HOLLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL to receive new musical instruments from Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation

Hoover Middle School will soon receive new musical instruments, thanks to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and Music Rising.

With many school music programs across the country losing vital funding, the foundation helps under-served schools with minimal budgets by donating new instruments, often replacing some that are more than 30 years old.

An application for support was submitted by Hoover Middle School’s band director, Jim Bergler, and the foundation found their program to be a worthwhile investment, allowing more students to be able to play and experience the benefits of music education.

“Through the generous donation of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and Music Rising, our band students and our school have been given more than school instruments.  They have been given a greater sense of dignity and pride in their school band program”, said Mr. Bergler, long time band director for the Taylor Public Schools.  “Many of our instruments were old when I began teaching at Hoover 25 years ago.  They have served us well, but it is time for them to be officially retired and replaced with some new instruments”.

“Learning music in school is a way to engage kids and give them something that makes them better students and better people,” said Felice Mancini, President & CEO of The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.  “They deserve every tool available to help them receive a quality education, and we want to insure that music is in that toolbox.”

Hoover Bands have had great success over the past 25 years.  There are around 150 seventh- and eighth-grade band students in the program each year, and the band students are active in performing at concerts, band competitions, solo and ensemble festivals, school assemblies, parades, and various other performances in the community.

The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation donates musical instruments to under-funded schools in an effort to give youngsters the many benefits of music education, help them to be better students and inspire creativity and expression through playing music.  The organization was inspired by the 1995 motion picture Mr. Holland’s Opus and founded by Michael Kamen, who composed the music for the movie and countless others.  In the last 20 years, over 20,000 instruments have been donated to over 1,360 schools across the country.  More information can be found at www.mhopus.org.