Aug. 14, 2018 – Englewood High School is the delighted recipient of 38 brand new musical instruments, valued at $48,000, thanks to the generous support of Jacksonville-based, blues-rock group Tedeschi Trucks Band, led by the husband-wife team of guitarist Derek Trucks and singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi. The donation was made possible through Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and includes guitars, wind instruments, and drum sets, as well as more expensive and hard-to-rent instruments such as tubas, sousaphones and euphoniums.
“We are deeply thankful to the Tedeschi Trucks Band for their incredible support, not just of the Englewood High School music program, but music programs across the district,” said DCPS Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene. “Through their generous donations over the years, they have truly given hundreds of students the gift of music. Knowing that these instruments came from an alum from that school and two very gifted local artists makes the donation even more special. The students and staff at Englewood High School will benefit from this transformative gift for years to come.”
In addition to the donation, the Grammy award-winning 12-piece ensemble further showcased their support for public music education by inviting students and staff to their hometown performance at Daily’s Place this summer. Students and staff were able to go backstage to meet the band and receive the good news about the donation to their music program.
“Susan and I were both fortunate to have instruments available to us when we were young,” said Trucks. “Sadly, this is not the case for so many students these days, at a time when having the tools to express creativity is so vital to their education. We were happy and humbled to be able to help.”
A list of the musical instruments provided by the donation is as follows:
· 3 Eastman ECL230 clarinets
· 3 Eastman EEP421 4-valve euphoniums
· 2 Eastman EBB534 4/4-size 4-valve tubas
· 2 Eastman EFL210 flutes
· 2 Eastman ETB432 trombones with F-attachments
· 1 LP LP646NY-AW conga set
· 1 Accent Drive LC17511 drum set
· 2 Eastman EPH324 sousaphones
· 2 Jupiter JMP1000M mellophones
· 20 Cordoba CP100 acoustic guitars
About Duval County Public Schools
Duval County Public Schools is the 20th largest school district in the nation, educating more than 128,000 students in over 190 schools. Its mission is to provide educational excellence for every school, in every classroom, for every student, every day. Visit http://www.duvalschools.org to learn more.
About Tedeschi Trucks Band
Now in its ninth year, Tedeschi Trucks Band is a Grammy-winning, 12-piece blues rock ensemble that has its roots in Jacksonville. Led by husband-and-wife team of guitarist Derek Trucks and vocalist/guitarist Susan Tedeschi, the band carries a distinguished reputation as one of the premier live bands in the world. With a catalog of five albums since its inception in 2010, Tedeschi Trucks Band is currently working on their next studio album, a follow up to the Grammy-nominated CD/film release, Live From The Fox Oakland. Visit http://tedeschitrucksband.com/ to learn more.
About Mr. Holland’s Opus
Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation was inspired by the acclaimed motion picture Mr. Holland’s Opus, the story of the profound effect a dedicated music teacher had on generations of students. The film's composer, Michael Kamen, started the foundation in 1996 as his commitment to the future of music education. The Foundation keeps music alive in schools by donating musical instruments and vital support services to under-funded music programs nationwide, giving economically-disadvantaged youth access to the many benefits of music education, helping them to be successful students, and inspiring creativity and expression through playing music. Visit https://www.mhopus.org/ to learn more.
