Estill County band students celebrate music education with donations and a performance

IRVINE, Ky. (FOX 56) — Band students at Estill County Middle School not only had the chance for a homegrown bluegrass music show Friday but also accepted donations crucial for the music program.

Arthur Hancock and Chris Shouse are part of the bluegrass group Arther & Shouse. The two came to perform at Estill County Middle School, even performing classics like My Old Kentucky
Home.

“The kids usually clap. Sometimes in time, sometimes out of time, but it’s always fun,” Hancock said.

Hancock is also a Can’d Aid tunes ambassador. Can’d Aid is a national nonprofit based in Colorado that provides tools and access for healthy, active, and creative lives. Through the program, schools in need are identified to receive a grant where the music educator can choose what’s needed for their program. In addition, the kids also enjoyed the homegrown bluegrass performance.

“It’s always a fun time. The kids always really enjoy it, and we’re exposing them to some music they may not have heard before,” Hancock said.

Both Arthur Hancock and Chris Shouse answered questions the students had, ranging from topics like what it takes to go big in the music industry to personal inspirations.

“Your goal may be to play a song, so how long does it take to learn how to play? Well, I could probably teach you a song in a couple of lessons,” Shouse said.

Teagan Crawford and Kayla Goosey are both 8^th graders and band students. Crawford plays the tuba, while Goosey is a percussionist. Both agree that these donations are huge assets to their education.

“It’s been a very long time since we’ve had such nice instruments and such new instruments. It’s very generous of them to give us new stuff,” Crawford said.

“It’s amazing. We got so many new mallets. I’m so excited for the mallets, and there’s so much other cool stuff. It’s just amazing to be part of all this,” Goosey added.

Estill County Middle School music teacher Mark Lamb said any support for arts education is always appreciated, and it makes a huge difference in the lives of his students.

“These instruments are instruments that we wouldn’t have been able to get otherwise. The fact that we’re getting what we have is really exciting to me,” Mark Lamb said.

The donations included acoustic guitars, a suspended cymbal, percussion mallets, and a bass clarinet, which students were very excited to see.