What to do with a broken violin peg, or a leaky euphonium?
For students in the Los Angeles Unified School District, such a predicament doesnt mean catastrophe.
He also happens to be a graduate of the LAUSD and benefitted from the districts music program.
Kris Bowers (L) and Ben Proudfoot at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado.Matthew Carey
I was just curious about this shop, Proudfoot explained about the origins of the project.
The four shared remarkable personal journeys that had led them on circuitous paths to the shop.
Moreno emigrated from Mexico, struggling as a single mom just to feed her two kids.
Kris BowerAlberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
And then you realize hes kind of got the best story of all and is a piano tuner himself.
He came to America speaking virtually no English.
We kept finding four leaf clovers, basically, Proudfoot said.
Proudfoots original vision was to focus on the instrument repairers alone.
But Bowers had another idea.
He was like, You need the kids, Proudfoot remembers.
Everybody loves the kids.
And he is like, No, you need the kids.
And it needs to be about that relationship between them and the instrument.
So it became that some endearing young people bring musical counterpoint toThe Last Repair Shop.
Ismerai Calcaneo shows off her instrument: My school gave me my saxophone…
This is a beauty, she says proudly.
When Im feeling tense or Im feeling sad or angry, the saxophone calms me down.
Amanda Nova, a young pianist, also speaks of mental health challenges common to people her age.
I guess Im, like, scared of failure.
Im scared I wont find a purpose in life.
But once I go on stage, all that tension goes away.
Bowers said he most identified with Nova.
I dont think so, he said, adding, Im going to plead the fifth.
For me, thats why you make a documentary.
Its a spotlight, he said.
Those repair people, theyre invisible.
I think that deserves to be on the front page.
I think they deserve a standing ovation.
