[TPIN] "Art" trumpet/lamp

[Jeanne G Pocius]

Sorry, Ellis, it touched off a sensitive nerve for me....
   
  And I know that trumpeters as a group are among the most kind, caring and generous folks in the music business....
   
  But I really try to discourage using musical instruments for non-musical purposes.

I can't even stand walking into restaurants or antique shops and seeing instruments NAILED into the walls as *decorations* many of which could have been put to use for kids....
   
  I get $ZERO budget to purchase and repair instruments for my kids, and every year the number of needy kids rises....(used to be I needed to find maybe six or seven instruments for kids who couldn't afford them, this year it was THIRTY SEVEN!<!!)...with cost of utilities rising every year I have less and less spare change to spend on finding instruments at yard sales, want ads, or what have you.
   
  And it's not likely to get better....

The sad thing is that those kids who get involved (even with a crappy instrument that doesn't look great as long as it still plays) have a community to which they'll belong for all of their school years at least.
   
  And the band kids don't seem to get involved with drinking and drugging like a lot of the other cliques in school (thank goodness!).
   
  I guess what hurt was the idea of turning an instrument into a lamp *just for fun*
  
Instead of using a real instrument, why not create one out of papier machee, or wire, or clay or something (still uses creative muscles, but then the actual instrument could go to a kid).
   
  Like I said *just a thought*
   
  Take Care!
Jeanne

Ellis Workman <elw at workman-net.org> wrote:
  Yikes Jeanne...

Isn't that a variation of the "Eat the food on
your plate because kids are starving China" line?

I don't think that there is a single one of us who
if personally aware such a needy and motivated child
wouldn't help him out. I have. My dad lost his job at
Studebaker when I was a kid, and my teacher "Mac Hall"
offered to continue teaching me for free. Dad was
to proud to accept such charity and I guess they worked
something out. I never forgot.

-Ellis

                          Jeanne Gabriel Pocius
  Author of *Trumpeting By Nature, An Efficient Guide to Optimal Trumpet Playing*
  (Watch for Release Details, Coming Soon!)
  (978)317-4731
  Email: jgpocius at yahoo.com    
  http://abel.hive.no/oj/musikk/trompet/jeanne/