Welcome to KeyAction Winter 1999 Volume 7 Issue 9 Page 10

"Sherwood

is grateful

to both the

Mr. Holland's

Opus

Foundation

and Yamaha

for working

together."

Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation and Yamaha Restore Music to North Dakota School

When a major storm tore through the Midwest in the Spring of 1997, the town of Grand Forks, ND was one of the hardest hit - 80,000 people were evacuated from the area, and particularly devastating was the damage done to Grand Forks' school system. Half of the district's 22 schools suffered substantial damage - three never re-opened. However, with the help of the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, Yamaha and its Grand Forks dealer, Scott's Music, music is returning to the town's schools, thanks to a new Clavinova CLP311 digital piano.

Grand Forks' public school music departments suffered $750,000 in damages, including a major loss of instruments. Brad Sherwood, the district's music chairman, researched the availability of grants and financial aid available for the beleaguered North Dakota schools. His investigation brought him to the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting music nationwide by providing instruments to qualified schools and individual students. Sherwood submitted a grant proposal to the foundation, seeking assistance in rebuilding the schools' music departments. The proposal was well-qualified and the Grand Forks school district was awarded a grant that resulted in the acquisition of the new CLP311. The instrument has been in constant use in the South Middle School since the beginning of the school year.

"We've had Clavinovas in the music department before," says Sherwood. "When you bring in an instrument like the Clavinova it opens up new avenues for kids and exposes them to new technologies. Also, very important in a school situation is the Clavinova's durability." The Clavinova digital piano is used eight to ten hours a day, in a number of the school's settings, including band, orchestra, private lessons and choir.

Sherwood is grateful to both the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation and Yamaha for working together to help restore hope and music to his community. Adds Sherwood, "I'm impressed with Yamaha sharing the Foundation's commitment to supporting and improving music education."

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