“You need more than passion to play a musical instrument, you also need a musical instrument.”
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Rural Aid’s latest project The Gift of Music is breaking down that barrier for hundreds of rural and regional kids all over Australia, although they do need the public’s help according to musician and event coordinator Victoria Edwards.
“Giving a child a musical instrument is not just giving them a skill for life, it also gives them joy, gives them something to do, improves their hand eye coordination, teaches patience and discipline and helps with school studies,” she said.
“Music is just great – it is one of those rounded things that we need in society but unfortunately music and arts programs are generally the first to go from schools.”
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The Gift of Music is calling on everyone to have a look around their house and donate any unused, old, and even broken instruments to the program.
Rural Aid then tries to match the instruments with either individuals or schools that have applied through their website, recently delivering 37 eukalales to the remote region of Bedourie in south west Queensland.
“How many people have old instruments that they have bought for their kids or themselves that no longer get used,” Mrs Edwards said.
“We even fix up instruments that aren’t in good shape.
“Sharing an instrument is giving it new life, and bringing music into the life of a child or a family is an amazing thing.”
People can register instruments, or apply for an instrument, through the Rural Aid website.
