SEPT. 23 I INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC I EDUCATION
Music Camp for
First-Timers

Instrumental Music of Tucson, Ariz., hosted Music Fresh Start Program on Aug. 31. This one-day music camp was designed to get first-time band and orchestra students started on their instruments.

Taught by members of Kappa Kappa Psi, a University of Arizona music fraternity, new students learned instrument care and maintenance, how to make a sound, and how to clean and put away their instruments. They also learned how to avoid mistakes common to their instruments.

The event drew in roughly 40 participants, and students were required to sign up beforehand.

Instrumental Music’s Leslie Faltin said she got the idea for the event from the local Catalina Foothills School District, which hosts a similar program. Instrumental Music’s staff pitched the event to first-time instrument renters.

“When we did a rental, we signed them up for this,” Faltin said. “When people called up, we’d say, ‘We’d love to have you rent from our store. When you rent from us, we’ll book you with a free workshop.’ And the Kappa Kappa Psi students were so psyched about it.

“It was just a fantastic success. We were renting instruments. We were even signing people up for [the program] as we were doing rentals that day. So it was very exciting, and it was a fantastic opportunity for kids to get a good start with their horns.”