Spring cleaning that benefits the community; donate instruments to Wisconsin Conservatory of Music’s #BeInstrumental drive on April 18
MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music (WCM) reminds Milwaukee residents that tomorrow, Saturday, April 18, is the biennial #BeInstrumental Drive. Community members can drop off gently used instruments at four locations to help provide local children with the tools they need to pursue music education. Donation hours vary by location:
- East Side: Wisconsin Conservatory of Music – 1584 N. Prospect Ave. (9 a.m.- 4 p.m.)
- North Shore: Wisconsin Conservatory of Music – 333 W. Brown Deer Rd. (9 a.m.- 4 p.m.)
- North Shore: Brass Bell Music Store – 210 W Silver Spring Dr. (10 a.m.- 8 p.m.)
- South Side/West Side: Music & Arts – 12805 W Janesville Rd. (11 a.m.- 8 p.m.)
The community school’s wish list includes: brass (trombone, trumpet, French horn, tuba, euphonium); strings (cello, double bass, harp, viola, violin), guitars (electric, acoustic, classical, bass, ukulele); wind instruments (clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon, piccolo, saxophones), percussion (complete drum sets); and accessories such as new cases and cleaning supplies.
Each donation will be cleaned, refurbished, fitted with new cases for the students, which costs an average of $250 per instrument. Monetary donations to the Instrument Repair Fund can be made online, by mail, or by phone at 414-459-3447, with contributions accepted year-round. All monetary donations up to $25,000 are currently being matched by a generous WCM donor.
Following the April 18 drive, instrument donations will continue on a rolling basis at WCM’s McIntosh|Goodrich Mansion on Milwaukee’s East Side.
Since 2017, WCM has collected nearly 800 instruments. The Conservatory is unable to accept pianos, organs, kazoos, recorders, hand drums, cajons, frame drums, congas, or bongos.
Photo/Video Opportunities
Photos and video journalists are invited to capture the following visuals at WCM’s McIntosh|Goodrich Mansion on Prospect Avenue:
- Instruments being collected and catalogued
- Interviews with WCM’s Admin Staff
- WCM students who have received a donated instrument
