‍ ‍Harrison Jeffers is a current music performance student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Beginning the tuba during his time in middle school, a passion for music and serving others began. Harrison has performed in the University of Tennessee’s Wind Ensemble for four years and plans to pursue a career focused in product manufacturing and instrument repair.

‍ Music is a second language for many people, and quality instrument care breaks down barriers many did not know were ever there. As an instrumentalist, I’ve worked tirelessly for consistency across my playing and understand the importance of having gear that functions at a high and equally consistent level. I’ve seen schools riddled with horns in dire need of cleanings, college students who spend their last dollar on expensive instruments, yet the maintenance of these instruments is hardly addressed until they are on their last limb. Maintenance is so much more than solving problems; it’s about preventing them.

I believe cleaning an instrument should be about more than making it look good. An instrument spends countless hours with us. We play it, carry it, put our hands on it, and trust it to perform when it matters. Over time, everything from oils and lubricants to moisture and buildup can find its way into places we don’t always think about. That’s why I don’t believe in rushing the process.

A thorough cleaning gives an instrument the attention it deserves - from the parts you can see to the places you can’t. I take the time to completely disassemble each instrument, clean it’s individual components, and make sure everything is to my standard before putting it back together. I also believe that cleaning should be approachable.

Especially as a college musician, I know that taking care of an instrument can feel like one more expense or responsibility competing for your attention. My goal is to make professional instrument care something musicians can understand, trust, and actually feel good about doing. Good instrument care shouldn’t be intimidating. It should be part of being a musician.