North High adding 40 new instruments worth $57,000 for their music programs

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - A Sioux City high school will receive 40 new instruments to use between their band and orchestra departments

North High was selected as a grant recipient by the “Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.”

The grant is critical for North High as they have had to send old instruments in for repair multiple times this year.

“It’s really unfortunate when we have to have students sit without instruments for a couple of weeks because they are in the repair shop,” said Pat Toben, the North High band director. “Our repair team at Midbell does a fantastic job getting instruments out as fast as they can, but it’ still hard to see our kids sit without those instruments.”

New flutes, clarinets, trumpets, a tuba, a french horn, and an assortment of string instruments will now be accessible to students. Toben is confident this will help break barriers for students wanting to join band.

“Those instruments generally run our students between $800 and $1,000 with our French horns and tubas upwards of $3,600 and $4,000,” said Toben.

One student shared how this grant will impact his musical journey.

“Now that I have a better school instrument it’s way better for me to play and I just think if we have new instruments, it’s not going to get in the way of our skill set or anything,” said Allen Qasim, a sophomore in band.

While these instruments haven’t arrived at the school yet, the students are extremely grateful for the new additions to their program.

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