high school band

 The NAMM Foundation announced today the availability of grants from its Wanna Play Fund for instruments, awarded to schools that are expanding or reinstating music education programs as part of their core curriculum and that employ quality music teachers.

Interested schools must meet the following criteria to apply for the grants:

Don Banks was a band director who felt he could have more of an impact on music makers by providing them with quality instruments. In 1967 he opened Don Banks Music in Tampa, Florida to serve the local school bands. Over the years he expanded the store to include a full line of product offerings and repair service for all musicians. Don’s son, Mitchel, joined the company right out of school as did Don’s grandson.

Mitchel Banks has been working in the music store his father established as far back as he can remember. After serving as a band director, Don Banks formed his retail store in Tampa in 1967. Mitchel worked side by side with his father and took an active role in band instrument repair as well as using the ever-changing technology, such as the Internet, to benefit the business. Mitchel is also active in industry groups such as NAPBIRT, NAMM, NASMD and RPMDA.

Jack Bullock has always enjoyed bringing music to young players. His long and well-respected career as a composer of works for bands and his method book have helped establish him as one of the leading writers for the music publishing industry. Working with Columbia and Frank Hackinson in the early days he developed over his career nearly 700 publications. The Columbia catalog was owned by Warner Brothers and later bought by Alfred, which continues to publish his material.

Harold Burt was just about 3 years old when a musician from a traveling circus came to his North Carolina town and sold his parents a clarinet for young Harold. His life has been filled with music ever since. In 1950, he established the first high school band in Cary, NC and he served as the program’s first musical director. In fact, Harold formed ten such bands before opening his own store, Burt’s Music. In 2000, the city of Cary honored Mr. Burt by asking him to be the grand marshall for the city’s annual parade.

Craig Cornwall’s father was one of the three founders of Kendor Music Inc, a music publisher located in Delevan, New York. The trio worked together to publish band music for school programs beginning in 1953. They worked on building the catalog, starting with a focus on jazz for school programs. That series has developed into one of the company’s leading product lines and has allowed the small publisher to increase their catalog with school music and methods. Since his involvement, Craig has expanded the catalog as well as global partnerships for Kendor, covering Europe and Asia while maintaining strong relations with music dealers in America. 

David Ellis was greatly influenced by his father, Richard Ellis, the band director and music store founder. Growing up in the business, David developed a strong passion for music both as a retailer and as a player. In fact, the only two years David did not work for Ellis Music was when he was on the road as a professional trumpeter making music. David works alongside his two sisters in the store, which is located in Bethel, Vermont. 

Richard Ellis is proud of the three main areas of his professional career, playing, teaching and selling music instruments. As a teenager Richard traveled with a big band, playing dances during the Swing Era. He later taught music at several levels as well as directing the local community band. As a musical retailer, Richard began in 1946 working out of his home before building Ellis Music in Bethel, Vermont, which today is run by three of his four children –another fact for which he is proud.
 

Gene Garb is the Vice President of NEMC, joining the company only a few years after it was established in the 1950s. NEMC is a school oriented music wholesaler located in Mountainside, New Jersey. The company’s focus has been to work closely with schools to create rental programs that best support the students as well as the school. Along the way NEMC has established programs to help dealers ensure the highest level of success, especially during the non-peak school rental seasons. Gene was interviewed alongside NEMC founder Ray Benedetto.