Student French horn players at We Are Instrumental's music summit at Ticonderoga Junior-Senior High School in October. Photo by Cara Chapman.
In last Thursday’s (10/19) North Country Public Radio (Canton, New York), Cara Chapman reports, “Most North Country school districts offer some kind of band and chorus, maybe even a marching band. A Ticonderoga-based nonprofit wants to take things to the next level for the region’s student musicians. Earlier this month, We Are Instrumental brought together more than 300 students from more than a dozen school districts for its first-ever music summit. Evan Mack is the pianist, professor and parent who founded the nonprofit in 2020. He said the region’s school districts do a great job giving students a basic music education, and We Are Instrumental wants to help them unlock their full potential. The organization donates instruments, trains teachers to repair them, and connects students with field trips and private virtual lessons…. Audrey Cook said … said the organization provided her with a French horn, private lessons and transportation to other groups she plays with. ‘And I want other musicians and other people in the North Country to have the same opportunities that I’ve had,’ she said. Cook said the organization has really helped her grow as a musician. And she thinks things like the summit could help other students—and teachers—do the same.”
