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Gaither High band director makes plea for musical instruments

Staff photo by Pat Brammell

Some band members march without tubas because of an instrument shortage at Gaither High School.

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By STACIE SCHAIBLE

sschaible@wfla.com

Published: September 2, 2009

Gaither High School band director Brian Dell has a problem: more tuba players than tubas.

Dell has already borrowed two tubas from another school for the marching band. But at a cost of $4,000 to $5,000 each, the school can't afford two more in these lean budget times.

"We have a great problem that kids love tuba," Dell said. "They want to play tuba and we're just short on those instruments and trying to get those instruments is very expensive for us."

Zachary White, tuba section leader at Gaither, said: "It's not really their fault but it's really unfair. They don't have the same opportunity."

Dell said students wouldn't walk into English class and not be given a textbook, and he doesn't think his band kids should have to go without instruments.

"The smaller instruments, flute, clarinet, trumpet, they're inexpensive instruments parents can buy on their own, but the larger instruments like tuba, percussion, baritone is the responsibility of the school to own because they're very expensive and they're not sold,'' he said. "You can't walk into a music store and ask to buy a sousaphone. They don't just carry them, you have to special order them.''

Dell says the life span of an instrument is 20 to 25 years, and that's where most of their instruments fall in age.

Gaither band captain Janelle Romero said the instruments go through wear and tear over the years and a lot of them need replacing.

The school pays to keep the instruments in good working order, but it can be expensive.

"The more you repair them and resolder them the brass gets thinner and they tend to fall apart easier. It can be done but the durability is not strong," Dell said.

Though the lack of tubas is the current problem, all of Gaither's instruments are going to need to be replaced. Dell says he is just looking for options and hoping someone else values what being a member of the marching band does for its students.

Dell called News Channel 8's Eight On Your Side for help.

"In different programs across the country they will have an instrument drive where different donors will buy a tuba, a trumpet, a trombone,'' he said. "They will buy them with their own money, they will donate them to the band and we can put a little plaque donated by... they can be on a Web site and all that stuff.''

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