"Dear student, This saxophone was used by both me and my son when we each started out in music. The last person to use this is now a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, and is playing in their band stationed at Parris Island. I hope you have many years of enjoyment and this instrument helps you find your love of music. " — From David, from Longmeadow.
The letter above is just one of many received by Eileen McCaffery, the executive director of the Community Music School of Springfield. The letters are from a donor, to a student, as part of the Play It Forward Western Mass instrument drive. The drive is in full swing and McCaffery spoke about it with Classical NEPM's John Nowacki.
John Nowacki, NEPM: Pretend I don't know anything about the program. Would you describe it to me? How does it work?
Eileen McCaffery, executive director of the Community Music School of Springfield: Yes, absolutely. John. So the first thing you should know is that we're looking mostly for either gently used band instruments or stringed instruments, and that's specifically because the programs the Community Music School and the Springfield Public Schools and the Holyoke schools are running are band programs or string programs. So this time we're not asking for pianos or drums.
So, the first thing you do is you look into your inventory in your family, and if you have a flute that is gently used, you can have an opportunity to bring it to one of the local Big Y's. We have a number of locations, and their customer service desk is our drop off location. Once you bring it, we have a donation form. And then the best part is you get to write a letter. We call it our "love letters." And you get to talk about the journey that your instrument had, the impact it had on your life, and how you can now share that with another person.
Now, you mentioned flutes, you mentioned stringed instruments, what else?
If you think of all the different kinds of band instruments, we're taking all of those. Every week we work with over 2000 young people in the schools. And that is because the Springfield and Holyoke schools have invested in arts education. Their music teachers are creating these unbelievable music programs in the schools. If we can help put musical instruments, so if you think of all the different kinds of band instruments, all the different kinds of stringed instruments, the only constraint is our ability to provide them with instruments.
So it's crazy, right? It means instead of 12 violinists or violists, you could have 30 if you had the instruments. And it's a really powerful way to validate the hard work of our young people. I mean, they will put in the work, and when they have a gorgeous instrument that is valued by another human that they get to hang on to, it really does change people's lives.
So, tell us about these "love letters."
Well, what we decided was when you dropped off your instrument at one of the Big Y locations, and you filled out your donation form, at the bottom of it, we created a little postage card, and in that you could tell the story of your instrument, and then you could talk to the future student as though you yourself were handing it off to them. So, it's our way of creating a bond. And what we found was it's really a multi-generational connection. This is a community effort, but we're bringing folks who would not necessarily have access to young people, we're giving them a chance to tell their stories. And often it's about grandparents or their their own journey. And it's quite beautiful to think that through this community effort, we're actually bringing people closer and connecting them in really deep ways.
I see you've got one there. Would you go ahead and share it?
Yes, absolutely.
Dear student, this violin is old and really lovely. My mother was given this violin around 1928 when she was just entering high school. She loved playing it. My sister and I played banjos for a while, and my brother has played guitar his whole life. My mother's family would be so happy. You have this instrument. Music is the language of the whole world. — From Melissa, from Hadley.
That's wonderful. That's really, really wonderful. Eileen, thanks so much for coming by.
Thank you John. I appreciate it.
The Play It Forward Western Mass instrument drive continues through May 14. Learn how you can donate a gently used instrument at a participating Big Y, by visiting nepm.org/PlayitForward.
