PING (Providing instruments for the Next Generation) believes all students should have access to instrumental music in the public schools. But with instrument rentals averaging $50 per month, many would miss out. Instead, PING has been supplying band and orchestra instruments to students at the Oak Park and River Forest public schools for more than 25 years, but that is not all.
“To offer true equity to young musicians, we have mentoring programs and access to lessons, music camps, performances, and trips for PING members,” said executive director Michelle Dybal. The PING Mentoring Program, which is celebrating 20 years, supports middle school musicians. PING Partners supports new musicians in grades 4 and 5. In both programs, PING students are paired with mentors from Oak Park and River Forest High School who play the same instruments.
Additionally, the nonprofit organizes and pays for PING high school students to take private lessons and for PING musicians in grades 5 through 8 to attend summer music camps to access the same opportunities as their peers. These experiences improve confidence and studies have shown participating in instrumental music has academic, social, and mental health benefits.
Instruments remain important to PING’s mission, especially this fall when a record-breaking number of new students became PING members: 84. This increase puts a strain on PING’s instrument inventory, which is aging from increased use. “The inventory is primarily built from generous donations of used instruments received from the community, but there is a need for more, better-grade and different-sized instruments, along with accessories such as bows and cases,” Dybal said. PING’s largest revenue source is individual donors, and does not receive any monetary assistance from the three school districts it serves, D97, D90, and D200. Donations are needed now more than ever: pingoprf.org/donate. Questions/volunteer/donate an instrument, email: info@pingoprf.org
PING! (Providing Instruments for the Next Generation)
PING! is a community nonprofit organization providing band and orchestra instruments, mentoring, workshops, and access to lessons, music camps, and trips to students who benefit from support that are in grades 4 through 12 in Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois, public schools. In a community with very high-quality school music programs, PING! students can be on par with peers regardless of their financial situations and feel like they belong. PING! programming also brings diversity to instrumental music classrooms and beyond, providing access to some traditionally underrepresented populations.
Donate: //pingoprf.org/donate. Instrument donations: info@pingoprf.org