Each afternoon, they come from schools across Arlington ISD to the Center for Visual and Performing Arts. They walk in, pick up an instrument and rip it apart.
It’s a musical instrument repair class, kind of like a body shop for brass horns. The students learn how to work on, fine tune and repair the tools that make music.
"I never realized it would be like a whole career," said Aidan Jackson, a student in the program.
Jackson plays the flute and thought knowing the mechanics of how his instrument works might help him play better.
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"I have a better understanding of the instruments I have worked on before," Jackson said.
The students are learning all the ins and outs of repair, and many of them don’t play instruments but are chasing this as a very lucrative in-demand career choice.
"We don’t have as many people coming up to take those spots and that’s why a program like this became so valuable," said Joseph Strohl, teacher. "You have to have a really keen mind of how things work and what’s the problem."
Learning how to put just enough heat to break bonds, but not soo much to burn the brass.
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"I like how tedious it is, I like fixing things using my hands," said Andreah Moreano, a student who plays three instruments and plans to major in music.
While she’s working to compose and produce the next great piece, instrument repair can help her pay for school and keep the bills paid.
The instruments are all end-of-life, donated to the program and help to put interest in a field of study that’s not as popular as it once was. It's perfect for students who like challenges, solving problems, and working with their hands to help their careers and goals in a symphony of sounds just as rewarding as a real-life orchestra.
