Musical Instruments for needy Shoreline kids

David Endicott collecting instruments
at a previous Arts Festival
Photo by Jerry Pickard

You can bring that “lovingly used” violin, flute or other musical instrument to this weekend’s Shoreline Arts Festival and put it back into play through Music4Life.

Instrument donations will be accepted by representatives of Music4Life™ who will be at the south entrance of the Shoreline Center on Saturday and Sunday.

Music4Life provides musical instruments to participating schools for students in need. 

The Seattle-based non-profit acquires instruments from adults who no longer need them, gets them repaired (if possible) and then provides them to participating public school districts for use by students in need. 

Besides Shoreline Public Schools, Music4Life also operates programs supporting Edmonds, Everett, Highline, Mukilteo and Seattle Public Schools. The program acquires used instruments from those who understand that their highest and best use is to put them back into play.

Music4Life also accepts donations to help pay for instrument repairs.

“This Music4Life partnership with the Shoreline Arts Festival is a tremendous opportunity to connect with the musicians and the arts audience attending the festival,” says David Endicott, Music4Life Co-Founder and President/COO. 

“Festival organizers invited us to be at the event and we eagerly agreed.”

Music4Life enjoys the support of notable music advocates and other community leaders.

Gerard Schwarz, world-renowned conductor laureate of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, has endorsed the program, saying, “This wonderful program begins with children in elementary school at a time when, if they’re interested and talented in any way, they have the greatest chance of success. 

"Many people tell me of the impact that direct knowledge of instrumental music has had on their lives. We intend to give this advantage to all our children.”

Music4Life™ is supported in part by grants from the Hazel Miller Foundation, First Choice Health; 4Culture (the former Seattle-King County Arts Commission); the Knossos Foundation; various local Rotary, Lions and Kiwanis clubs; the Highline Schools Foundation; as well as by the law firm of Garvey Schubert Barer; Seattle Symphony Orchestra; the Folklife Festival; Rafael Carrabba Violins; Seattle Music Partners; the Newspapers in Education Program of The Seattle Times; Lamar Advertising; Encore Media Group; GMA Research; Cascade Symphony Orchestra; Randy Oxford Entertainment; the Edmonds Center for the Arts; Kennelly Keys Music stores; Hammond Ashley Violins in Issaquah; Donn Bennett Drums; Emerald City Guitars; Ted Brown Music; Bischofberger Violins; Olsen Violins; InMove and others.

For more information or to donate an instrument to Music4Life, contact info@Music4Lfe.org , call 206-409-3275 or go to the website. Instrument donation forms are available online, as well as at designated instrument drop-off sites.