Help Replace the Agoura High Chimes
Donation protected
Help replace the Agoura High Music Department Chimes!
The Music Department has been depending on a prehistoric set of chimes in the band room. The chimes predate everyone who is currently involved in the Music Department, so we don't actually know how old they are, but carbon dating puts them someplace in the Mesozoic Era. The chimes have been faithfully maintained and repaired multiple times, but they have finally reached the end of their useful life. Even if they could be made to work, OSHA rules would require any student playing them to wear a hardhat, which would violate the school dress code. There are newer, beautiful chimes in the PAEC, but without an instrument to practice with, those are pretty much just for decoration.
In the words of Mr. Bloom: These chimes were purchased when Agoura High first started a music program and they have not been replaced since... whenever that was! They are really that old. The frame of the chimes is buckling, and sooner or later the whole apparatus will collapse. The box that dampers the chimes (despite being fixed several times) is broken, so it permanently dampers the sound. The instrument is at a point where it would no longer be useful to keep repairing it. This means that when a piece of our music calls for the chimes to ring out, we can't do that. Our percussionists can't learn how to properly play the instrument if they never have access to one that works. This is an instrument that lives in the music room and no student would ever be expected to purchase one on their own - so our music program must find the resources to replace it.
Mr. Bloom and Mr. Hackett have requested that the Music Boosters find money to replace the chimes, so that AHS percussionists can once again learn to make the heavens ring with their dulcet tones. That's where you come in. We need to raise $5500 for a new set of chimes, and we've decided to pursue crowd-funding as an avenue to do so.
Please note this is a completely voluntary donation drive. If you're happy listening to cowbells and finger-cymbals, by all means ignore this. But those of you with real class, who listen to vinyl at home, and want to hear those elegant ringing tones at your kids' concerts, pony up...
As an added bonus, the Music Department has offered some special thank you gifts for large contributions:
- for a donation of $250 you will receive 4 tickets to any 2 AHS Music Concerts of your choice.
- for a donation of $500 you can arrange a happy birthday song/phone greeting or Holiday Carol from our Madrigals via phone to someone AND receive 4 tickets to any 2 AHS Music Concerts of your choice.
- for a donation of $1000, you can have your name inscribed on a plaque attached to the instrument AND get to play the chimes on our "Music From The Movies" Concert. (Note: You will need to attend at least one rehearsal.) AND receive 4 tickets to any 2 AHS Music Concerts of your choice.
- for a donation of $2000, you can have a plaque on the instrument and a Jazz Combo/Madrigals or a String Quartet sing/play a set at a party or event of your choosing (time and location to be mutually arranged) AND attend all AHS Music Concerts for the rest of the year for FREE.
- for a donation of $3000, you can arrange a special visit from the AHS Marching Band to play Happy Birthday in a backyard or on someone's front lawn (time and location to be mutually arranged,) AND receive FREE entrance to all AHS Music Events this year. We'll also throw in a Madrigals Happy Birthday phone call... and sure... why not play the Chimes on our "Music From The Movies" concert in May? (yes, you do have to come to one rehearsal.)
(note offsite performances will be limited to the area surrounding Agoura High School)
None of these donation ideas spark the gift of giving? Feel free to contact the AHS Music Boosters and we'll work something out!
Please share with your friends, families, and fellow music lovers. With luck and your help, by Spring we'll be able to once again hear the chiming of chimes.
Note: Agoura High School Music Boosters is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with Taxpayer ID 95-3279990. In many cases, your donation is tax deductible. Please contact Agoura Music Boosters for a receipt for tax purposes.
The Music Department has been depending on a prehistoric set of chimes in the band room. The chimes predate everyone who is currently involved in the Music Department, so we don't actually know how old they are, but carbon dating puts them someplace in the Mesozoic Era. The chimes have been faithfully maintained and repaired multiple times, but they have finally reached the end of their useful life. Even if they could be made to work, OSHA rules would require any student playing them to wear a hardhat, which would violate the school dress code. There are newer, beautiful chimes in the PAEC, but without an instrument to practice with, those are pretty much just for decoration.
In the words of Mr. Bloom: These chimes were purchased when Agoura High first started a music program and they have not been replaced since... whenever that was! They are really that old. The frame of the chimes is buckling, and sooner or later the whole apparatus will collapse. The box that dampers the chimes (despite being fixed several times) is broken, so it permanently dampers the sound. The instrument is at a point where it would no longer be useful to keep repairing it. This means that when a piece of our music calls for the chimes to ring out, we can't do that. Our percussionists can't learn how to properly play the instrument if they never have access to one that works. This is an instrument that lives in the music room and no student would ever be expected to purchase one on their own - so our music program must find the resources to replace it.
Mr. Bloom and Mr. Hackett have requested that the Music Boosters find money to replace the chimes, so that AHS percussionists can once again learn to make the heavens ring with their dulcet tones. That's where you come in. We need to raise $5500 for a new set of chimes, and we've decided to pursue crowd-funding as an avenue to do so.
Please note this is a completely voluntary donation drive. If you're happy listening to cowbells and finger-cymbals, by all means ignore this. But those of you with real class, who listen to vinyl at home, and want to hear those elegant ringing tones at your kids' concerts, pony up...
As an added bonus, the Music Department has offered some special thank you gifts for large contributions:
- for a donation of $250 you will receive 4 tickets to any 2 AHS Music Concerts of your choice.
- for a donation of $500 you can arrange a happy birthday song/phone greeting or Holiday Carol from our Madrigals via phone to someone AND receive 4 tickets to any 2 AHS Music Concerts of your choice.
- for a donation of $1000, you can have your name inscribed on a plaque attached to the instrument AND get to play the chimes on our "Music From The Movies" Concert. (Note: You will need to attend at least one rehearsal.) AND receive 4 tickets to any 2 AHS Music Concerts of your choice.
- for a donation of $2000, you can have a plaque on the instrument and a Jazz Combo/Madrigals or a String Quartet sing/play a set at a party or event of your choosing (time and location to be mutually arranged) AND attend all AHS Music Concerts for the rest of the year for FREE.
- for a donation of $3000, you can arrange a special visit from the AHS Marching Band to play Happy Birthday in a backyard or on someone's front lawn (time and location to be mutually arranged,) AND receive FREE entrance to all AHS Music Events this year. We'll also throw in a Madrigals Happy Birthday phone call... and sure... why not play the Chimes on our "Music From The Movies" concert in May? (yes, you do have to come to one rehearsal.)
(note offsite performances will be limited to the area surrounding Agoura High School)
None of these donation ideas spark the gift of giving? Feel free to contact the AHS Music Boosters and we'll work something out!
Please share with your friends, families, and fellow music lovers. With luck and your help, by Spring we'll be able to once again hear the chiming of chimes.
Note: Agoura High School Music Boosters is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with Taxpayer ID 95-3279990. In many cases, your donation is tax deductible. Please contact Agoura Music Boosters for a receipt for tax purposes.
Organizer
AH Booster
Organizer
Agoura Hills, CA