Sharing Music, Instruments No Easy Task For Middle School Students

Learning to play a musical instrument in middle school is not easy.  It's even more difficult when you have to share one instrument between multiple students. 

At Jarman Middle School, everyone in Karina Fisher's orchestra class participates.  Everyone that is, except those students who are on an instrument sharing rotation.  Some days, they just have to sit and listen. 

"Yeah, I borrow one and share it," said Devin Ellison.  Ellison, a sixth-grader, is not the only one who has to share.  Danielle Carrethers is also on a rotation for the violin she plays.

"It's complicated, because I want to take it home certain days," Carrethers said.  "And certain days other people have to take it home."

Sierra Richey, Sydney Bruner, and Tynessa Cooper are seniors at MCHS, and are holding an instrument drive this weekend for a project in their entrepreneurship class. 

"A lot of schools are in need of like, violins, violas," said Richey.  "Horns and trumpets, a lot of schools can't provide to their students."

Sydney Bruner can relate to Danielle's story.  She played the violin when she was younger.

"Whenever I was in around the sixth or seventh grade I had to give up the violin because I couldn't afford to play it," said Bruner.  "It was kind of devastating because it was one of the things that I really really wanted to do."

The MCHS students already have a handful of donated instruments including a flute, saxophone, and trumpet.  They know violins are expensive, but are hopeful that they collect at least a few.  That would go a long way to change things in Fisher's orchestra class.

"Yeah, because we wouldn't have to share and we'd be able to use our own," said Aryawna Best.  "Instead of using other people's, we wouldn't have to worry about anything."