Support UALR music

Today, I am singing the praises of music, especially the instrumental music program at UA Little Rock. I started in band in junior high and continued through two years of college. After graduation, my horn sat in my closet, rarely played for the next 25 years. Twenty years ago, the UALR Community Orchestra put out a call for brass musicians. I joined and within a few months managed to remember fingerings and got my embouchure back.

One day, a call went out from the newly revived UA Little Rock Band for a horn player to play alongside the one student horn player. I found time in my work schedule and have been playing as a community member in this wind ensemble ever since. The band has grown from around 20 players to around 50, training music education students who upon graduation may need to teach all types of music. However, most are students majoring in other fields who just want to share group practice and performance for the love of music.

But the ongoing budget crunch is starting to hurt students and programs. The Community Chorus ended two years ago. The Community Orchestra had to find a new sponsor. The funding for instrument ensembles has been reduced also; this is the money that buys replacement equipment, new music stands, repair costs on existing instruments, and on and on. Maybe the music program will survive until better times, but it took 10 years to go from one horn player to the current four (plus me).

I managed to get a foundation account set up that benefits the Wind Ensemble. The band director and music chair can’t ask for this help—that is reserved for the sports or business programs or the director of development—but I can. If you remember your band days, if you value instrumental programs in elementary and secondary schools, and if you want to see this program be a beacon of success for Little Rock, consider helping out. No amount is too small, but you are welcomed to think big.

NELL MATTHEWS

Little Rock