Watch this Now! The Last Repair Shop
Every once in a while we need a reminder (at least I do) of why we went into music education. It’s a tough gig and we don’t always see the bigger picture when we are focused on the finer details of music making - especially with ensembles and concerts. Between administration, parents, colleagues and the students themselves, it can be easily become overwhelming, and it might even block out our original reason for why we went into the profession in the first place. Every once in a while, a reminder comes along and feeds our musician and educator souls. This past weekend at the Academy Awards ceremony, one of those reminders appeared - a 12-year-old young lady named Porsche Brinker walked up on to the stage to receive an Oscar, along with two gentlemen, Ben Proudfoot (filmmaker) and Kris Bowers (composer) for Best Documentary Short. It was for a movie titled The Last Repair Shop. I will admit that I hadn’t heard of the film before they were announced, but after the incredible speech that was delivered by the film’s composer, Kris Bowers, I went looking to see where I could watch it. Here is his inspiring speech:
First thing yesterday morning I went searching for the full-length film and I found it right on YouTube through the LA Times YouTube channel. Watch it now. It is a vivid reminder of the power of music and perhaps more importantly, the incredible work that is done by community members to ensure that ALL students have access to a high quality music education, and more to the point, a musical instrument to call their own. The Last Repair Shop focuses on the music program at LAUSD - Los Angeles Unified School District - and the downtown warehouse that houses a musical instrument repair shop that is staffed by a handful of craftspeople . That small group of people maintain around 80,000 musical instruments - at no cost to the students who play them. The film focuses on four of those craftspeople who specialize in stringed instruments. Interspersed between those interviews are interviews with the students themselves - and their words are incredibly powerful and a clear reminder of how important music is in the lives of young people. We often forget just how important we are to these students. For many, the music program gives them a reason to come to school and even a reason to get up in the morning. At the end of the film there is a performance by district alumni that will tug at your heart strings.
Perhaps the best of the Oscars for me was Kris Bowers acceptance speech. Here is my favorite part of his speech:
Wow. Thank you so much to the Academy. This is incredible. Thank you. The Last Repair Ship is about the heroes in our schools who often go unsung, unthanked, and unseen. Tonight, you are sung, you are thanked, and you are seen. Thank you all so much for what you do. John Williams inspired me to become a composer. He went to L.A. public schools. I went to L.A. public schools. This is Porsche Brinker, she’s 12 years old. She’s learning to play violin in our schools. She looks amazing tonight. LA is one of the last cities in America to give public school students free and freely repaired musical instruments. We need to fix that because music education isn’t just about creating incredible musicians. It’s about creating incredible humans
The short film is just under 40 minutes long and is perfect for showing to your students, parents, administrators, colleagues, friends and family. Music teachers are a vital part of our education system and the students need us now more than ever. Send this film to everyone you know so that they can get an understanding of the importance of your work and the importance of communities supporting music and the arts in our schools.