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Playing their part
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Dan Foersburg showed his ease on his new machine, sharing oboe, tuba, and piccolo sounds, and playing jazzy songs by request.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Frank Ohl music students will have the opportunity to learn in style on this new piano purchased by the school's PTA.
By SARAH FOOR
There may be a young Mozart or Beethoven in the halls of Frank Ohl Intermediate, who recently found a new investment in their future being wheeled into the choir room.
The Frank Ohl PTA replaced four obsolete acoustic pianos with a new $6,000 digital piano. The funds that bought the piano have come from years of careful PTA planning and fundraising.
Catalog sales have raised the most funds for the PTA parents, but a gift of $800 from Austintown’s united PTAs has helped Frank Ohl tremendously.
“The digital piano purchased from Solich Music was a dream come true for our music teacher, Mr. Dale Forsburg, and generations of Frank Ohl students,” said PTA parent Kim Svabik. “This one machine replaces two barely-working pianos and offers students more opportunity to learn their parts, burn sections of music and it even creates a whole orchestra effect with one device.”
Forsburg agreed wholeheartedly. “This machine makes music come alive for the kids. Every day they come in, they gather around the piano and are so excited to start the day,” he said. “I’m getting ready to retire in a few years, and even I can’t fight the excitement and renewed energy that this purchase has brought us.”
The PTA has done more for Frank Ohl than just give them the gift of music. They are involved in the district-wide Reflections program, which supports the arts in Austintown schools, and they also host assemblies and dances and provide funds for worthy classroom activities.
The PTA hopes to invest in the Frank Ohl music program even further, and are calling their fundraising efforts “Play Your Part — Support the Sounds of Music.” After paying for the piano in full, the PTA will be fundraising this year through its newsletters, and at school and community events. To make a donation to the Frank Ohl music program, contact Frank Ohl PTA president Karen Fritz at ptadiva@yahoo.com.
A concert showing off the new piano is being planned for sometime this school year.
“It’s wonderful to know the PTA truly cares for us, and what they can do when they set their mind to a cause.”