Notes for Education Northshore

Our Mission Statement: To foster, promote and enrich the academic and social development of our youth through music education and performing arts.

A portion of the funds generated from the Slidell Jazz & Blues Festival will be made available to support local music education and/or provide music grants or scholarships to local young musicians.

Do you own a musical instrument that you’re no longer playing? Donate your once-loved but no-longer-used musical instruments.

What a great way to kick off Music in Schools Month. Notes for Education Northshore and the Slidell Jazz & Blues Festival team up for their 3rd Annual Instrument Drive.

Instrument Drive happening NOW – 

Donating that band or orchestra instrument you no longer use can make a profound difference in a child’s life. Learning to play an instrument teaches valuable life skills, boosts confidence and self-esteem. So, don’t let your unwanted instrument be an orphan. Notes for Education Northshore makes it easy to donate your used musical instruments to school music programs in need. We host a platform that makes it a snap to part with your sentimental pieces. Whether it’s a clarinet, a tuba or a set of drums that you donate, students will put it to good use–and the music will go on.

Thanks to generous support from Notes for Education Northshore supporters and other donors , last year we able to award six instruments to one local school, but there are still many more children who want to learn to play but can’t afford to rent or buy an instrument and their schools don’t have the funds to provide them.

If you have an instrument, please bring it to one of our donation locations so another child can receive the gift of music. Be instrumental in supporting quality music and art education in schools!

Donating an instrument is easy!

• We accept instrument donations in any condition
•  While we prefer instruments in playable condition, we can repair and/or refurbish most instruments to give them new life.
•  Depending on your location, we can usually have a volunteer pick-up your instrument.
• If we don’t have a volunteer or drop-off location in your city, we can make arrangements to meet you.
• Your donation is tax-deductible and we will provide a receipt.
• If you would like to make a large donation of multiple instruments, please call us at 985-640-6004 or send us an email.

Other ways you can help!

While Notes for Education Northshore is appreciative to receive donated, unwanted  instruments, our greatest need is cash donations to help the organization clean and repair the instrument to optimal playing condition for the students. We also accept cash contributions to support our mission and NFEN Fund.

You can be instrumental in removing barriers to music and art education. We’d love it if you supported the work we’re doing. Your support helps us clean and prepare donated musical instruments so that more people can easily donate their once-loved but no longer wanted musical instruments and get them into the classrooms!

Something amazing happened at this year’s Slidell Jazz and Blues Festival. Mr. Stephen Wheat (pictured top right) drove in all the way from Colorado Springs, Colorado to donate a brand new acoustic guitar to Notes for Education Northshore. Thank you, Stephen for your selfless act of kindness and especially to your beautiful girlfriend, Jill for sharing our mission with you. It’s because of individuals like you that make our mission possible. Thank you for your generous support and belief in our mission!!!

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Media Coverage

December 11, 2015 – the founders of the Slidell Jazz and Blues Festival recently had the opportunity to donate instruments that were collected during an Instrument Drive it held last March.

The Northshore Committee teamed up with the community to help share the power of music with children and foster music education at St. Tammany Junior High.

Six instruments were collected last spring. They included two trumpets, two clarinets, one flute and a drum set. These instruments were cleaned up and repaired, then distributed the junior high.

The success of the drive reflects strong support for cultural programs in the schools and for the instruments getting into the hands of interested students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn and play. Over the years the St. Tammany Junior High’s band has doubled in size leaving most of these students with having to borrow or rent instruments.

Notes for Education Northshore Committee members pictured from left to right are Don Thanars, Robin Marquez, Michael Tassin, Brad Rummel and not pictured, Karen Carroll.Submitted by Robin Marquez. “The expressions on some of their faces were priceless,” said Robin Marquez who is one of the program’s committee members.

Don Thanars, another committee member, “was surprised by the level of excitement behind the program. I have been humbled by the personal stories that have accompanied many of the donations. It becomes very real for people to think of their once-used instrument making its way into the hands of a students who can create new memories.”

“We are only just getting started,” said committee member Michael Tassin.

Notes for Education’s mission is to foster, promote and enrich the academic and social development of local youth through music education and performing arts.

The Notes for Education Northshore committee wanted to thank Chris Sharkey who donated the woodwind instruments, Bill Roberson for performing the repair work and refurbishing the woodwind instruments, Ron Newson who donated the trumpets, and Dan Crowley who donated the drums.”

Looking ahead, the second Annual Slidell Jazz and Blues Festival is on Saturday, May 28. The festival will take place from 12 to 10 p.m. in Heritage Park and admission is $10 for ages 12 and up, children 11 and under are free.

The festival will offer a venue to showcase the many talents of our local area jazz and blues talents. Funds generated from the festival will go to support the mission of Notes for Education Northshore. More information can be found by visiting the website at http://www.slidelljazzandblues.com/. ~ Nola.com