When the kids in band at Taos High School got to open up boxes and boxes of new instruments a week after returning from winter break, it was like a second Christmas, albeit louder.
The instruments were bought with about $50,000, the first significant influx of resources to the musical program, which usually seems to play second fiddle to the flashier sports programs.
“I’m so glad we got new instruments. It’s been so long,” said Marcelino Tafoya, a student in band.
The new instruments came in all shapes, sizes and types, from the humble, flute-like piccolo to the sousaphone, or marching tuba, that can blast a sound big enough for a Friday night football game. The students also got a concert tuba, two trombones, two trumpets and “a whole new drum line — that’s 13 instruments right there,” said Ryan Allais, the high school band and choir director.
“It was a lot of the big instruments,” said Allais.
Allais graduated from Taos High School in 2006, but came back four years ago as the band and choir instructor — when band only had six students. Since that time, he’s been working on growing the high school’s music programs.
Band, which plays concerts in the winter and provides the soundtrack to football and basketball games the rest of the year, now boasts 60 students.
“It’s still a building program,” said Allais.
