Creekland Band Program Gets $100,000 In New Instruments

CANTON, GA -- A routine check of his email before school got started turned into a dream come true for Creekland Middle School Band Director Kevin Boyle.

Boyle, who is overseeing a school program that continues to grow, recently learned that his program received more than $100,000 in instruments purchased by a business partner.

“My world stopped for a minute," Boyle told Patch, adding he was in shock when he learned of the decision made by Matthew Gellis, CEO of Keystone Solution. “This is every coach or teacher’s dream.”

Donated to the program include a total of 32 instruments such as tubas, baritones, French horns, bass clarinets, tenor saxophones, baritone saxophones, oboes, bassoons and timpanis.

The need for new instruments has become more pressing, as additional students have expressed an interest in the program. Boyle said he mapped out how the program could fund the purchase: they could hold fundraisers and other events, with a goal to raise $20,000 each year over the next five years to fund the project.

The Creekland program planned to purchase instruments from the Conn-Selmer instrument company on a lease-to-own plan over five years.

He presented the plan to band parents, and "everyone seemed like they were on board."

A few days later, Boyle said that's when he received the email from Gellis, who said his company would fully fund the program over the next five years. This simple act of generosity, he added, would free up the band program to use their fundraising dollars to address other needs.

Boyle is now able to use the money to pay for extra instruction and specialists, upgrade mouthpieces for seventh- and eight-grade saxophone and clarinet players, purchase more mallets and sticks for percussion players, additional accessories and more music for the band to play.

“It’s freed up the entire budget for the year," he said.

The Creekland Middle School band has about 270 students in its ranks, and Boyle said he expects that number to swell to about 340 next school year.

Having these new instruments will also allow the band to improve on the quality of music it churns out for listeners.

"Now all these kids are playing these brand new, wonderfully made instruments," he said. "And they sound great."

Image via Kevin Boyle