Shelby marching band’s EFF gigs have netted $20,000

The Shelby High School Marching Band is set to perform again during the Electric Forest Festival, June 28. Shelby Director of Bands Curt Isakson, at left, said the band’s appearances through Electric Forest’s Music In Schools program has yielded $20,000 for the band program so far.

ROTHBURY — The Shelby High School Marching Band will once again perform at the Electric Forest Festival this year, and its performances over the years have yielded a total of $20,000 for the school’s band program.

Approximately 40 high school students and 10 alumni will march through the festival grounds Saturday, June 28, at approximately 4 p.m. (The time may vary 30 minutes either way.)

“Madison House (Presents) will once again support us through their Music in Schools initiative,” said Shelby Director of Bands Curt Isakson.

The band will perform funky classics, “Tear the Roof Off The Sucker” and “Play That Funky Music”, along with Katy Perry’s pop rock megahit, “Firework.”

Electric Forest’s Music In Schools program works each year to help keep music part of the

curriculum in Michigan public schools. By donating money to schools in need, EFF is bridging the gap between diminishing school budgets and music program resource needs.

Electric Forest Festival 2013 donated $5,000 to Shelby High School to assist the music program by building a piano lab. The Shelby High Marching Band’s performance provided the young musicians with an exciting opportunity to be part of the festival.

“It’s a great joy for us support music programs in public schools,” Electric Forest Producer

Jeremy Stein explained. “It’s a dream of ours to some day see some of the students perform on one of the festival’s main stages.”

“Electric Forest’s Music in Schools Program has added so much value to our school music programs here,” Isakson said. “The opportunity for our students to perform at Electric Forest is incredible in so many ways, and the festival’s support allows us to invest in instruments and equipment that we could not otherwise provide our students. Music is universal, and the opportunity for the students to benefit from such a program is greatly appreciated by me, the students, and this community.”

“We are extremely grateful for the community relationships that have grown since the festival started, and look forward to continuing to expand our philanthropic and community endeavors in years to come,” said Stein.