As anyone who has been in the Columbia Band knows, keeping a proper store of instruments for use by student musicians is an ongoing struggle, one that CUBAA hopes to help ease. Most immediately, several of the Marching Band’s instruments need repairs before the start of football season. The Band also could make good use of an additional trumpet or two, as well as other instruments, and needs to replenish its supply of drumsticks, reeds, brass mouthpieces, valve oil, flip folders, lyres and other accessories that make a band a band.
With this in mind – and with an eye to a calendar that shows the first fall practice almost upon us – we hasten to ask Band alumni to consider the following:
- Donation of instruments. Are you ready to admit that you won’t be playing the old horn anymore? Are you holding onto a spare that you really don’t need? We’d love to have it for the Band. And yes, we can provide a tax letter for your instrument donation.
- Help with repairs. Do you know a friendly instrument repair technician in the New York area who might give the Band a break on some needed service work?
- Cash. Your donation to CUBAA’s Instrument Drive will go directly toward providing the Band with needed instruments, repairs and supplies. A gift of $200 or more might pay for a usable trumpet or trombone, $100 will let us replace some missing brass mouthpieces. A smaller donation would give the Band enough clarinet reeds to play a whole lot of choruses of “Roar, Lion.”
To offer instruments or repairs, email columbia.band.alumni@gmail.com. To make a cash donation, see our Support page.
