• Submitted by: manso
• Society
• 06 / 23 / 2011

---

Times staff. Posted: Jun 22, 2011 02:57 PM. Five musicians from the Florida Orchestra who will be traveling to Cuba in September hope that you'll give them a little extra something to pack.

As part of its recently announced multi-year cultural exchange with Cuba, the orchestra has kicked off a donation drive to collect musical instruments and accessories to take to Havana for the 300-plus students enrolled in the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana.

The orchestra's five principal wind musicians, who will be giving master classes at the conservatory and performing in Havana during the last week of September, will be taking the donated instruments and accessories with them. Supporting the project are Bay News 9, BrightHouse Networks and the two Tampa Bay area Sam Ash Music Stores.

"Although we will be offering master classes at the conservatory, on a more fundamental level we would like to show our appreciation for the enthusiasm and talent of their students by bringing instruments and accessories that can always be a challenge to obtain at such early stages of a musical career," music director Stefan Sanderling said in a news release announcing the drive. "So, we are inviting our community to join us in making these types of donations for the conservatory."

The orchestra is accepting donations of well-maintained student instruments or professional instruments in good working order. Other needs include violin and viola shoulder rests; strings and bow hair for violins, violas, cellos and double basses; strings for classical guitars; reeds for soprano, alto and baritone saxophones; reeds for oboes and bassoons; and bocals for bassoons, the metal tubes that hold the instrument's double reed.

Sam Ash stores, in addition to being drop-off points for donated instruments, will help those who want to buy items to donate (offering a discount) and will assist with repairs and maintenance on the instruments.

The orchestra is hoping to get the bulk of donations in by July because of procedures and paperwork that must be filed both in the United States and Cuba.


Source: http://www.tampabay.com/features/events/1176709