Project FREE Marimba

Friends, family, and lovers of the performing arts worldwide,

Before you read any further, I invite you all to watch the short video clip above, if you haven't already. It will introduce you to The FREE Players, a Drum and Bugle Corps based in Old Bethpage, NY. After that, if you'd like to read the shortened version of this post, go ahead and scroll down to the last paragraph. 

For those of you who'd like the full version, allow me to introduce myself. 

My name is Philip Cataldo, and I'm a prospective Eagle Scout from Troop 11, Billerica, Massachusetts. I'm the leader of Project FREE Marimba, an Eagle Project that is perhaps the first of its kind. My goal, as the name indicates, is to build a marimba and donate it to the FREE Players.

FREE of Charge! 

Now, you may be wondering what's so special about this instrument, and why I'm bothering to build one.  Well for one, the marimba made me fall in love with music. Playing this beautiful instrument is one of the many gifts that has motivated me to devote my life to playing and teaching music. My discovery of the FREE Players has had a huge role in that, too. One day, these two thoughts collided, and thus Project FREE Marimba was born. I want to give the performers you see above the opportunity to play, in my extremely biased opinion, the coolest instrument in the world.  But there's a practical aspect here too. Having played in my high school marching band and percussion ensemble for three years, I know how difficult it can be to gather the equipment necessary to run a successful program. This is especially so for marimbas, seeing as a commercially manufactured version of the instrument I intend to build can cost upwards of $15,000. And no, I didn't add an extra zero by mistake. So what's my plan? I asked myself this exact same question when I first came up with the idea. At first glance, it's certainly a daunting task. But I've got the best in the business on my side.  To cover the precise woodworking skills needed for the project, I've recruited a local finish carpenter who has graciously offered up his time and personal workshop, which is equipped with every tool I could possibly need. In terms of the musical knowledge that will be required to construct a professional-sounding instrument, I've been studying the extensive guide on this very topic, written by a man named Jim McCarthy. Mr. McCarthy is a professional musician and expert on the "anatomy" of a marimba, if you will. Mr. McCarthy's program, aptly named "MakeAMarimba" has fostered the successful creation of many a homemade marimba. In addition, he has, on several occasions, taken the time to personally address my questions and concerns about the project, and has offered to do so at any point I may need assistance.  The thing is, I turn 18 in November of 2018. If you're familiar with scouting, you'll know that means I'll age out, and will no longer be elligible for Eagle Scout. Is it ambitious to try to fundraise and complete the entire project in one summer? Yes, yes it is. But I intend to do everything in my power, and spend every free moment of that summer, to make it happen, and I'm confident that it will. Rest assured that whether I can get the award or not, the FREE Players will get their marimba. 

Every cent that you donate will be put towards Project FREE Marimba or, in the event that there are funds leftover, donated directly to the FREE Players. Here's a quick breakdown of how your donations will be used:

Lumber for the Bars (Honduras Rosewood): $1200

Frame Materials: $800

Aesthetic Supplies for the Finishing Touches: $200

Travel Expenses:$350 

Miscellaneous Expenses: $450

Please note that I must also account for potentially unforseen expenses. I've done my research to come up with the estimates above, but they are certainly not set in stone. 

So now, for the folks that understandably didn't want to read that whole tangent, here's the long story short. My name is Philip Cataldo, I'm a Boy Scout and musician, and I'm looking to combine my passion for music with my love for community service by building a marimba for the FREE Players. It's my sincere hope that we, as a community, can give the performers you saw in the video the opportunity to play this incredibly beautiful, yet painfully expensive, instrument without costing them a single dime. 

Thank you all so much for reading!

Sincerely, 

Philip Cataldo