DPA Microphones & Break of Reality Partner To Support Music Education Programs

DPA Microphones recently joined cello-rock group Break of Reality as advocates for the importance of music education in schools.

In conjunction with its tour schedule supporting its latest album, “TEN,” the group hosted a month-long Music Education Tour, making its way to at 10 school districts across the U.S. At these stops, students attended workshops and performances hosted by the quartet to learn about the art and appreciation of music.

In an effort to provide music programs with the opportunity to experience quality technology, DPA Microphones donated three d:vote 4099 instrument microphones to Edmond North High School (ENHS), in Edmond, OK, deemed by the band to be the school in greatest need for an audio solution.

“Next year, we will be kicking off our Strolling Strings program, the first of its kind at Edmond,” said Peter Markes, orchestra director at ENHS. “One of the tricky pieces I have been trying to figure out is the best way to amplify a few students for performance programs. These d:vote mics are a great solution. Thank you, DPA and Break of Reality for this generous gift.”

The members of Break of Reality are no strangers to performing for and/or conducting workshops at public schools and wanted to use their good fortune in the industry to afford aspiring musicians with the same opportunities they’ve encountered. That’s when the members decided to launch the Break of Reality Music Education Tour.

With the help of fan donations through a Kickstarter campaign to fund the group’s tour expenses, the band members set out on the road with a mission to raise money at each school concert. After the stops, 100 percent of the donations and ticket proceeds were given to the music programs for each school they visited.

“We learned to play our instruments through public school music classes,” says Ivan Trevino, co-founder and percussionist for the group, which has been performing for more than a decade. “If it weren’t for those programs, I don’t think Break of Reality would exist today.”

In addition to the donation, the band also teamed up with DPA to use the d:votes for its performances on the Music Education Tour. At all schools, especially ENHS, the microphones gave the next generation of musicians the chance to gain hands-on experience with some of today’s most advanced technology.

“We truly value the importance of music education programs,” states Eric Mayer, president of DPA Microphones. “By providing the d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphones, we hope the students at Edmond North High School can learn how to properly amplify their instruments and understand the importance of using a high-quality microphone to capture their sound.”

The d:vote 4099 Instrument mics were chosen for the school on recommendation from the quartet, which previously selected the d:vote 4099s after experimenting with a series of audio setups, including both pickups and microphones, that continuously fell short of finding an ideal audio solution.

In addition, the d:vote 4099 is designed for touring, so it can easily be unclipped and repositioned on the instrument, without any cable ties or other obstructions. This creates an effortless solution for both groups. The accurate natural sound, balanced EQs and functionality of the microphone will come in handy for Break of Reality and Strolling Strings tours.

“The students started using them in our orchestra room, just experimenting, the first day we received them,” continues Markes. “What I like most thus far is their ease of use. While we haven’t had a chance yet to use them in a public venue, we’re already practicing with them in our orchestra room and we’ve found that they are basically plug-and-play to the setup that we have in place. I look forward to using them in different halls as we kick off our Strolling Strings program.”

DPA Microphones

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *