VJC INSTRUMENT RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Valley Jazz Cooperative Instrument Rental Assistance

for 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th grade students new to music programs

NO LONGER AN ACTIVE PROGRAM: No new applications accepted after FALL 2020

The Valley Jazz Cooperative Instrument Rental Assistance program was created to address the unique challenges presented to prospective new music students during the 2020-2021 academic year. The statement below from VJC Director Russell Schmidt outlined the scope and intent of this initiative:

“The VJC Instrument Rental Assistance program has been created to make band and string orchestra instruments available during the 2020-21 school year to new music students who have financial need. To be eligible for participation in the VJC IRA, individuals must be new to band or string orchestra programs, perhaps rising 5th or 6th graders (or even 4th or 7th graders, depending on their district’s timetable regarding the start of instrumental music). They must be individuals who would not otherwise be able to afford to rent instruments during academic 2020-21, due in part to the financial impact of the pandemic on our families and communities.”

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All told, the VJC IRA program—with tremendous assistance from our partner on this project, Milano Music Center—was able to help 44 students in 4th, 5th & 6th grades begin their music studies by providing them a rental instrument (free of charge) for the 2020-2021 school year. These aspiring musicians come from nine different schools throughout Maricopa County (AZ), with the range of instruments provided including flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, percussion, violin, viola, and cello.

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VJC Director Russell Schmidt would like to personally thank Band Directors Jennifer Howard (Dobson HS) and Matt Kozacek (Campo Verde HS) for their initial assistance in shaping the direction of this initiative. He also wishes to thank Cody Phillips at Milano's for such great partnership in this endeavor. Finally, he wants to thank Nicole Carty, Rob Moore, Jan Sherman, and his other colleagues at MSW Ministries for their unwavering support of this highly unique initiative.

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BEST WISHES to all 44 of the young musicians served as they begin their new journey in this wonderful art form!