A retired band teacher is sending musical instruments to Mexico and helping students there discover the joy of music.
Barry Valleau, who taught band at Deer Meadow School in Olds, Westglen School in Didsbury and Hugh Sutherland School in Carstairs, regularly travels to Puerto Vallarta for vacation in the winter.
In 2011, when booking his flight for the trip, a WestJet representative introduced him to the company's humanitarian aid program, which allows a person to transport an extra bag of humanitarian supplies for free.
Valleau decided to see if he could use the program to help expose children in Puerto Vallarta to music.
He contacted a local newspaper in Puerto Vallarta that year to see how he could help out the community. After contacting the newspaper, he was put in touch with a community learning centre project representative who heard about Valleau's interest in music and donating instruments to local children's bands. Upon meeting a staff member with the community centre, Valleau agreed to give instruments to the young musicians.
In 2012, while the conductor of the Puerto Vallarta Youth Orchestra had already secured help to assist him when Valleau arrived, there was nobody to play in the horn section, so Valleau joined the youngsters for some concerts.
"I played trumpet in a youth orchestra, which was a little weird Ö but they needed trumpet. I can't compare it to the Calgary Philharmonic or the Edmonton Wind Sinfonia, but it's the best orchestra Puerto Vallarta has, the senior group Puerto Vallerta Chamber Orchestra, and they only had one trumpet, so Ö at least with me (there), they had two,î he said.
With the leading and teaching of the orchestra well in hand, Valleau will be bringing as many instruments and as much sheet music as possible with him this November to Puerto Vallarta. Valleau said his former colleagues in Chinook's Edge School Division have been generous in donating instruments. When Valleau attended the 2012 Alberta Music Conference in Red Deer, he also put out the word about the project.
"Our major role in all this is gathering it up and transporting it down and getting it delivered (with the help of WestJet's humanitarian aid program). We nearly have enough (instruments) for this coming November, and we're hoping this article will fill us up there and maybe get us filled up for the next couple or three years,î he said.
Valleau said the highlight for him has been taking four trumpets with him in 2011 ñ one of them being a silver trumpet from Didsbury High School. Since there are few playgrounds in the city, this also gives the students a positive outlet.
"The majority of the old clunkers kickin' around are brass, and this is a silver one and I got to hold it in my arms. The case, it was unclasped, and I got the young boy Ö to lift the lid, and the interpreter said, ëThis is for you' Ö and it was the most amazing feeling you could imagine. He had been playing, but (previously) he had to borrow every time he wanted to play,î he said.
Valleau suggested that anyone who may have an old instrument they wish to donate should contact the local school.
