An upright bass has a new home with the Traverse City West Junior High orchestra, thanks to members of a local banjo band.
Members of Happy Time Banjos were looking for a way to support local music programs when they heard about the Traverse City Music Boosters used instrument sale.
"We keep a little money in the kitty and like to give it to something musical and we wanted to keep it local,” said Dorothy Lint, clarinet player for the band that also includes eight banjos, a tuba, piano, miriembula and washboard.
"We decided to go to the sale and possibly donate to the Booster group, but they said 'We have this great bass here, maybe you could consider purchasing it and donating it to the school,' and that is what we did,” said Lint, who along with other Happy Time members, presented the instrument to orchestra teacher Cathy Sivits on Monday. The group also provided a new case and bow.
"We are thrilled to be able to have this bass for our students to use,” said Sivits, who noted that the half size instrument in great for beginning bass students.
Booster member and used instrument sale chairman, Jeremy Treadwell, knew that the Kay bass, built in the 1950s, would be a great addition to the school's orchestra when he saw it prior to the used instrument sale last month.
"It stood out as one of the more remarkable instruments in the sale,” said Treadwell, noting that the school usually furnishes the cumbersome instrument and therefore must limit the number of musicians according to the available instruments.
"This is just a bass by grace,” said Treadwell, acknowledging the Walker family who brought the bass, along with 10 other instruments, to the booster sale.
Clary Walker, who inherited a collection of instruments from his father Charles Walker, was pleased that the bass will be used by student musicians.
"If my father was here, he would be loving this. He was a music lover and a very generous man,” Walker said.