That's when VH1 and Comcast wrapped up their four-year pledge to donate $350,000 worth of new instruments to eight of Oakland's public schools, including Calvin Simmons, Edna Brewer, Havenscourt middle schools and Hawthorne, Jefferson, Markham, and Webster elementary schools.

All of these schools received new band instruments except Brewer which received string instruments.

"For probably two-thirds of the students at Calvin Simmons this is their first time playing an instrument," said David Tidball, music teacher for Calvin Simmons, Jefferson and Peralta elementary schools.

Music goes a long way in improving students self-esteem, and the school takes pride in having a band too, Tidball said.

"Music may give (students) an opportunity to excel in school," he said.

The class is open to only sixth-grade students this year, as there are not enough instruments for every class.

In previous years at Jefferson, Tidball received as many as 150 applications to join the band, and there was only room for 50 students. To address that problem the band is open to only fifth-grade students this year while fourth-graders learn the song flute.

Philip Rydeen, music program director for the Oakland school district has applied for several grants from VH1 and Comcast over the years, he said. Then one day the program director at VH1 called Rydeen and asked, "What if we donated instruments to all the schools that need them?"

"I was shocked, to say the least," Rydeen said. "But we went to work on that."

This holiday season the sixth-graders at Calvin Simmons performed eight songs in their first concerts -- one for their peers and one for parents.

"They felt so proud to be in a school band," Tidball said.