At these stops, students attended workshops and performances hosted by the quartet to learn about the art and appreciation of music. In an effort to provide music programmes with the opportunity to experience quality technology, DPA Microphones donated three d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphones to Edmond North High School (ENHS), in Edmond, OK, deemed by the band to be the school in greatest need for an audio solution.
"Next year, we will be kicking off our Strolling Strings programme, the first of its kind at Edmond," said Peter Markes, orchestra director at ENHS. "One of the tricky pieces I have been trying to figure out is the best way to amplify a few students for performance programs. These d:vote mics are a great solution. Thank you, DPA and Break of Reality for this generous gift."
The members of Break of Reality are no strangers to performing for and/or conducting workshops at public schools and wanted to use their good fortune in the industry to afford aspiring musicians with the same opportunities they've encountered. That's when the members decided to launch the Break of Reality Music Education Tour.
With the help of fan donations through a Kickstarter campaign to fund the group's tour expenses, the band members set out on the road with a mission to raise money at each school concert. After the stops, 100 percent of the donations and ticket proceeds were given to the music programs for each school they visited.
"We learned to play our instruments through public school music classes," shares Ivan Trevino, co-founder and percussionist for the group, which has been performing for more than a decade. "If it weren't for those programs, I don't think Break of Reality would exist today."
In addition to the donation, the band also teamed up with DPA to use the d:votes for its performances on the Music Education Tour. At all schools, especially ENHS, the microphones gave the next generation of musicians the chance to gain hands-on experience with some of today's most advanced technology.
"We truly value the importance of music education programmes," said Eric Mayer, president of DPA Microphones, Inc. "By providing the d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphones, we hope the students at Edmond North High School can learn how to properly amplify their instruments and understand the importance of using a high-quality microphone to capture their sound."
(Jim Evans)
