The mission of the Pennywhistle Band Schools Project is to take the well-documented educational and personal benefits gained by the students who are selected for band class; learning teamwork skills, self-discipline, healthy self-esteem, personal confidence, enhanced abstract reasoning, and development of other higher brain functions, and bring that experience to every child in the classroom.
Introducing pennywhistles into the fourth or fifth-grade classroom (the grades in which some students are selected for beginning band) is an affordable and fun way to provide every student with challenging instrumental music instruction whether they have access to a band program or not. Students learn to play and read music along with other music fundamentals usually taught only in band class. They keep the instrument and book to encourage life-long learning and a love of playing music.
During 2015, the Pennywhistle Band Schools Project has provided professional development for music teachers including a workshop presented at Carnegie Hall under the auspices of the Director of Music, New York City Department of Education. We have distributed teacher’s guides and materials to New York City music teachers and 1000 pennywhistles and method books for their students. Additionally, in 2015, instruments, books, teaching materials and classroom instruction taught by a New York State certified music teacher have been provided to over 200 fifth grade students outside of New York City, all at no cost to the schools.
Donations to the Pennywhistle Band Schools Project are greatly appreciated. For the cost of one student band instrument rental, we can provide an entire classroom with Clarke pennywhistles and Pennywhistle Band method books. After all, music is for everyone!
Learn More: http://pennywhistleband.com