Rivals unite to drive instruments

DETROIT, Mich. (WILX) – In October, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) partner with community groups and local businesses across the state to organize a instrument control in support of his Detroit Harmony program and its mission to put an instrument in the hands of every public, private, and charter K-12 student in the city of Detroit who wants to learn to play.

The campaign will run from October 1-31 to collect 2,500 new and used instruments to refurbish and donate to students in Detroit. Instrument drop-off sites are located throughout Michigan and include the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, A&G Central Music, Cliff Bell’s, Detroit Wayne Music Studio, Marshall Music Co., McCourt’s music, Meridian winds, Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, and select PNC bank locations. See below for a full list of drop-off locations.

In support of instrument handling, Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band and the University of Michigan’s Michigan Marching Band to team up to collect instruments their networks and the public before and during the rivalry football game on October 30 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

“Putting 2,500 instruments in the hands of students in Detroit and enrolling them in a music program and lessons will be transformative for these children,” said Damien Crutcher, General Manager of Detroit Harmony, who started playing the horn at Cass Tech in Detroit and went on to study music at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. “I look forward to the day when all students in Detroit will feel what it is like to play that first note on an instrument, and as a former student of MSU and U of M, I am especially thrilled to have the Spartan Marching Band and the Michigan Marching Band collaborating with us to collect instruments.

Detroit Harmony is built through a city-wide collaboration with music educators, performing artists, Detroit residents, civic leaders, and nonprofit music education providers.

The initiative will be intentionally structured to strengthen Detroit’s music education opportunities for every child while strengthening economic and workforce development in the city, including creating new jobs to teach artists, providers and skilled craftspeople to restore and revive used instruments, as well as skills training and professional development resources for workers.

Ways Individuals or Organizations Can Support Detroit Harmony Instrument Ordering:

• Organize an instrument donation fundraising event
• Serve as an instrument repository
• Spread the word to family, community, colleagues, students, etc. about driving
• Volunteer to pick up instruments at drop-off points
• Organize a fundraiser to buy instruments to donate to Detroit Harmony
• Buy an instrument and donate to Detroit Harmony

Members of the public with questions regarding the quality or need for a potential donation can contact music store drop-offs or Detroit Harmony staff. The reader will not accept pianos or organs without first contacting Detroit Harmony staff.

Detroit Harmony Public Contacts:

Damien Crutcher, Managing Director, dcrutcher@dso.org

Hunter Janness, Operations Assistant, hjanness@dso.org

Major support for the initial phase of Detroit Harmony was provided by the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation, Jr. and the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation.

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DEPT PLACES

Michigan State University vs University of Michigan football game donation event

October 30, 2021

Spartan stadium

325 W Shaw Ln, East Lansing, MI 48824

Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center

3711 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

Detroit Community Concert Orchestra

Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center

3711 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

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A&G Central Music Madison Heights

323 E 11 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071

A&G Central Music Macomb

51170 Romeo Plank Rd, Macomb, MI 48042

Clarkston Community Group

Sashabaw College

Pine Knob Ln, Village of Clarkston, MI 48346

Cliff Bell’s

2030 Park Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

Detroit Wayne Music Studio

21301, avenue Gratiot, Eastpointe, MI 48021

Farmington Community Band

32900 W 13 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills, MI 48334

Marshall Music Co. Lansing

3240 E, rue Saginaw, Lansing, MI 48912

Marshall Music Co. Troy

4052 Rochester Rd, Troy, MI 48085

Marshall Music Co. Traverse City

1197 W South Airport Road, Traverse City, MI 49686

Marshall Music Co. Kalamazoo

951 Mall Drive, Portage, MI 49024

Marshall Music Co. Allen Park

6500 Allen Rd, Allen Park, MI 48101

Marshall Music Co. West Bloomfield

7470 Haggerty Rd, West Bloomfield, MI 48322

Music by McCourt Berkley

3063 W 12 Mile Rd, Berkley, MI 48072

Music by McCourt Waterford

3040 Sashabaw Road, Waterford, MI 48329

Meridian winds

2807 Jolly Rd Ste 300, Okemos, MI 48864

Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association

3899 Okemos Ste B1 Road, Okemos, MI 48864

Rochester Community Concert Orchestra

St. Paul United Methodist Church

620 Romeo Rd, Rochester, MI 48307

North Oakland Orchestra

Lake Orion High School

495 E Scripps Rd, Township of Orion Charter, MI 48360

PNC 10 Mile Bank / Meadowbrook

41325 W 10 Mile Rd, Novi, MI 48375

PNC Bank Detroit Medical Center

4111 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

PNC Bank Walton / Old Perch

2015 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills, MI 48309

PNC Bank Hayes / Hall

45125 Hayes Rd, Shelby Twp, MI 48315

PNC Banque Ecorse / Monroe

22111 Ecorse Road, Taylor, MI 48180

PNC Bank Ann Arbor Downtown

101 S Main St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

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