in Olivehurst, CA (pictured), received support for her students' spring trip to Anaheim, including a clinic with a college band director, a festival, a performance of "MJ the Musical" - and, of course, Disneyland!

Congratulations to all this year's grant winners!

Here are the next two winners of our 2023-2024 music education grants!

Robert Brown, Instrumental Music Director at Weston Ranch High School in Stockton is getting new cymbals to expand their drumline, so more students can participate in the elaborate choreography integral to their HBCU style!

And we are happy to again support Diane Klaczynski and her Hillview Junior High School Band in Pittsburg, CA, with upgrades to their aging sound system, so audiences can hear her students sound their best.

Thank you for making these projects possible!

Announcing our 2023-2024 grant winners! Here are the first two:

Drew Lewis, Vocal Music instructor at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in Los Angeles, received support for a school trip to San Francisco, where his students will perform in a festival, attend a live jazz performance, and participate in a masterclass at San Francisco State University.

Annie Tam, science teacher at West Covina High School, received support for a STEAM project exploring connections between science and music. Her students will learn about wavelengths and use musical instruments to show how music moves from players to ears.

Thank you for your donations that brought these projects to life!

Naughty? Nice? Find tasty gifts for everyone on your list at newberrycandy.com/shop - shop through midnight on 11/28 and Newberry Candy will donate a portion of your purchase to support music education! Remember to treat yourself, too :)

As we gear up to announce this year’s music education grant winners, here’s an update from one of last year’s recipients. We purchased keyboards for Ms. Monica’s music students at Sutro Elementary School in San Francisco, and 17 other DonorsChoose supporters added enough keyboards and headphones to make a class set! We are excited to see her students focused and learning collaboratively in these photos. Thanks for helping this project come to life!

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

We are in a time where cell phones, iPad, and computers are our daily contacts for information and educational resources. Students are losing their compassion and creativity. I believe music education can build sympathetic hearts, instill a lasting love of music, and spark creative minds.

I chose a keyboard project, because the keyboard is an easy instrument for a beginner to learn, even when lessons take place with large groups of students. With headphones on, students can focus their practice in a self-contained environment without distractions. Playing the keyboard is also an excellent way to promote social and emotional well-being.

Thank you all for your support. In the midst of this economic downturn, your generous donations and kind words have proven your appreciation and belief in music education. Although keyboard lessons are not part of my district music program, I believe learning the keyboard is fun, and it also provides the fundamentals of musicianship and technical skills which can easily be applied to other instruments as they move on to higher education. That’s why I’ve added this program to the curriculum. My students could not wait to start learning the keyboard!

I feel honored to be one of the winners of the Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund. I will try my best to keep this program alive and bring the joy of music to my students. Thanks again.

With gratitude,
Ms. Monica

For young students who spent so much time online during the pandemic, it’s really exciting to encounter real musical instruments! Ms. Lee’s elementary-school students at Harding Street Elementary in Sylmar were overjoyed to play actual glockenspiels, and we were honored to partner with DonorsChoose to bring this vision to life. Read below for all the details from the teacher. Thank you for making this possible!

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

My students are young, eager, talented learners. They enjoy making music; it makes them feel creative and inspires them to share their music skills with others. Learning about music makes them confident learners who are willing to explore new instruments. But materials are limited in our schools - sometimes nonexistent.

Glockenspiels are great instruments to teach young learners, as they can be used to play simple melodies or very challenging ones. These instruments help children explore and recognize their talent and ability.

My students and I can't thank you enough for your generosity in providing these instruments. The students are thrilled! They are all looking forward to finally having hands-on tools that will help their music skills develop further. I am so excited for them and truly thank you so much for understanding how much music can affect my students' lives.

Even before I handed them the boxes to open, just hearing that I had brought real instruments made my students cheer. After years of using virtual instruments (online) with my students, they finally had the chance to experience playing a real metallophone. This would never had happened without your help.

As they opened the box, they could not believe how beautiful the glockenspiels were. They loved the colors, and how they are actually made of real metal and wood. But their favorite part was the sound. My students absolutely loved the sound. Some thought it sounded like a harp. Some said the sound was very soothing and that they could listen to it all day. I was so happy for them.

My students are learning how to read music now. We have started with very simple songs (a few notes at a time). "Mary Had a Little Lamb" is one of them. Using these amazing tool, they will be playing in no time.

My students and I thank you so much for your generosity.
Thank you for appreciating the importance of music in the classroom by donating to our project.

With gratitude,
Ms. Lee

Let’s get up and move! We loved this project from Ms. Nguy at Chapman Elementary School to get her kids singing and dancing with a karaoke machine. It even amped up the older kids during PE! Excited to partner with DonorsChoose and the General Motors Corporation to bring this vision to life and inspire more kids through music. Thanks for your support!

Know another K-12 California music teacher with a great project? Encourage them to apply for one of our direct grants by Oct 21! Learn more at tinyurl.com/FBS2023Grant.

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

Our students are wonderful, inquisitive learners. They strive to be the best and achieve the most. Our students come to school with a positive attitude and enjoy learning and helping one another. At our school, more than 50% of students are Black, Latino, and/or Native American, and nearly all our students come from low-income households.

Our students love to dance and sing to express themselves. It helps foster physical skills. My project is to have a karaoke machine and speakers for our students to engage in dancing or singing, when we have small assemblies or indoor recess during inclement weather. Students are learning skills like balance, control and coordination. Singing and movement are also good aerobic exercise, which result in stress reduction, physical fitness and overall good health.

Thank you so much for helping us get our karaoke machine and speaker. I am so grateful for your generous donation to our project. I have students who do not speak much, but when you play their song you can hear them sing. It’s so exciting to watch them hold the mic and sing away. Maybe my class can perform at the talent show this year! The support of the DonorsChoose community is overwhelming, and I feel so blessed to know so many people who value public education.

My students love listening to music as they sing and dance. We have been using our karaoke machine every Friday for Fun Friday. My students especially love holding the microphones and singing along to Kidz Bop. I love how my students are able to show off their dancing and singing with their general education peers. This machine has provided a lot of fun to all our students on campus. A couple of weeks ago, I took it out to play some music as our fifth graders ran around the tracks to practice their mile-run. They all loved the music and the boost they got from listening to "Eye of the Tiger."

I am so grateful for your help in making sure we have this amazing equipment to share with the entire student body. We are so honored to have your support to ensure that our students' interest in music and singing. Thank you so much for your kindness.

With gratitude,
Ms. Nguy

As musicians ourselves, we know how transformational it is to upgrade to a high-quality instrument. Suddenly, you sound much better without the struggle, and you realize your practicing is paying off! That’s why we pitched in along with the Sonic Drive-In Foundation on this DonorsChoose project to buy a new tenor saxophone for one of Mr. Phillips’s band students at San Leandro High School. This quality instrument will be making a difference for years to come. Thank you for your support!

Know another K-12 California music teacher with a great project? Encourage them to apply for one of our direct grants by Oct 21! Learn more at tinyurl.com/FBS2023Grant.

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Dear Frederic Bacon-Shone Memorial Fund,

I'm constantly looking for ways to improve the student experience in my music ensembles. Our school instruments are in serious need of repair, and because we're Title I, there are few funds for this. My saxophone players will use this instrument to play great tunes in our ensemble classes. Although this project only affects a few students each year, it will be used for future classes and generations.

The new tenor sax you helped us acquire has been a fantastic addition for one of my best students. This student has only been playing for 2 years. This new tenor sax has helped her improve a ton. When she graduates, she will pass the tenor on to another student who would otherwise be using a very old instrument in need of repair. I have to thank you for helping my current Tenor Saxophone players as well as all of my future students. It is very hard to repair instruments these days as those costs have skyrocketed.

My music students of San Leandro High School are very excited for this new instrument. Equity is a top priority, and this certainly is a step in the right direction. We can’t wait to show you how it’ll be used for our future band competitions. We’ve got great events to perform at this fall.

We can't thank you enough for your contributions to our band program. Thank you!

With gratitude,
Mr. Phillips