Giving Thanks to the San Diego Music Foundation

From the appreciative letters that San Diego elementary school students have sent to the San Diego Music Foundation:

“Dear Mrs. Taylor, Thank you for the beautiful guitars that you gifted us. We are very greatful. This won’t be in vain. You will be proud of us.”

“Thank you San Diego Music Foundation for the Taylor guitars they sound beautiful. And you guys sent the guitars with there cases. This guiters are useful for Baker Elementary School. My teacher loves the guiters.... Thank you again this guiter sounds great and while the class were writing they’re letters Mr. Champion was play one of the guiter. This guitars are great. I pretty much love guitars. What I love best about music is they’re sound. Thank you again. Love, Lisette.”

San Diego Music Foundation was created in 1991 “to enrich San Diego’s diverse and creative music community through music education for youth, professional development for current and emerging industry professionals, live performances for the San Diego public, and recognition for San Diego artists of exceptional merit or service.”

In 2000 SDMF developed the Taylor Guitars for Schools program “to introduce the guitar to public elementary school music curricula in San Diego County, both as a way to augment existing programs and to offset the loss of arts instruction due to budget cuts.”

By 2008, over 1300 of the instruments had been distributed to over 57 San Diego–area schools. While Taylor supplies the instruments, the balance of the funding for Guitars for Schools is gleaned from donations and from benefits, such as the party SDMF is hosting at the Casbah on January 26. Per the organizers, it’s also a celebration of the club’s 23rd anniversary, featuring Nico Vega, Deap Vally, and the Filthy Violets.