Musical Gifts for Young Patients at Vanderbilt
November 2023: Luke Putney of Instrumental Horizons played the role of Santa’s Helper at Monroe Carrel Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, giving away over 40 musical instruments to patients and Music Therapists during this holiday season. Instrumental Horizons also brought actors Kaila Brooke and Ari Wooten to perform Disney songs to lift the spirits of patients and their families.
Music Education for Students at MIM in Phoenix, AZ
September 2023: This fall, Instrumental Horizons provided music education for 100 school children from under-resourced communities in Phoenix, Arizona, at the Musical Instrument Museum. To honor Instrumental Horizons’ partnership with MIM, Luke Putney was named “Flagbearer” of the Octobasse exhibit, a highlight of the MIM museum and educational programs.
Divinity Roxx Keynote Performance at WO Smith
June 2023: Luke Putney brought Grammy nominated recording artist, Divinity Roxx to W.O. Smith Music School’s Backbeat Camp in Nashville this year. Divinity Roxx, extraordinary bassist, rapper and former music director for Beyonce, was the first musician to be featured in Instrumental Horizons’ Keynote Performance Series at W.O. Smith. This annual event celebrates the life of musician Carter Holland, and honors his longtime friend and producer, Jones Kolbinsky.
Musical Instruments Donated to W.O. Smith
April 2023: Instrumental Horizons regularly donates new and gently-used/renovated musical instruments to the lending library at W.O. Smith Music School to support music education for under-resourced youth in Nashville. This delivery included a 5-piece Pearl drum kit, cymbals, 2 guitars, an electric piano, electric bass, 3 violins, ukulele, conga drum, 2 sets of bongos and various percussion instruments. Thanks to everyone who has donated!
Music Therapy for Patients at Shepherd Center
December 2022: This holiday season, “Santa Luke” Putney of Instrumental Horizons delivered a gift of financial support to share the joy of music therapy with patients at Shepherd Center. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Shepherd Center is one of the nation’s premiere hospitals for catastrophic brain and spinal cord injuries and neurorehabilitation. Pictured here are Instrumental Horizons’ President, Luke Putney with Shepherd Center’s Music Specialist Thomas Miller, Recreation Therapy Manager Kelly Edens CTRS, and Medical Director Dr. Andrew Dennison, M.D.
Instrument Scholarships for Berklee City Music
December 2022: Instrumental Horizons has joined forces with MTD/Michael Tobias Design to provide beautiful musical instruments as scholarships for under-resourced students at Berklee City Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Kyla Wright, one of this year’s recipients, said “I am so grateful for receiving this bass guitar, especially since so many of my biggest inspirations play a MTD.”Arin Canbolat, Asst. Dean at Berklee College of Music said, “Thanks to Michael Tobias at MTD and Luke Putney of Instrumental Horizons...we can help empower outstanding young musicians to pursue their dreams.”
Belmont Chamber Singers at Eastwood Christian Church
November 2022: Luke Putney welcomed Dr. Deen Entsminger and the Belmont University Chamber Singers to Eastwood Christian Church in Nashville, Tennessee for an incredible program of sacred acappella music. This was Instrumental Horizons’ second annual Thanksgiving music celebration honoring the lives of Donald and Beverly Brinckman and Christian Foundation benefactors who generously support our programs.
MusicFest Benefits Youth at W.O.Smith
October 2022: Instrumental Horizons hosted MusicFest 2022,featuring live performances of the Wild Iris Brass Band, The Alex Murphy Jazz Band and musical comedian Brad Covington. During the event, Luke Putney presented a check for $5,000 to Jonah Rabinowitz of the W.O. Smith Music School to support music education for under-resourced youth in Nashville. This musical celebration also successfully raised funds to make a substantial donation to the music budget of Eastwood Christian Church in East Nashville, Tennessee.
Belmont Music Therapy at Johns Hopkins
May 2022: Instrumental Horizons is now sponsoring Music Therapy scholarships to support Belmont University Music Therapy students as they bring the joy—and healing—of music to patients at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. Pictured here are Luke Putney, President of Instrumental Horizons, Kelly Morris, BCMT at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and Hannah Keglovitz, Music Therapy Intern currently working with patients at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. Hannah will be receiving her Music Therapy degree this year from Luke’s alma mater, Belmont University.
Music for Johns Hopkins All Children’s in St.Pete
March 2022: Luke Putney, President of Instrumental Horizons, has teamed up with Kelly Morris, Board Certified Music Therapist at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, to bring more music into their hospital. In March 2022, Instrumental Horizons purchased “Pianomation” player piano technology for the grand piano in the hospital lobby for all patients, families and employees to enjoy. We are already planning our next project with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital to support patients more directly with music therapy. Stay tuned!
New “Musicianary” Partner for Instrumental Horizons
February 2022: Luke Putney is excited to announce a new partnership with Jamie Schmidt, “Musicianary” and Worship Leader with Creative World Missions. Jamie is using music to open doors in conflict zones where traditional outreach is difficult. Through this partnership, Instrumental Horizons is donating musical instruments to help equip local leaders as they gather communities and build organizations to protect marginalized communities from exploitation. Pictured above, the simple gift of a guitar makes a big impact in the hands of Pastor Italino, a local leader in the town of Ticuna, Peru. Pastor Italino serves over 100 indigenous teenagers living near the Amazon river in the Ticuna region.
More Support for W.O Smith Music School
January 2022: Instrumental Horizons is continuing our relationship with W.O. Smith Music School in 2022. We started this year by donating another keyboard, provided by Teddy Shanahan of Deadbeat Studio, for the W.O. Smith instrument lending program. W.O. Smith transforms lives by making quality music instruction available to children from low-income families in Nashville. Instrumental Horizons supports this mission by providing new and gently-used instruments for these deserving students.
Musical Instruments Donated to W.O. Smith
During 2021: Luke Putney delivered nineteen high-quality new and gently used musical instruments to W.O. Smith Music School for their instrument lending and scholarship programs. Instrumental Horizons contributed several keyboards, acoustic and electric guitars, a banjo, woodwinds, brass and percussion instruments, plus a special electric bass donated by Travis Vance, Bandleader/Bassist currently touring with country music recording artist Thomas Rhett!
Belmont Chamber Singers Special Performance
November 2021: To honor the lives of Donald & Beverly Brinckman and Christian Foundation benefactors who have generously supported our programs, Instrumental Horizons sponsored a performance of the Belmont University Chamber Singers for a special Thanksgiving week service at Eastland Christian Church in Nashville. The performance was also streamed live.
W.O.Smith Receives $10,000 at Benefit Concert
May 2021: Instrumental Horizons continued our efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic with an outdoor, socially-distanced live music event and benefit concert. Luke Putney presented a check for $10,000 to the W.O. Smith Music School to support music education for hundreds of students living at or below the poverty level in Nashville.
The audience enjoyed incredible live performances from the Wild Iris Brass Band featuring Jeff Coffin, soulful R&B with The Beth White Band, classic jazz vocals and masterful guitar by Ariana Hume and Ryan Casey, plus acoustic originals from singer- songwriter Billy Stonecipher. Thank you to everyone who donated to W.O. Smith and all of these incredible musicians! Watch the video below.
Marathon Raises $25,000 For
South African Children
February 2020: Determined to triumph over brain tumors, a stroke, blindness and chronic pain, Instrumental Horizons’ Luke Putney not only re-learned to walk; he completed a marathon and created new music, resulting in a $25,000 donation to MusicWorks/South Africa. MusicWorks provides music education and music therapy to 640 children in marginalized communities in Cape Town. Many thanks to everyone who donated! Watch the video here!
Instrumental Horizons’
Musical Mission in Honduras
Luke Putney of Instrumental Horizons was back in action during the summer of 2019, this time for Honduras, by donating a Fender electric guitar and Fender amplifier to Bread for the Bight in Punta Caliente, via the awesome people at Eastwood Christian Church in East Nashville.
Instruments Donated to School Children in Colombia, South America
Instrumental Horizons donated much-needed violins, cellos, trumpets, clarinet and timbales for the school children of Santa Rosa del Sur in Colombia, South America during 2017. Luke Putney, President of Instrumental Horizons, enjoyed a warm welcome from the entire community with a festival honoring him for the donations. The ceremony featured music, dancing and speeches from school officials and the mayor of Santa Rosa del Sur.
Cultural Exchange in Bogota
Instrumental Horizons traveled to Colombia, South America for cultural exchange, music education, and a performance with the faculty and students of Universidad Central in Bogota. Instrumental Horizons' workshops provided opportunities for music students from Universidad Central to develop new skills with irregular time signatures and to learn new repertoire including music composed by Luke Putney, President of Instrumental Horizons. The program concluded with a public performance at Teatro de Bogota, promoted by the US Embassy in Colombia
Music Education in Medellin
Instrumental Horizons also traveled to Medellin in Colombia, South America, to help instruct classes during Colombo Americano’s annual jazz education program. Instrumental Horizons' Luke Putney led improvisation exercises and jazz workshops for music students studying at El Instituto de Bellas Artes en Medellin.
Instruments Donated to From The Heart Foundation, Nashville
Back home in Nashville, Instrumental Horizons donated musical instruments to From The Heart Foundation to support their charitable work and educational efforts. Luke Putney, President of Instrumental Horizons, is pictured here with Trey Byrd, Jewell Winn and Kerry Frazier of From the Heart Foundation during their All Star Summer Band Camp.
Instruction at Blues Camp for Nashville Metro School Students
Each summer, Metro Nashville Public School students can participate in Fernando Jones’ BluesKids Camp, held on the campus of Tennessee State University. Instrumental Horizons supported this effort by offering both group and individual music lessons to students learning to play the electric bass.
Instruments Donated to Children’s at Vanderbilt, Nashville
Instrumental Horizons has donated several musical instruments to the Music Therapy program at Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Music therapists use instruments like keyboards and ukuleles with their patients to achieve measurable results in neuromuscular rehabilitation as well as pain relief for their patients.
Instruments Donated to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Prior to officially forming Instrumental Horizons as a 501C3 Nonprofit Organization, Luke Putney was already busy raising money and donating many musical instruments to organizations and people who would benefit from them. Here, Luke Putney is pictured with music therapists and patients from Egleston Children’s Hospital and Scottish Rite Hospital, both part of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.