Instruments given to the tune of ...Byline: Jim Feehan The Register-Guard TO DONATE Deliver smaller instruments to The Shedd between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. For larger instruments, please call Ginevra Ralph at 687-6526. Donations are tax deductible. The Shedd is located at 868 High St. What would you do with an unused saxophone saxophone, musical instrument invented in the 1840s by Adolphe Sax. Although it uses the single reed of the clarinet family, it has a conical tube and is made of metal. taking up space in a hall closet? Or a violin gathering dust in an attic? What about donating them to The John G. Shedd John Graves Shedd (July 20, 1850 - October 22, 1926) was the second president and chairman of the board of Marshall Field & Company. Born on a New Hampshire farm, Shedd arrived in Chicago, Illinois in 1871 and began working as a stock clerk for Marshall Field. Institute for the Arts? At least that's what representatives of the Shedd are hoping for during their second annual "Clean Out Your Closets Musical Instrument Drive," which began a few weeks ago and runs through the end of the month. The Shedd invites the public to donate usable instruments for its students who aren't able to buy one of their own, said Ginevra Ralph, a Shedd co-founder and its director of education. "It's that time of the year, with people moving, to consider clearing out those unused instruments," Ralph said. The Shedd currently serves a large number of lower-income students and families, and the need for additional instruments is at an all-time high, Ralph said. Last year's drive raised $40,000 worth of instruments, half of which came in the form of a donated $20,000 Steinway piano. The Shedd will take most any instrument, but especially would like a harp and mariachi mariachi Traditional Mexican street ensemble. The performer, the musical style, and the musical ensemble are called mariachi. Mariachi music emerged in the late 1700s or early 1800s. band instruments, Ralph said. "Harps are hard to come by and we're trying to add Latino music," she said. Some donors have dropped off rare and somewhat odd instruments, including an ocarina ocarina (ŏkərē`nə), musical wind instrument with eight finger holes and two thumb holes, rather egg-shaped, and made of metal, terra-cotta or plastic. Unlike other wind instuments, it produces pure tones that lack overtones. , a melodica and a theremin ther·e·min n. An electronic instrument played by moving the hands near its two antennas, often used for high tremolo effects. [After Leo Theremin (1896-1993), Russian engineer and inventor. , Ralph said. An ocarina is an ancient, flute-like instrument; a melodica is a free-reed instrument Noun 1. free-reed instrument - a wind instrument with a free reed accordion, piano accordion, squeeze box - a portable box-shaped free-reed instrument; the reeds are made to vibrate by air from the bellows controlled by the player , a cross between an accordion accordion, musical instrument consisting of a rectangular bellows expanded and contracted between the hands. Buttons or keys operated by the player open valves, allowing air to enter or to escape. The air sets in motion free reeds, frequently made of metal. and a harmonica harmonica. 1 The simplest of the musical instruments employing free reeds, known also as the mouth organ or French harp. It was probably invented in 1829 by Friedrich Buschmann of Berlin, who called his instrument the Mundäoline. ; and a theremin is one of the earliest fully electronic musical instruments. Named for its inventor, Russian Leon Theremin, the theremin is the first musical instrument designed to be played without being touched. The musician stands in front of the instrument and moves his hand over two metal antennae. "The instrument makes this electronic `woo, woo, woo' sound that's straight out of an old Flash Gordon Flash Gordon space-traveling hero. [Am. Comics and Cin.: Halliwell] See : Astronautics movie," Ralph said. While most students may not take up the theremin, at least they'll have an opportunity to sample the eerie-sounding instrument at the Shedd's discovering instrument class, Ralph said. Instruments are available on a short-term rental basis for students to sample, so their parents aren't bound to a long-term commitment should they find out Junior doesn't like the clarinet. "This lets kids discover what instrument suits them," Ralph said. About 500 students are enrolled each term at the Shedd's music school. The Shedd also has a music summer camp, an Elderhostel program and scores of year-round concerts, all of which take place at the former First Baptist Church First Baptist Church may refer to many churches: Canada
Derek Chin, 15, took upright bass lessons at the Shedd and decided it was not the instrument for him, said Austine Chin, Derek's mother. Chin rented the bass for $24 per month through the Shedd's instrument bank. The sheer size of the upright bass proved to be a bit daunting daunt tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay. [Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin , and Derek gave it up after six weeks, Chin said. "We didn't know if Derek had a strong interest in the upright bass, so this program worked out great," she said. Parent Karen Nystrom also is sold on the program after the Shedd set her son, Reed Nystrom, 11, up with 30-minute private lessons for the instruments he wanted to sample. Reed played the saxophone, bass, guitar, clarinet and drums, Karen said. "He had a blast learning," she said. "Ultimately he ended up focusing on the saxophone." |
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