Two New Brunswick schools will receive grants from the MusiCounts Band-Aid Program.

They are donating $825,000 to 73 schools across the country to purchase new musical instruments and equipment.

Hampton High School and Blacks Harbour Elementary School are two of the lucky recipients.

Blacks Harbour Elementary will be using its MusiCounts grant to purchase a full set of ukuleles and barred instruments.

The MusiCounts Band-Aid Program aims to support the most in-need young people and provide them access to the benefits of music education.

Nearly half of the 2023 recipient schools are building new music programs with MusiCounts’ support.

In some cases, they are trying new and dynamic approaches to music education to meet student needs, and in others, they are building a formal music program for the very first time.

Since 1997, the program has invested nearly $13 million to support over 1,300 music programs.

MusiCounts adds critical underfunding has left school music programs across the country in a state of disrepair; music educators are not supported with the resources to keep up with the cost of running quality, consistent programming.