Katie Hauser is a band teacher, not a matchmaker. But when she opened the trumpet case and saw a shiny horn nestled inside, she knew just which aspiring musician would be perfect for it.
"This student has been using a school-owned instrument that was at the bottom of the pile, really past its usable life," said Hauser, who teaches music at Roseville Area Middle School. "This one will be way better."
Hauser received two refurbished trumpets — along with a used cornet, saxophone and baritone sax — from Vega Productions. The Minnesota nonprofit gets donated and, often, refurbished musical instruments into the hands of public school students whose families can't otherwise afford them.
"Playing an instrument is an expensive endeavor," said Caitlin Marlotte, Vega Production's executive director. "A lot of families have a tough time finding $20 to $40 a month in their budget for rental fees.
"We hate the idea that students can't access music because they can't hurdle that cost barrier."
In addition to raising money from donors and seeking grants from foundations to purchase new instruments, Vega Productions rounds up scores of used ones that have been collecting cobwebs in a closet or attic for years — even generations.
That's because solidly crafted musical instruments can, in fact, enjoy an almost unlimited life span. With expert attention, Grandma's French horn or dad's trombone can often be returned to its original sonic glory.
But the cost of repairs and even tuneups for worn, damaged or long-neglected instruments also can be prohibitively expensive. Vega has solved that challenge, too, by forging a new partnership to bring instruments up to standards for school music programs.