The Montebello Unified School District’s Eastmont Intermediate School will soon receive several musical instruments, thanks to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.

With many music programs across the country losing vital funding, the foundation provides critical funding needed for schools to purchase or repair their instruments.

An application for support was submitted by Eastmont Intermediate and the foundation found their program to be a worthwhile investment, allowing more students to be able to play and experience the benefits of music education.

The total retail value for the donation is $28,500.

“Participation in music can teach children so many important lessons, from the development of fine motor skills to the dedication needed to practice to the self-confidence they earn performing,” MUSD Board of Education President Hector Chacon said. “This generous donation from the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation will help us continue to build our outstanding music program.”

“Learning music is a way to engage kids and give them something that makes them better students and better people,” said Felice Mancini, executive director of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. “Students deserve every tool available to help them receive a quality education, and we want to insure that music is in that toolbox.”

“We have an aging inventory, so this donation is going to be a big help to our program,” said Eastmont’s popular and respected instrumental music teacher Curtis Richardson, who has been at the school for 20 years and 26 years in the MUSD.

The school is going to receive three clarinets, three trumpets, three trombones, three euphoniums, one ¾ tuba, three bell kits, one alto saxophone and two refurbished saxophones. In addition to the new instruments, $2,575, of the grant will go toward the repair of some musical instruments.

“We appreciate the generous support of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation,” MUSD Superintendent Robert Henke said. “This grant will help give our students more opportunities to experience music by playing an instrument and gaining an appreciation of music through first-hand experience.”

The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation donates new and refurbished musical instruments to under-served schools, community music programs and individual students nationwide, in an effort to give youngsters the many benefits of music education, help them to be better students and inspire creativity and expression through playing music.

The organization was inspired by the 1995 motion picture Mr. Holland’s Opus and founded by Michael Kamen, who composed the music for the movie and countless others. More information can be found at www.mhopus.org.