Do you have an instrument laying around you no longer play? How about donating that violin, trumpet, drum, or clarinet to a local music program in Puerto Peñasco?
In late March, with support from the Puerto Peñasco Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce (CANACO), several local businesswomen launched a campaign encouraging people to consider donating musical instruments to the local Academia de Música. This past week, the first donations from the ongoing campaign were presented to board members of the Academia de Música, along with a music stand and sheet music.
The welcome donations, presented to the Academia de Música board during the weekly session of the local Rotary club, consisted in an accordion donated by Mr. and Mrs. Lomore of Calgary, Canada, a cornet donated by Joe Keesecker of Phoenix, AZ (thanks, Papa Joe!), as well as a keyboard donated by Leslie Janeth Bustamante. This is a great start to the ongoing campaign to support the independently run Academia de Música now in its 10th year and currently instructing over 30 students!
On behalf of the Academy Board, Lilián Castillo Félix expressed appreciation for the donations and efforts to encourage support for the music programs, noting one of the strongest needs continues to be financial support for the teacher who provides daily classes Monday-Friday, and returns to visit his family in Tijuana every other week. Additional requests for the Academia include a photocopier and paper, a projector, as well as land on which to build their own facilities at some point in the future (currently the Academia is housed in a home provided by the board).
Incoming Chamber of Commerce (CANACO) President Neyda Javalera noted the Chamber’s offices continue to be a drop-off spot for any donated instruments, inviting both residents and visitors to help support the program. (CANACO offices are located on the east side of Shrimp Park, open Monday-Friday 9 am – 3 pm).
Lucy Bustamante of the local Rotary Club, and principal promoter of the project, indicated another round of instrument donations is expected in early June from a group of young students from Utah. This should indeed boost the Academia de Música’s goal of developing its own orchestra.
It’s worth noting within Puerto Peñasco, music programs for children and youth include those of the Academia de Música as well as courses taught through the Casa de Cultura (including the Municipal Marching Band and budding symphony orchestra).
For more information on donating an instrument to the Academia de Música, or other ways of ensuring the program’s success in town, please contact Sami at info@rockypoint360.com