$50,000 Worth of Music Instruments Donated to High Schools

The BEEM Foundation for the Advancement of Music has donated tens of thousands of dollars worth of new instruments for students at Crenshaw and Fremont high schools in Los Angeles.

BEEM (which stands for Black Experience as Expressed through Music) was able to provide the instruments through a grant from McDonnell Douglas, said Betty Cox, founder and president of the foundation.

A total of $50,000 worth of instruments was donated to the two South L.A. schools and to Westchester High.

Boxes of new instruments--from bass trombones to synthesizers--have been delivered to the three schools in the past couple of weeks. The music teachers say the instruments were badly needed for their programs.

Crenshaw band teacher Al Tarver said many of his school’s instruments were literally falling apart.

“The stuff was getting old,” Tarver said. “When I would send them to the shop, they would send it back to us with a note that said: ‘unrepairable.’ ”

Music students at Westchester High had to share their instruments among themselves.

“They would buy their own mouth pieces but they shared. These new instruments make up over half of our instruments now,” teacher Eric Hankey said.

Showing off his cache of new instruments, Fremont music instructor Tony White said they will be used exclusively by jazz band members.

White was especially excited about the two new keyboards he received, which he hopes to connect with computers someday.

The BEEM foundation, formed in 1982, is made up of music educators and professional musicians. It aims to stimulate the understanding of the work of black composers and musicians.

The group also awards scholarships to aspiring musicians throughout Southern California. Last year, the organization gave $8,000 in scholarships to three students.