Musical Instrument Drive!

The MCSB collects used but playable (or minor repair) band instruments of all types: trumpets, trombones, clarinets, flutes, saxophones and more!  Donated instruments are cleaned, serviced and distributed to school band programs to be loaned to families who could not afford to rent or purchase a musical instrument for their child. Since the start of this program in August 2015, the MCSB has donated approximately 237 instruments to 25 schools representing 9 school districts throughout Mississippi. Since the inception of the Musical Instrument Drive,  the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education (MAPE) has awarded the Mississippi Community Symphonic Band 2 Governor’s Awards and a Partnership Excellence Award for the outstanding community partnership effort.

 Coleman Middle School

Rowan Middle School

Brinkley Middle School

Olde Towne Middle School

Woodfolk Middle School

Wells (Power) APAC

Bailey APAC Middle School

Blackburn Middle School

Chastain Middle School

Hardy Middle School

Whitten Middle School

Northwest Jackson Middle

Pelahatchie High School

Obama Magnet School

Siwell Middle School

Kirksey Middle School

Powell Middle School

Cardozo Middle School

Peeples Middle School

N.R. Burger Middle School

Cleveland Central Middle

Morgantown Middle School

Vicksburg Intermediate

Lanier High School

Richland High School

 

 Districts

Jackson Public Schools

Madison County Schools

Natchez –Adams Schools

Cleveland School District

Rankin County Schools

Hattiesburg Public Schools

Vicksburg Warren Schools

Mississippi Achievement School District  (Yazoo)

Greenville School District

For More Information Contact:

David Schommer, Director
at 601-951-9091 or Email him at trumpetdls@aol.com.

2023 Update

In 2023, a total of 15 musical instruments were distributed:

Vicksburg Public Schools - Kendra Jenkins, Director: 1 trumpet, 1 cornet, 2 clarinets, 2 flutes.  (6)       

Cardozo Middle School (JPS) -Terrence Mazique, Director: 1 trumpet, 1cornet, 2 clarinets, 1 flute. (5)

 Hattiesburg School District - Frederick Hawkins,  Director - 2 trumpets, 2 clarinets. (4)

2022 Update

In 2022, a total of 14 musical instruments were distributed to the following schools:

Richland High School (Rankin County School District / Justin Cummins, Band Director) - 1 drumset, 1 trumpet and 1 trombone. (3)          

Coleman Middle School (Greenville Public Schools /  Clover Lacy, Band Director) - 2 flutes, 2 clarinets, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, and 1 cornet. Cleaning kits were also provided, compliments of Music & Arts, our sponsor for the instrument drive. (11)

2021 Update

On July 19, 2021, Lanier High School received 10 musical instruments from the Mississippi Community Symphonic band (MCSB). The instruments - trumpets and trombones - will support the expansion of the school's band program. The distribution to Lanier was made possible through the MCSB’s award-winning Musical Instrument Drive. The MCSB collects used but playable (or minor repair) band instruments of all types: trumpets, trombones, clarinets, flutes, saxophones and more!  Donated instruments are cleaned, serviced and distributed to school band programs to be loaned to families who could not afford to rent or purchase a musical instrument for their child. Since the start of this program in August 2015, the MCSB has donated over 200 instruments to 23 schools representing eight school districts throughout Mississippi.

 

Fifteen other JPS schools have also benefitted from MCSB's Musical Instrument Drive over the past six years. They include Power APAC (2015), Bailey APAC Middle School (2015), Rowan Middle School (2015), Brinkley Middle School (2015), Blackburn Laboratory Middle School (2016), Hardy Academy of Career Exploration (2016), Whitten Preparatory Middle School (2016),Chastain Middle School (2016 / 2017), Siwell Academy of Leadership (2017), Northwest Jackson Middle School (2017), Kirksey Middle School (2018), Powell Academy of Military Science (2018), Cardozo Middle School (2018), Peeples Middle School (2018), Obama Magnet (2017-2021)

 

Since the inception of the Musical Instrument Drive,  the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education (MAPE) has awarded the Mississippi Community Symphonic Band and Jackson Public Schools 2 Governor’s Awards and a Partnership Excellence Award for the outstanding community partnership effort.

 

Antonio Bratton is the band director at Lanier High School. Obama Magnet gifted teacher David Schommer serves on the MCSB board of directors, coordinates of the Musical Instrument Drive, and conducts the MCSB's Mississippi Swing! Big Band.

 

2020 Update

Due to the pandemic, only one school received musical instruments in 2020 - Obama Magnet School. Obama received violins to support the strings program at the school.