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This story of lack of funding for an East Brooklyn music program is a common one around the country. The difference is that the Wall Street Journal has picked it up:

It may seem unusual that a middle school doesn't offer musical instruction or support a band during school. Sadly, it's not. Music -- and more broadly the arts -- is something that's often among the first on the chopping block during tough times.

According to the city's Annual Arts in Schools Report, just 35% of responding multi-grade schools offered at least one sequence of music instruction to students in grades six through eight in the 2010-11 school year.

And while some city schools are fortunate enough to be cushioned from budget cuts by affluent parents who raise hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to subsidize their children's educations, many are not.

At I.S. 171, the music program is part of a broad after-school program run by the Cypress Hills Local Development Corp. The music component is run with the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.

If you can contribute, please do:

There are few frills in the drab building housing nearly 900 students in grades six through eight, but the students have had one perk after-school for the past three years: a band. Well, that ended this year, and so members of the two groups that ran the music program launched a "Save the Band!" fundraising campaign on Sept. 21.

Their charge: raising $38,000 in 38 days. So far they've raised about $5,500 online, out of a target of $15,000.

And just today, Wynton Marsalis has committed $10,000, and Patty Smith, $5,000!

You can watch a video and local story here.

Please help (if you can).

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