Progressive Music Blog

9/11 Never Forgotten

2011-09-11T14:47:00.001-04:00

Some Progressive Music History

2011-08-24T10:31:00.003-04:00

Here are some video clips that are included in the NAMM Oral History Program of members of the music products industry who have a connection to Progressive Music.

Helen Tozzi – first Progressive Music employee – she still lives in McKeesport today - http://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/helen-tozzi

Ed Garbett – a Progressive Music original owner - http://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/ed-garbett

Bill Schultz – worked at Progressive Music as a band instrument repairman – went on to be president of Fender – - http://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/william-schultz

DCI - Blue Devils

2011-08-15T21:56:00.001-04:00

Take a listen to this short excerpt from The Blue Devils warming up for their show this year - listen to how tight that brass is!

Former Yankee Advocates for Music Education

2011-07-26T19:43:00.003-04:00

Former New York Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams has become one of the music industry's newest advocates for the power of music education. Williams joined NAMM and Progressive Music on Capitol Hill in May advocating for music education. This interview with ABC News' TopLine shows Williams talking about his two passion - music and baseball.

Williams recently joined the industry last week at the Summer NAMM trade show. Williams has two CD's out, has been nominated for a Latin Grammy award and has a new book out. Williams is the perfect example of how athletics and music can co-exist and how athletics and music can be beneficial to all of us.

Notre Dame Marching Band in a Music VIdeo

2011-06-01T08:56:00.001-04:00

Lobbying For Music Education

2011-05-20T15:15:00.002-04:00

Last week, Progressive Music joined with other members of the music products industry for a week in Washington, DC to lobby for music education - specifically for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Act (referred to as No Child Left Behind.) The effort was designed to keep music as a solid part of a well-rounded education for all children. Industry members were also asking that any reauthorization would allow states greater flexibility in how schools are designated as not meeting AYP (adequate Yearly Progress.) Music, the arts and other "non-tested" subjects are vital to a well rounded education and should be an important part of any student's day - if that subject is tested or not.

More information on the visit is available here - http://www.namm.org/news/press-releases/namm-members-storm-capitol-hill-battle-counterfeit

What Are We Teaching and How?

2011-05-03T12:50:00.003-04:00

Here's a video called Changing Education Paradigms with Sir Ken Robinson as the speaker. This is worth the ten minutes to watch if you have an interest at all about education and how it works! Has education become to much of an assembly line? Watch this for some great perspective...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zDZFcDGpL4U#at=689

Top 10 Reasons To Love Your Local Music Store!

2011-04-20T09:43:00.000-04:00

Top 10 Reasons to Love (and Visit!) Your Local Music Store During National Music Store Weekend

In advance of the fifth annual National Wanna Play Music Week (May 2-8, 2011), the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) offers 10 reasons why everyone should love (and visit!) their local music store.

National Wanna Play Music Week is May 2-8, 2011

As so many musical dreams start in the most humble of places, NAMM will wrap up National Wanna Play Music Week by honoring the hub of all things musical—the local community music store.

A recent nationwide Gallup poll found that 85 percent of Americans who don’t currently play a musical instrument wish that they did. Additional studies have shown that playing a musical instrument positively impacts children’s cognitive skills, in addition to building confidence, self-discipline, and helping kids and teens connect socially with their peers. One’s life-long musical journey begins at home and is nurtured at the local music store. In advance of the fifth annual National Wanna Play Music Week (May 2-8, 2011), the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) offers the following reasons why everyone should love (and visit!) their local music store:

10. A music store is knowledgeable. Whether you’ve been playing music for years or are a new player who recently took NAMM’s “Pledge to Play,” your local music store has expert staff on hand to help and talk all things music. From advising on how to choose your first instrument to finding any accessory you need to keep on playing, your local music store can provide valuable guidance and resources.

9. A music store is in your neighborhood. Your local music store can get you on the path to playing music, and most are closer than you think. Visit http://www.wannaplaymusic.com to locate the nearest music retailer. You’ll be surprised to find that there might be more than one just around the corner!

8. A music store is a community center. Not only are local music stores an inspiring space for aspiring music makers, they are also a good place to find out about local music events and concerts, performance opportunities and to talk to other people with musical interests like you.

7. A music store is reliable. Local music stores want to make sure you are happy with your purchase and equipped in the best way possible to play the music you desire. That means they will help you select the best new or used instrument and accessories for your needs. When purchased at your local music store, any and all used instruments typically undergo a rigorous disinfecting process, so you can rest assured that your musical instrument is clean, safe, and will play as good as new.

6. A music store is resourceful. Whether you’re looking for a reed for your clarinet or want to know the very best way to clean your instrument, your local music store can help. If they don’t carry the part, local music stores will order it for you to ensure you get exactly what you need. Additionally, music stores have knowledgeable staff members who know and use the most thorough techniques to clean and sanitize your instrument.

5. A music store gets your love of music. Local music stores are born from an intense love for music—and they are in business to share it. The staff at your local music store usually comprises teachers or performers and are life-long students themselves— constantly expanding their musical horizons, and eager to share their passion and knowledge with customers.
4. A music store is personable. Your local music store staff will take the time to get to know you and your musical needs to help keep you motivated as you reach your goal of becoming a musician.

3. A music store will understand. Be it time or budget, the team at your local music store understands your daily constraints, fears, or worries about playing music, and can work with your schedule and resources, or help to address any of your concerns.

2. A music store is flexible. Local music stores offer flexible financing, such as monthly payment plans and extended hours of operation for your convenience. Contact your local music store today to see what they can do for you!

1. A music store CARES. Local music stores are eager to help anyone in the pursuit of becoming a music maker and improve countless lives through music. For example, staff members often give up their time to attend school board meetings and fight for your kids’ music education programs. Whether you are continuing or just beginning your musical journey, visit your local music store to experience the proven benefits of playing music!

This is mind boggling!

2011-04-06T16:23:00.003-04:00

Check out this MSNBC article about a new dental study which says there are germs and bacteria in musical instruments - http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/21/6314989-your-kids-crusty-clarinet-may-be-harboring-germs?GT1=43001

"Breaking down the instrument and wiping all its surfaces once a week can cut back on the germs." Didn't we all learn that from our elementary instrumental music teachers?

Make sure you read the comments at the end of the article too!

Ten Lesson The Arts Teach Us

2010-06-12T11:32:00.001-04:00

While trying out students on instruments this week at a school, we came upon this list of lessons. This sums it up doesn't it?

"Ten Lessons the Arts Teach"
by Elliot Eisner

Here are the "Ten Lessons the Arts Teach" compiled by Elliot Eisner, one of the country's leading art educators.

The arts teach children to make good judgements about qualitative relationships. Unlike much of the curriculum which correct answers and rules prevail, in the arts it is judgment rather than rules that prevail

The arts teach children that problems can have more than one solution and that questions can have more than one answer.

The arts celebrate multiple perspectives. One of their large lessons is that there are many ways to see and interpret the world.

The arts teach children that in complex forms of problem solving, purposes are seldom fixed, but change with circumstances and opportunity. Learning in the arts requires the ability and willingness to surrender to the unanticipated possibilities of the work as it unfolds.

The arts make vivid the fact that words do not, in their literal form or number, exhaust what we can know. The limits of our language do not define the limits of our cognition.

The arts teach students that small differences can have large effects. The arts traffic in subtlety.

The arts teach students to think through and within a material. All art forms employ some means through which images become real.

The arts help children to say what cannot be said. When children are invited to disclose what a work of art helps them feel, they must reach into their poetic capacities to find the words that will do the job.

The arts enable us to have experience we can have from no other source and through such experience to discover the range and variety of what we are capable of feeling.

The arts' important position in the school curriculum symbolizes to the young what adults believe is important.

Elliot Eisner is a professor in Education and Art at Stanford University in California. This article was published in the Arts in Education Council of BC Newsletter. It was provided by Helen Daniels, Executive Director of the ARC Arts Council and a member of the Board of the Arts in Education Council of BC.

Advocacy in Washington DC

2010-06-02T14:13:00.005-04:00

Last month, I had the chance to travel to Washington, DC with other members of the music products industry to remind our federal legislators of the importance of music education. This is an especially important time to do that as we continue to wait for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (commonly known as No Child Left Behind).

The week was made possible by NAMM, the International Music Products Association, which Progressive Music is a member of. We spent a day learning about current important issues relating to music education advocacy and traveled to the US Department of Education to see students perform for DoEd staffers as well as Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. Duncan re-affirmed a commitment to music education. You can see some highlights on the DoEd website - http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/05/john-lennon-educational-tour-bus-visits-ed/

The next day, our team stormed Capitol Hill. We meet with members of Congress and their staffers reminding them of the importance of a complete education that includes music. It's amazing but our government is run by a bunch of 20-somethings. The staff members of all of the members of Congress that we met with were all very young but also very knowledgeable. They are the ones who do the research and write the legislation that govern our country.

I walked away from the meetings feeling very good about what we were there to do. No one argues the importance of music education and all pledge to help to keep is a part of the core curriculum of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. I also walked away feeling that I learned so much. I have the wonderful opportunity to meet so many wonderful NAMM members as well as had a chance to experience our government at work.

But - we must all remember that music education advocacy must happen at more places than the federal level. It's vital that we all are aware of the music education situation in our own communities. The decisions on what classes are offered and how they are offered are made at the local level. So - always remember to stay informed of your local situation and be a player in the decision making process by making your voice be heard.

Below is a photo of me with recording artist, Taylor Dayne. She joined us to add her voice to ours as we advocated for music education.

A Virtual Interent Choir

2010-04-29T19:20:00.001-04:00

Band As A Political Unit?

2010-04-29T09:26:00.001-04:00

Should SHS band have played at pro-tax rally?
Photos

By PETE SHERMAN (pete.sherman@sj-r.com)
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Posted Apr 23, 2010 @ 11:30 PM
Last update Apr 24, 2010 @ 06:45 AM
Should the Springfield High School Marching Band have performed at Wednesday’s pro-tax increase rally at the Illinois Capitol?

Most aren’t making a big deal out of the band’s march at the event, which drew thousands of people from around Illinois. But some Springfield School Board members say whether to allow student groups to participate in political events deserves more careful consideration in the future.

The SHS band wasn’t the only student group at the rally. State Journal-Register reporters estimate at least 10 percent of the crowd were children. Students from Iles and Athens Junior High schools also attended.

“I don’t think I would have sent the band in for that,” said school board president Bill Looby.

Looby works for the Illinois AFL-CIO, which is part of the Responsible Budget Coalition that organized the rally. He said he doesn’t think the band violated any district policy by going and that it appears permission was granted through the proper channels. District and school officials approved the band’s participation.

Gray area

But Looby said the board might want to revisit district policy.

“I kind of see it as a gray area. I know kids have been released for politicians being in town and things like that before.”

“Maybe the lesson is, when these things happen, we need to be more careful,” said board member Susan White, a past president of the SHS parent-teacher organization.

“This isn’t the biggest thing in the world, but in my opinion, I don’t think kids should be used for those kinds of events. I don’t know why you take kids out of school for that,” said board member Cindy Tate.

The SHS Marching Band performs 25 to 30 times a year, said band teacher Kelly Goldberg. Past practice has been to seek board approval for out-of-state trips, such as the band’s upcoming performance at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Memorial Day. Students raise funds to pay their own way on those trips.

But Goldberg said bands in the Springfield schools have unique opportunities to perform based on being in the capital city.

“We get asked to do things that probably wouldn’t even be on other schools’ radar,” Goldberg said.

That has included performing for visiting presidents and political events, including, Goldberg noted, when the SHS band played at a campaign rally for gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan with President George W. Bush several years ago.

“You’d want to play for President Obama campaigning for (U.S. Senate candidate) Alexi Giannoulias, too,” she said.

Invited by teachers union

The band accepted an invitation to play at the rally earlier this week. The Illinois Education Association, an umbrella organization of teachers unions -- including the Springfield Education Association -- called the district asking for a band to participate, said Goldberg and district spokesman Jimmy Rice.

The IEA is among the dozens of organizations that are part of the Responsible Budget Coalition.

“We have a long-standing relationship with the IEA — they are our teachers,” Rice said.

Goldberg said she received one call from a parent concerned about the late notice and about conflicts with class work. The band was bused to the Capitol at 11 a.m. and played until 1 p.m. The IEA provided lunch afterward, according to Goldberg’s SHS website.

The students missed about four class periods. Rice said the district spent about $300 on bus transportation.

If anything, band parents seem to support the band’s presence at the rally.

“From my standpoint, I wouldn’t look at it as the band playing at a political rally,” said Laura Bartman, president of the Springfield High School Band Parents Association. “This was about education funding — and fine-arts programs would be the ones getting cut. But for me, this also is where we could showcase our band when there were 15,000 people and national coverage,”

Bartman works for the Illinois Federation of Teachers, which also is part of the Responsible Budget Coalition. However, she said she didn’t learn the band was playing at the rally until her son, a band member and senior at SHS, told her.

Rice said the district also saw the rally as an opportunity for the band to perform.

“We probably should and could have delved more deeply into the issue,” Rice said. “But on the surface, we didn’t see it as sending our kids off to do political work, but as a chance to play their music in a public setting and use what they’ve learned in the classroom.”

Pete Sherman can be reached at 788-1539.

Springfield School District policy

There are a lot of gray areas in Springfield School District policies concerning student participation in events outside of school.

One directive states “neither an individual, nor the school as a whole, shall be permitted to use school time in working on community-sponsored projects unless such an undertaking is contributing to the educational program.”

Another states that high school performances “beyond the scope of the usual co-curricular program” require school board approval. Current practice is to seek board approval when student bands and other groups want to travel out of state.

Also, the board must approve expenses for such events, whether or not the funding comes from the district or from fundraising.

Copyright 2010 The State Journal-Register. Some rights reserved

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2010-04-28T08:58:00.001-04:00

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Secretary of Education Remarks on Arts Education

2010-04-19T15:37:00.002-04:00

WELL WORTH THE READ - http://www2.ed.gov/news/speeches/2010/04/04092010.html

Man Plays Violin While Being Operated On

2010-03-26T09:25:00.002-04:00

Unbelievable

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/WorldNews/cutting-edge-treating-tremors-deep-brain-stimulation/story?id=10138705

Story About E.K. Blessing

2010-03-05T16:31:00.002-05:00

Here's a local story about the E.K. Blessing line of band instruments which Progressive Music carries:

http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/85427852.html#

From theatlantic.com - Ways Obama's Budget Will Change Education Policy

2010-02-03T11:22:00.000-05:00

Five Ways Obama's Budget Will Change Education Policy
One hallmark of the president's new budget is a major overhaul of No Child Left Behind, the education law passed under President George W. Bush. President Obama and Education Sec. Arne Duncan have both said repeatedly that they appreciate the bright light NCLB shines on student achievement and the program's stated goal of closing the gap between minority and white students. But here are five ways the new administration might change education policy, based on both today's budget and the direction of the Education Department:

1. Drop "adequate yearly progress" for schools. NCLB grades schools by test scores to determine whether they are making "adequate yearly progress." If schools fail to hit their goals, they are forced to offer additional tutoring, allow students to transfer, or face even personnel cuts. As Sam Dillon writes in the NYT, this pass-or-fail approach to evaluation "fails to differentiate among chaotic schools in chronic failure, schools that are helping low-scoring students improve and high-performing suburban schools that nonetheless appear to be neglecting some low-scoring students." A more nuanced approach would divide the schools into more categories that reflect their challenges.

2. Broaden the standardized testing system. One common critique of NCLB is that is narrowed the curriculum. By shining its harsh light on math and reading scores, it encouraged teachers to concentrate their energies in those two subjects, to the exclusion of sciences and arts. Duncan's logic is reasonable: Teachers will teach what the administration says it will test. So if you start measuring science achievement, teachers won't ignore the sciences. Moreover, the administration is likely to eliminate the 2014 deadline for every American child reaching academic proficiency. The quixotic goal probably isn't worth keeping around. The new goal will be to make every high graduate "college- and career-ready."

3. Encourage the states to set higher, stricter standards. Because NCLB allowed states to set their own test standards, many states, especially in the south, designed easy tests to achieve adequate yearly progress. So even as their students fell below the national median in national assessments, more of their schools would pass through the school system. I think we're going to see a push toward a national standardized test that won't allow individual states to design their own short-cuts to more government funding.

4. Develop new formulas for school funding. Typically most federal funds are allocated based to our 14,000 school district based on statistics like school size and income. Education analysts say the administration wants to reform the formulas to take into account school performance. In other words, much like Race to the Top -- the Education Dept.'s $5 billion sweepstakes program -- the administration would allocate more money to districts that demonstrate progress or pledge certain reforms.

5. Introduce merit pay, finally. For years the teachers union has rejected a raft of attempts to evaluate teachers based on student performance, but the tide may be shifting away from simple classroom check ups. Efforts to rewrite NCLB failed in 2007 because teachers unions refused to adopt merit pay. But Duncan's approach would dangle additional funds for school districts in exchange for pledges to evaluate teachers based on stats like chnages in test scores and improvements in graduation rates.

Unreal!!!!

2010-02-03T11:05:00.000-05:00

Secretary of Education Speaks To SupportMusic Coalition

2009-11-20T09:31:00.002-05:00

On August 18, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan spoke with the SupportMusic Coalition regarding his letter about the importance of Arts Education. I was lucky enough to be a part of that call and hear Secretary Duncan talk about the importance of music and arts education in our schools. The complete text of the phone call as well as an audio recording is available at supportmusic.com I would recommend that you take some time to hear what Duncan had to say to use in your own advocacy work. See below for a copy of letter I sent to be included with letters from other members of the SupportMusic Coalition.

October 21, 2009

Dear Secretary Duncan,

On behalf of the over seventy school districts that we serve as a school music dealer and on behalf of the students, parents, teachers and community members of those districts, we would like to thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on the arts with the SupportMusic Coalition. Your ability to take the time from your schedule to address such an important issue shows your commitment to arts education.

In our role as a business that services school music programs, we see how music and arts classes compel students to come to school everyday. We know that in some school districts, the arts are not seen as “equal” to other academic programs. We appreciate your words reminding education leaders that the arts are a core academic subject under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

As you know when students have the opportunity to participate in quality arts education programs, they not only excel in other academic subjects but they also take with them real life skills that are often unable to be tested. We see growth in such skills as creativity, problem-solving and probably most importantly social skills. These areas of growth cannot be measured or tested by a standardized form of assessment. Of course, that does not mean they should not be taught. The arts, especially music, have the ability to teach those skills through regular participation.

Again, we thank you for making the arts a part of your focus as you take on the role of Secretary of Education. We wish you well and hope to work with you and the Department as we make a quality arts education for all students possible.

Sincerely,

Mark R. Despotakis

Halftime Is A Warm-Up Act For Marching Bands

2009-11-14T08:14:00.000-05:00

NPR Story on a competitive marching band.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120091086

Why Music Matters

2009-10-29T08:29:00.001-04:00

El Sistema

2009-10-27T13:43:00.001-04:00

NEC Adopts El Sistema
Venezuela’s famed classical music education system, El Sistema, is coming to the United States through a pilot program at the New England Conservatory. The Boston Globe reports that in the first phase of the program, which began this fall, 10 students are being trained to open "musical education centers in parts of the United States where children couldn’t normally afford instruments." The plan is to train an additional 40 students to run such centers over the next 5 years.

El Sistema has trained thousands of Venezuelan children in music, many of them from poor socioeconomic backgrounds, and has recently gained additional renown since former El Sistema student Gustavo Dudamel’s appointment as director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

To learn more, visit www.necmusic.edu.

G20 brings Some Awareness to the Importance of The Arts

2009-09-25T15:36:00.000-04:00

The Obama’s and many other world leaders are in Pittsburgh for the G20 Summit today. Michelle took the spouses to the City of Pittsburgh arts magnet school – CAPA. Here is the link to the transcript of the event.

Here’s one of the great quotes from Michelle as well -
We believe strongly that the arts aren't somehow an "extra" part of our national life, but instead we feel that the arts are at the heart of our national life. It is through our music, our literature, our art, drama and dance that we tell the story of our past and we express our hopes for the future. Our artists challenge our assumptions in ways that many cannot and do not. They expand our understandings, and push us to view our world in new and very unexpected ways.

Point Park University Students Welcome The G20 to Town - INCREDIBLE!!!!

2009-09-22T11:12:00.002-04:00

Arts community shocked by new tax burden from The Philadelphia Inquirer

2009-09-20T11:22:00.001-04:00

By Stephan Salisbury
Inquirer Culture Writer

The budget deal reached late Friday in Harrisburg, which includes an extension of the state sales tax to cultural performances and venues - including museums - has stunned and angered the arts community.
"We heard nothing about this until late last night," Peggy Amsterdam, head of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, said yesterday. "It must have been a very last-minute deal. Not only will it hit the arts organizations, but it will make it harder for people to pay."

Details of the ticket tax began to become clearer yesterday.

Sources familiar with the final package said the deal calls for the creation of a special fund for cultural institutions and the arts.

The fund would get the bulk of the ticket-tax revenue - the exact percentage was unclear - and use it to support institutions previously subsidized by the general fund, such as museums, theaters, and zoos.

Senate Republicans, who had steadfastly opposed any new taxes, insisted on the fund.

Even though state officials said some portion of the new cultural sales tax would flow back to venues - and the exact nature of this remained murky - arts administrators pointed out that state support had already been radically reduced. In fact, in the case of historical museums and sites, it has been eliminated. Now cultural officials contend that audiences and visitors will be hit in the pocketbook, possibly reducing their desire to attend events and further reducing revenue.

"What we are really hoping for is a funding source that will help organizations operate in a stable manner," said Hal Real, founder of World Cafe Live and board chair of the cultural alliance. "Now what we're looking at is for these arts organizations to bail us all out."

The $27.9 billion state spending plan announced Friday night includes expansion of the state sales tax to performing-arts programs - dance, music, theater - and other cultural venues, such as museums and zoos, to generate about $100 million.

The tax would not be imposed on movies or sports events.

"It's sad," said Hal Sorgenti, immediate past board chairman of the Philadelphia Orchestra. "It would affect not only the orchestra but every single organization in this town. The ballet, the opera, Verizon Hall are all desperately affected. What's needed is the opposite. What's needed is significant support to bridge the gap, not a tax to increase prices."

A spokesman for Gov. Rendell, Gary Tuma, said he could not confirm specific elements in the budget package. But "we cannot do a budget without pain," he said, "and there is widespread pain in this budget."

The budget deal was reported the same day The Inquirer reported that the orchestra faced an immediate financial crisis requiring the infusion of $15 million.

"The juxtaposition is ironic," said Gary Steuer, head of the city's cultural programs. "This is a significant [tax] increase on an industry that is already struggling and is already losing significant state and local support. It's a bad policy decision."

Steuer noted that the state budget also would increase taxes on cigarettes and small cigars, a bump that could cut sales of those products, "things that are arguably bad for you," he said.

"Cultural participation is actually a good thing," he said. "It makes people feel good, and it generates economic activity. Yet you're imposing this tax on it that will depress the sector."

Bernard Havard, head of the Walnut Street Theatre, said the tax would mean the imposition of a deficit. If the Walnut generates $10 million in ticket sales annually, he said, the sales tax would amount to at least $700,000.

Several arts lovers going to see a matinee showing of the musical Chicago yesterday at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts said they would rather pay more for a ticket than lose firefighters or police officers because of budget cuts. But some also wondered why movies and sporting events would be spared the sales tax.

"I don't think that's fair at all," said Darryl Aiken, 48, of the Logan section of the city, who said he tries to see a show about once a month. "Why not movies? It's entertainment, it's pleasure, just like coming to the play."

"I don't like it at all," said John Wnukoski, 41, of Northeast Philadelphia, who said he attends cultural events once a month. "You're taxing the things that are educational."

Those interviewed yesterday said the tax would not discourage them from going to shows, but they worried it might hurt ticket sales for occasional theatergoers.

"It would be tough if you want to bring your children or your family," said Bea Easton, a member of the Philadelphia Museum of Art who said she attends musicals or plays a few times a year. "When families want to come, every little bit counts."

The tax is bad news for the arts community, which has already suffered in the tough economy, Easton said.

"They've lost a lot of their contributors," she said.

Tom Kaiden, chief operating officer of the alliance, said the idea of an amusement tax had been floated this year in City Council but had been dropped.

"You're essentially taxing one of the most vulnerable sectors, but one of the most vital," Kaiden said, noting that arts organizations generate sales not only for themselves but also for industries such as restaurants and tourism. "The orchestra is at risk, yet we rely on the orchestra to convey the message about life in the community, attracting jobs and visitors. This puts nonprofits at a real competitive disadvantage."

Havard, of the Walnut, said his organization would be unable to continue all manner of educational programming and support - activities Rendell has said his budget supports.

"This is so retrograde, so destructive," Havard said. "I would not remit this tax. I would refuse to do it. They'll have to cart me off to jail."

Contact culture writer Stephan Salisbury at 215-854-5594 or ssalisbury@phillynews.com.
Contributing to this article were Inquirer staff writers Mario F. Cattabiani, Joelle Farrell, and Michael Matza.

Help The West Mifflin High School Band Win $10,000

2009-09-14T14:56:00.002-04:00

Visit http://www.brvideocontest.com/ to see a commercial put together by the West Mifflin High School Band for Baskin and Robbins Ice Cream and Cake. Click the link above and look for the video titled Titan Thunder Marching Band.

Music Made By Birds

2009-09-12T09:37:00.001-04:00

Found this at: http://www.vimeo.com/6428069

Reading a newspaper, I saw a picture of birds on the electric wires. I cut out the photo and decided to make a song, using the exact location of the birds as notes (no Photoshop edit). I knew it wasn't the most original idea in the universe. I was just curious to hear what melody the birds were creating.

I sent the music to the photographer, Paulo Pinto, who I Googled on the internet. He told his editor, who told a reporter and the story ended up as an interview in the very same newspaper.

Here I've posted a short video made with the photo, the music and the score (composed by the birds).

Music made with Logic.
Video made with After Effects.

The newspaper story about my work (O Estado de São Paulo): tinyurl.com/l4qdbg

Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.

Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Director, Dies at 74

2009-09-12T09:34:00.001-04:00

Erich Kunzel, the award-winning conductor who headed the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra since it was founded three decades ago and who won international fame through sales of more than 10 million recordings, has died at age 74.

On July 4, Kunzel conducted a concert at the U.S. Capitol with Aretha Franklin. He had led the National Symphony on the Capitol lawn in nationally televised Memorial Day and Independence Day concerts since 1991. This year, he also conducted a concert in Beijing, where he and the Cincinnati Pops last year performed in opening festivities for the Summer Olympics. Kunzel also led the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops in many performances.

The Cincinnati classical pops ensemble has been one of the most active in the world, maintaining a year-round performing and recording schedule and making numerous television appearances. Kunzel recorded more than 125 albums and was named Billboard Magazine's Classical Crossover Artist of the Year for four consecutive years.

Kunzel received the National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush in 2006 for outstanding contributions to the arts and was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

Kunzel was diagnosed with liver, colon, and pancreatic cancer in April but continued conducting while undergoing treatment. Kunzel is survived by his wife Brunhilde.

Once Silent Child - FInds Her Voice Through Music

2009-09-12T09:10:00.001-04:00

Watch CBS Videos Online

Music Helps Students Excel in School, Life

2009-09-07T11:03:00.003-04:00

What you see below was published in the McKeesport Daily News as a letter to the editor from Progressive Music's Mark Despotakis on September 4, 2009.

According to the Center on Education policy, No Child Left Behind’s emphasis on reading and math has caused many schools to cut back on other areas, including science, social studies, art, music, gym, lunch and recess. But cutting back on music education may leave students at a disadvantage in reading and math.
Parents should consider music education’s benefits when they help their children choose classes and activities throughout the school year. According to the College Entrance Examination Board, students in music appreciation score 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on math when they take the SAT. A recent Gallup poll conducted by NAMM, the trade association of the international music products industry, shows that 94 percent of Americans think that learning music boosts children’s overall intellect, while 91 percent believe that it increases on-the-job creativity later in life.
According to NAMM, learning music also teaches social skills, self-reliance, problem-solving, communication and confidence. Music students are less likely to use tobacco, drugs and alcohol, and more likely to enjoy school.
No wonder Michelle Obama is holding music education series at the White House, in which established artists teach aspiring musicians. The Obamas hosted the first series in June, which focused on jazz. The First Lady said that there is “no better example of democracy than a jazz ensemble; individual freedom, but with responsibility to the group.”
Of course, American students need to receive music education not just at the White House, but also in their own schools. SupportMusic.com, a public service led by NAMM and the National Association of Music Education (MENC), encourages parents to advocate for music in schools. To download materials that can help you promote the importance of music in your local schools, visit www.SupportMusic.com.
The great thing about music education is that it helps students in other subjects but also has it’s own intrinsic values. There are so many ways each of us can take music throughout our lives. Getting kids involved at a young age will only provide benefit to them in school and in many other aspects of their life.
Helping a child develop an appreciation for music is the first step in creating a lifetime of creativity and enrichment. NAMM and “Making Music” magazine offer the following tips for raising a musical child:
- Expose your child to music every day. Listen to all types of music. Play music at home and in the car.
- Make instruments readily available to children. Leave out old guitars, harmonicas, recorders, tambourines and maracas for easy access.
- Take your time. Music should be fun and entertaining. Pushing too hard could lead to negative attitudes toward music.
To find a music store near you or to find out more about the proven benefits of learning to play an instrument, visit www.wannaplaymusic.com.

A Pantene Commercial Showing The Power of Music

2009-08-27T11:10:00.000-04:00

Texas Bands Feeling The Ecomomic Crunch

2009-08-19T21:23:00.001-04:00

Wednesday, Aug 19, 2009
Posted on Thu, Aug. 13, 2009
Costs becoming a barrier for school bands

By EVA-MARIE AYALA
eayala@star-telegram.com
The extras for high school band can add up quickly.
It’s not just the $30 for marching shoes and $25 for embroidered shirts, but the several hundred dollars for choreography, competitions and camp that can push costs up to $1,200 or more.
Now, bands are having to adjust to the economy, as more families have less disposable income. Concerned that the fees could prompt some students to drop out, area bands are tightening their belts to minimize costs.
The Richland High School band, for example, had planned to attend the prestigious Bands of America Grand National contest in Indianapolis this fall but canceled because of finances, Birdville fine arts director Danny Detrick said.
"Things like that have been adjusted to what students can afford," he said. While the band will still take a spring trip to a contest yet to be determined, Detrick said it is likely that the number of students opting to go will be down from last year.
Parents at Birdville High School are being crafty in their cost-cutting ways. They are designing and sewing 90 silk flags for the color guard themselves rather than paying $15 to $50 or more apiece, depending on design and size. The band is also having an additional fundraiser this year, a pledge marchathon parade through neighborhoods near the school, to help students cover expenses such as contest trips.
Junior Abby Whisman, a keyboard player, said she volunteers at every fundraiser she can, not only to help with her own fees but also to support the band as a whole. The fundraisers allow the band to do more, such as attend a Bands of America contest in St. Louis this year.
Such contests are "a recipe for instant friendship," she said. "You’re with a lot of good people who are helping each other out along the way. I will remember all this for the rest of my life."
Many band directors said their bands were opting to attend competitions in North Texas rather than across the state or country to keep costs down. Such contests can easily cost upwards of $20,000, with entry fees ranging from $250 to $800 per student and bus transportation costing about $2,000 a day, depending on location, officials said.
The Fort Worth school district tries to cover as much of the costs as possible, but a tight budget all around means that this year it will pay for only UIL-related events and one other contest, said Christina Walk, the district’s director of instrumental music.
Some band boosters have raised funds to go to one or two more contests in the past, but Walk said she’s told directors to plan on cutting back on those plans because fundraising is likely to be tough.
"Everyone is having trouble raising money, and they just need to be aware and prepared to select the best one to go to if money is an issue," she said.
Last year, the Western Hills High School band attended three non-UIL contests, with the district paying the costs. Band director Eric Mullins said the boosters would not be able to raise enough money in time to pay for additional contests. He noted that last year’s goal fell short as some product-sales fundraisers were not as successful as band members had hoped.
"Our kids are good sports and don’t really complain, but I do hear some students say they are disappointed that they only get to go to one other contest," Mullins said. "I’m disappointed too."
At Trinity High School in Euless, officials cut fees students must pay to participate from about $900 last year to about $675 this year. Such fees help cover travel and entry to contests, camp and related items. The band did not cut any trips.
"They understand that times are tight for everyone," said Mark Chandler, director of visual and performing arts for the Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district.
Chandler said the 300-plus marching band at L.D. Bell High School is on track to attend three Bands of America contests, including the Grand, where the band often receives top honors and won the grand championship in 2007.
Some booster clubs offer financial aid, which usually involves students in need volunteering at fundraisers to help cover fees. In the last year, Chandler said more families in the H-E-B district have sought such financial aid, and he expects the number to increase.
David Stevens, fine arts director in the Keller school district, said he’s cautioned band directors to prioritize trips in case booster groups can’t raise enough money to cover more than one or two. Many nonprofits are struggling to raise money, he noted, and boosters are no different. Stevens has also asked band directors to consider whether what they’re asking students to buy is necessary and to be conscious of pricing.
"From marching gloves to shoes, I want them to be very aware in what it costs," he said. "They don’t need the Cadillac of T-shirts when maybe a Malibu is just as good. I know I’m doing that at home, and I’m sure everyone else is trying to as well."
In Arlington, the most significant difference directors have noticed is the drop in private music lessons. Larry Brown, director at Bowie High School, said his school had about 100 students taking such lessons a few years ago but last year only about 30 paid for them.
Brown said band members do have to buy some items — such as a lightweight shirt to march in during hot weather — but he too tries to minimize them. The booster club offers financial help to students, but Brown said there hasn’t been a noticeable increase yet in the number of families asking for such assistance.
"We try to not ever let economics be a reason not to be in band," Brown said.

Secretary of Education Issues Letter Supporting The Arts as a Core Subject

2009-08-13T22:27:00.002-04:00

In our continuing effort to keep you aware of the latest in music advocacy news, we are excited to make you aware of a letter sent by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to local superintendents and community leaders reminding them of the importance of education funds being used to support arts education.

The entire text of the letter can be read as a PDF file here.

Secretary Duncan will answer questions about his arts education letter in a conference call on Tuesday. Progressive Music's Mark Despotakis will take part in the call. If you are interested in participating in the call or would like more information please e-mail Mark.

Progressive Music is committed to help achieve the goal of keeping music and arts as a part of a complete curriculum for every student in the United States. We are committed to the success of your arts education program. Through our participation in the SupportMusic Coalition and other arts advocacy organizations, we strive to advocate as well as bring you the latest in advocacy news and tools.

Houlihan's and VH1 Save The Music Foundation 'Tune-Up' for Encore Fundraiser

2009-07-25T14:41:00.001-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 17, 2009

Hip-Casual Restaurants Set Goal to Restore Schools' 'Instrumental' Programs
July 17, 2009 // Franchising.com // Leawood, Kan. – As public schools suffer more than ever before due to the faltering economy , Houlihan's Restaurants, Inc. is energized about its second nationwide fundraising campaign to support the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and help restore instrumental music education programs.

Now through Sept. 4, 2009, for every Mojito Margarita and S'Mores Fondue dessert sold at nearly 90 Houlihan's corporate stores and franchises across the country, the restaurant will donate $1, up to $30,000, to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. Houlihan's guests can opt to make personal donations to the fund by noting a desired amount on their guest checks.

Houlihan's executives hope to build on the success of last year's inaugural campaign, when more than $54,000 was donated to VH1 Save The Music Foundation to provide music education programs for two schools – one in Wilkinsburg, PA and the other in St. Louis, MO. From the organization of Guitar Hero competitions to concerts put on by local high school bands, Houlihan's restaurants galvanized their local communities to collect funds for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and raise awareness about the importance of music as part of each child's education.

"Music is a critical piece of Houlihan's customer experience," said Jen Gulvik, Vice President of Marketing for Houlihan's. "Our music selection draws from the many lesser-known artists as we feel it is important to give budding artists a chance to be heard. Similarly, we strongly believe that every child should have the chance to play an instrument, join a band, and enjoy the many benefits music brings to life. In partnering with VH1 Save The Music Foundation, we hope to help restore music education in our schools and generate awareness about the fact that many kids are growing up with out access to instruments or music programs."

Since its founding in 1997, VH1 Save The Music Foundation has helped "save" music programs in thousands of public schools, which traditionally cut fine arts activities when budgets tighten. Also, the foundation has helped countless children enjoy the benefits of musical study, including improved self-esteem and increased SAT scores, high school graduation rates, college attendance rates, etc.

"We are thrilled that Houlihan's will again galvanize their employees and customers to help increase awareness and raise funds for music education in the U.S." said Paul Cothran, Executive Director for VH1 Save The Music Foundation. "With widespread budget cuts and lack of public funds, more schools across the county depend on our funds and the goodwill of partners like Houlihan's to provide their students with instruments and music classes."

In addition to restoring instrumental music programs in the nation's public schools, VH1 Save The Music Foundation aims to raise awareness about the importance of music as part of each child's education. For example, U.S. Department of Education data shows that students who report consistently high levels of involvement in instrumental music during the middle- and high-school years show significantly higher levels of math proficiency by grade 12. In general, music helps develop the essential skills needed to succeed in the 21st Century workforce: critical thinking, creative problem solving, team work, and more.
About Houlihan's
Established in 1972, Houlihan's is a progressive concept that bridges the gap between fine dining and what people have come to expect from casual dining, priding itself on style and quality appropriate for any occasion, any day of the week. Houlihan's offers guests an inviting atmosphere, eclectic menu and energetic bar environment with creative, diverse drink offerings. Inspired by fare around the globe, Houlihan's crafts dishes made from scratch with assertive flavors, offering a unique culinary experience. Currently, more than one hundred Houlihan's restaurants operate throughout the country. Houlihan's is owned by Houlihan's Restaurants, Inc. of Leawood, Kansas, a pioneer in the full-service, casual dining industry that developed and owns several restaurant concepts comprising of approximately 115 locations from coast to coast, including Devon Seafood Grill and J. Gilbert's Wood-Fired Steaks.
About VH1 Save The Music Foundation
The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a nonprofit 501c3 organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education programs in America's public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child's complete education. Since 1997, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has successfully restored and sustained instrumental music programs in 1,600 public schools in more than 100 cities across the country, including Memphis, Houston, Chicago, New York, Denver, Baltimore and Milwaukee. Over the past ten years, various artists and celebrities have shown their devotion to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation by partnering with the organization as they've reached out to struggling school districts across the country. This year, Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Chris Webber, Gavin DeGraw, NE-YO, Johnny Rzeznik, Natasha Bedingfield, The Fray, Tamia, 3 Doors Down and Venus Williams serve as The Foundation's Inaugural Class of Ambassadors, each raising funds and delivering key messages on behalf of The Foundation. To date, VH1 Save The Music has provided more than $43 million in new musical instruments, affecting the lives of more than 1.2 million children. It is The Foundation's renewed commitment to donate one hundred million dollars worth of new musical instruments to ensure that even a greater number of students receive a comprehensive music education in the coming decade!

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Music teacher who sold school-owned band instruments gives up license

2009-07-20T08:50:00.000-04:00

OLENTANGY SCHOOLS
Music teacher who sold school-owned band instruments gives up license
Man sold school's instruments on auction-site eBay
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 3:05 AM
BY JENNIFER SMITH RICHARDS
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A former Olentangy band director who sold a dozen school-owned band instruments has lost his right to teach in Ohio.
Brian J. Bell resigned from his Hyatts Middle School job in February after paying the school nearly $25,000 for French horns, oboes, piccolo trumpets, a clarinet and a bassoon that had been taken from Olentangy High School.

The State Board of Education accepted Bell's voluntary surrender of his educator license, which formally is considered a permanent revocation, at Sunday's business meeting. The district had reported the theft to the state's educator-misconduct office in February.

It seems Bell sold at least some of the instruments on eBay, where he operated an online business on the side. He was never arrested. The Delaware County sheriff's office considers its investigation closed, and criminal charges never were filed.

Bell couldn't be reached for comment yesterday. Bell's attorney, Robert L. Washburn, said he could not explain his client's actions.

"When I met Brian, it was very difficult to equate the person I was talking to with the conduct. He was a very matter-of-fact, level-headed, impressive young man," Washburn said. "I know he at all times told me that he intended to replace the instruments that he had sold."

In a series of text messages with the high-school band director, who had asked about the instruments' whereabouts, Bell lied and said they had been stolen from his car.

"I think I left my car unlocked one night," Bell said in one message. "I guess I didn't think you would figure out until the end of the year when you did inventory again."

Bell, 27, had worked in the district since 2004. In addition to directing several middle-school bands, he taught guitar and general music at the middle school. He was a percussion instructor at Olentangy High.

The money Bell repaid was set aside to buy replacement instruments, district spokeswoman Karen Truett said.

Also at Sunday's meeting, a teacher who used to work in Columbus and for an online charter school lost his right to teach.

Gerald A. Baker, 40, who the Education Department said lives in Worthington, was convicted twice in 2008 of assault and once of drunken driving; the incidents all occurred in 2007. Baker could not be reached for comment.

Department records show that Baker taught middle-school special education in Columbus schools from 1996 to 2002 and then at TRECA Digital Academy from 2002 to 2005, when he stopped teaching to attend law school.

He was convicted of assault in May 2008 after hitting his wife. In November, he was stopped by police for driving erratically; he then head-butted an officer. Baker said he was suffering an alcoholic blackout.

A conviction for driving under the influence typically won't lead to state action against a teaching license. But assault convictions often will because they are violent offenses and considered "unbecoming the teaching profession."

jsmithrichards@ dispatch.com

Schools Making Music, Arts and Athletics Pay To Play

2009-07-13T11:41:00.000-04:00

Arts thrive as region bucks national trends in education

2009-07-08T11:52:00.001-04:00

Arts thrive as region bucks national trends in education

Buzz up!

By Ken Fibbe, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Photos

click to enlarge

At the Carnegie
Jasmine Goldband /Tribune-Review

About the writer

Ken Fibbe can be reached via e-mail.

Home Delivery

Western Pennsylvania is bucking a national trend depicted in a recent study showing a lackluster picture of arts education, advocates say.

"Pittsburgh routinely outperforms national trends in arts participation," said Mitch Swain, CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. "This area has been great at recognizing that the arts is key to the development of creative skills."

A survey of 7,900 eighth-graders by the National Assessment of Educational Progress found they are taking fewer field trips to art museums, a finding underscored by a broader conclusion: there are vast racial and socioeconomic differences in arts learning.

About 16 percent of students said they visited an art museum or gallery at least once with their class last year, down from 22 percent when the survey was last conducted in 1997.

But the number of students and chaperones visiting the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History in Oakland increased 16 percent between 2007 and 2008, said spokeswoman Ellen James.

"Last year was a robust one with the reopening of the 'Dinosaurs in Their Time' exhibit, and attendance has been great again with lots and lots of kids returning this year," James said.

The survey tested the respondents' knowledge of the arts and found that non-Asian minorities and students from low-income families scored 30 points lower than whites and Asians.

Cornelia Davis, who coordinates the arts and humanities curriculum for Pittsburgh Public Schools, said instructional opportunities are equally available at local schools.

"We keep the amount of art programs and art classes available to kids in wealthy areas on the same scale as kids in poor areas," Davis said.

Davis said art education thrives here, in part, because of widespread support from arts organizations and school officials.

"I have seen arts education in numerous states and countries first hand, and I found that very few places have a unified, collaborative arts education effort from administrators, teachers, museum directors and school boards, like we do here," she said.

Heinz Endowments recently gave $120,000 to Propel Schools to help two of its charter schools start an arts education program that promotes racial tolerance through the arts.

Sarah Tambucci, director of the Downtown-based Arts Education Collaborative, said there is still room for improvement.

"Many times in Pennsylvania schools the only people certified to teach theater classes are the English teachers, so we have still certification issues we need to address," Tambucci said.

Tambucci said arts education could improve with a statewide standardized test.

"The only way we can see how we are doing is to start a formal assessment and once the results are made public, then appropriate funding, and support would follow," Tambucci said. "But sadly, there just isn't a great deal of importance put on art."

The Pennsylvania System of State Assessments, which defines what primary and secondary students should learn each year, tests students in math, reading, writing and science.

Lois Clark, the art and music department chair at Kelly Elementary School in Wilkinsburg, said community interest in the school district's music program has skyrocketed since March, when it received a $90,000 grant from VH1's Save the Music Foundation.

Clark said the money was used to hire a band director, buy more musical instruments and expand the marching band to include fourth- through sixth-graders.

"We now have a new impetus to improve the quality and quantity of our music program, something that is always needed," Clark said.

More on NAEP

2009-06-16T11:36:00.002-04:00

The USA Today Article - http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-06-15-naeparts_N.htm - headlines that that half of the 8th graders in the study could not correctly identify the clarinet as the first instrument to be heard in Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.

This Courtesy of ArtsBlog - http://blog.artsusa.org/2009/06/16/naep-arts-released-today/

The National Assessment Governing Board released the 2008 NAEP Arts, which presents the educational progress of eighth-grade students nationally in visual arts and music.

Theatre and dance were not surveyed because of budget restrictions and difficulty in previous years finding enough theater and dance classes to yield reliable results. In addition, the questions that assessed student creation of music were eliminated for budget reasons.

In both music and visual arts,

Average responding scores were higher for White and Asian/Pacific Islander students than Black and Hispanic students. The pattern was the same for the visual arts creating task scores.
Female students had a higher average responding score than male students. Female students had a higher average creating task score in visual arts.
Students who were eligible for free/reduced price school lunch had a lower average responding score and a lower average creating task score in visual arts than those who were not eligible.
City students scored lower than suburban, town and rural students.

Additional findings included the following:

Eight percent of surveyed schools do not offer music instruction. Fourteen percent of schools do not offer visual arts classes.
Eight percent of surveyed schools offer music instruction less than once a week. Ten percent of schools offer visual arts instruction less than once a week.
Fifty-seven percent of eighth-graders in 2008 attended schools where students received music instruction at least three or four times a week.
Forty-seven percent of eighth-graders in 2008 attended schools where students received visual arts instruction at least three or four times a week.

Although this survey is not designed to assess the frequency of instruction (unlike the 2012 F.R.S.S. in the arts will do), today’s press release began with the headline, “Frequency of Arts Instruction Remains Steady Since 1997 on the Nation’s Report Card in Music and Visual Arts.”

If you have questions, please contact Narric Rome, nrome@artsusa.org or 202.371.2830.

NAEP Released - Secretary of Education Response

2009-06-16T11:30:00.001-04:00

PRESS RELEASES
Statement from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Results of NAEP Arts 2008 Assessment

FOR RELEASE:
June 15, 2009

Contact: David Thomas, Justin Hamilton
(202) 401-1576
or justin.hamilton@ed.gov

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan released the following statement today regarding results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Arts 2008 assessment of Music and Visual Arts at Grade 8:

These results are important for several reasons. First, they remind us that the arts are a core academic subject and part of a complete education for all students. The arts are also important to American students gaining the 21st century skills they will need to succeed in higher education and the global marketplace – skills that increasingly demand creativity, perseverance, and problem solving combined with performing well as part of a team.

The results also remind us that learning in the arts can and should be rigorous and based on high standards, and that it can be evaluated objectively, using well-designed measures.

This Arts Report Card should challenge all of us to make K-12 arts programs more available to America’s children and youth. Such programs not only engage students’ creativity and academic commitment today, but they uniquely equip them for future success and fulfillment. We can and should do better for America’s students.

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Schuylkill Valley may drop violin experiment

2009-06-11T10:35:00.001-04:00

6/2/2009

Last Update: 6/2/2009 12:22:00 AM

Schuylkill Valley may drop violin experiment

Without $50,000 grant, district will drop effort to see if lessons improve test scores

By Greta Cuyler

Reading Eagle

Without $50,000 by June 30, the Schuylkill Valley School District will disband its four-year study to see if violin lessons boost student performance on standardized tests, Superintendent Solomon Lausch said.

The district launched the program in September, providing violin lessons to all 130 kindergartners in the elementary school. The in-school lessons were expected to continue until the children finished third grade.

The school board supports the program as long as district taxpayers don't pay the cost.

After looking for funding from federal grants, arts organizations and local donors, Lausch said he hasn't come up with the money to keep the violin program afloat.

Without the resources, it's likely the project will die after just one year.

"I don't know whether it will have an impact," Lausch said of the program. "But unless we truly ask the question on a significant enough scale over a significant amount of time, we will never know."

The $70,000 used this year was available because the state Department of Education awarded Schuylkill Valley additional funding for Title I reading instruction, which freed money from elsewhere in the budget.

But no additional Title I money is expected for 2009-10, and all of the district's stimulus money is earmarked for special education or reading instruction, Lausch said.

Educators believe there's a correlation between music education and academic performance.

What they don't know is which comes first: Do students who play musical instruments tend to do better in school, or do some high-achieving students tend to gravitate toward music?

Schuylkill Valley started the violin lessons in kindergarten with the idea of continuing them through third grade, which is when students take the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, or PSSA test, for the first time.

Educators would then compare the violin learners' PSSA scores to those of students who took the test in prior years.

Lausch said he doesn't blame anyone for the program's possible demise, and that he is grateful the district was able to secure funding for at least one year.

"It's just a shame from my point of view," he said. "Very little of this kind of research is done in the social sciences, where controlled research is done over several years."

Contact Greta Cuyler: 610-371-5042 or gcuyler@readingeagle.com.

New Gallup Survey by NAMM Reflects Majority of Americans Agree with Many Benefits of Playing Musical Instruments

2009-05-01T14:36:00.003-04:00

New Gallup Survey by NAMM Reflects Majority of Americans Agree with Many Benefits of Playing Musical Instruments
More than Nine in Ten Agree that Making Music Helps Children Make Friends, Develop Creativity, Enhance Intellectual Development, Builds Teamwork Skills
Carlsbad, CA, April 29, 2009—According to a new Gallup survey, interest in playing music is at an all-time-high as outlined by the 2009 Public Attitudes Towards Music study, which was conducted on behalf of NAMM (the National Association of Music Merchants), the not-for-profit trade association for the international music products industry. The study indicates that more people are currently playing music and own musical instruments than have in the last decade, despite challenges to music education programs in the schools.
During these tough economic times where music education in schools is often threatened, this report confirms that it is more important than ever to ensure everyone can enjoy the proven benefits of music, especially youth. To kick off National Wanna Play Music Week (May 4-8), NAMM has recruited hundreds of schools and organizations across the country to play music at the exact same time on “Music Monday” May 4 to recognize the importance of music education in our schools and music in our lives.
According to the survey, the majority of Americans completely or mostly agree that benefits for children and teenagers playing musical instruments include:
• Helping a child develop creativity(97 percent total, 59 percent completely and 37 strongly agree)
• Helping develop teamwork skills from playing in a school band (96 percent total, 51 percent completely and 45 percent strongly agree)
• Helping a child’s overall intellectual development (94 percent total, 45 percent completely and 49 percent strongly agree)
• Relieving stress and providing relaxation, which is needed during these troubled economic times (94 percent with half completely agreeing)
• Helping make friends (93 percent total with 42 percent completely agreeing)
• Helping prepare them to be creative and innovative in the workforce (91 percent total, 42 percent completely and 49 percent strongly agree)
• Yielding better grades, teaches discipline, motivates them to stay in school (88 percent total, 36 percent completely and 52 percent strongly agree)
• Making you smarter (83 percent total with 37 percent completely agreeing)
"Everywhere you look, you see how the pastime of playing music is continuing to gain in popularity with people of all ages, as evidenced by our recent Gallup poll," said Joe Lamond, president and CEO, NAMM. "More people are realizing the fun and many proven benefits of playing music and are taking that next step without worry that they might not be good or talented enough to enjoy playing.”
Additional study highlights on America’s attitude towards playing music:
• Nearly all (96 percent) of respondents in the survey believe musical skills can be learned at any age
• Most (92 percent) completely (56 percent) or mostly (36 percent) agree that schools should offer music as part of the regular curriculum
• Eight in ten completely (43 percent) or mostly (37 percent) that music education should be mandated by states
• Most (87 percent) completely (47 percent) or strongly (40 percent) agree that music is a very important part of their life
• Eighty-five percent who do not play a musical instrument say they wish they had learned to play
• Seven in 10 (69 percent) report they would like to learn to play a musical instrument
• The majority (64 percent) of respondents completely (45 percent) or strongly (19 percent) agree they would be more likely to participate in music making, if scientific research found that it improved their health
• Most (66 percent) say time (40 percent) and too many other interests/conflicts (26 percent) are the biggest barriers to playing music
• For kids, nearly half (47 percent) say that time issues also are a major barrier with competing activities such as sports (19 percent), video games (14 percent) and extracurricular activities (14 percent)
NAMM’s ongoing nationwide Wanna Play? public awareness program is dedicated to increasing understanding of the proven benefits of playing musical instruments for people of all ages. May 4-8, NAMM will help celebrate National Wanna Play Music Week. The week kicks off with “Music Monday,” a five-year tradition of the Coalition for Music Education in Canada that encourages musicians, music organizations, school bands and music lovers everywhere to play music at the same time to demonstrate the galvanizing power of making music. Other activities that week aim to raise awareness and inspire people of all ages and talent to get involved in playing, from taking lessons to purchasing their first instrument or music software. For more information about the Wanna Play? campaign and to get involved, interested parties can visitwww.wannaplaymusic.com.

The findings are based on 1,000 telephone interviews conducted by Gallup with consumers, age 12 and older, residing in the continental United States. Interviewing was conducted during February and March, 2009. For results based on the sample of 1000 respondents, the error attributable to sampling and other random effects would be plus or minus three percentage points.

About NAMM
The National Association of Music Merchants, commonly called NAMM in reference to the organization's popular NAMM trade shows, is the not-for-profit association that unifies, leads and strengthens the $17 billion global musical instruments and products industry. NAMM’s activities and programs are designed to promote music making to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of more than 9,000 Member companies. For more information about NAMM, interested parties can visit www.namm.org or call 800-767-NAMM (6266).

Feds Turn to ‘Brain Music’ to Boost Emergency Worker Performance

2009-04-29T09:39:00.001-04:00

Feds Turn to ‘Brain Music’ to Boost Emergency Worker Performance

By Nathan Hodge
April 23, 2009 |
8:30 am |
Categories: Bizarro, Body = Weapon, Homeland Security

As anyone who has ever cranked “Ace of Spades” knows, music can be a powerful tool. And researchers at the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate want to find ways to harness that power.

The program is supposed to study how “brain music” — a customized soundtrack designed to either boost alertness or reduce stress — can improve the performance of police, firefighters and other first responders. As described by DHS, researchers will test how an “instrumental alert track” (click here for a sample) can boost focus and energy, or act to reduce stress. A group of firefighters will take part in the experiment.

“Because of the strains that come with an emergency response job, we are interested in finding ways to help these workers remain at the top of their game when working and get quality rest when they go off a shift,” said Department of Homeland Security Program Manager Robert Burns.

The DHS news item describes how it works. Each two– to-six-minute brain music track is performed on a single instrument, usually a piano. One tune would be tailored for relaxation (Burns says it might sound more like a “melodic, subdued Chopin sonata”), while the revving-up track might have “more of a Mozart sound.”

Neurofeedback soundtracks will be created by Human Bionics, a company that markets a product called “Brain Music Therapy,” used to help correct sleep disorders. The program is part of DHS’s “Readiness Optimization Program,” which is supposed to test ways to improve the job performance of first responders by combining brain music with nutrition education.

While we haven’t seen the details on the nutrition piece, one wonders if that, too, will combine a focus component (Red Bull? Wheatgrass shots?) with a stress-relief component (doughnuts, Cheetos).

[Photo: DHS]

Fort Myers, FL Hotel Manager Trys To Help Keep Music and Arts in the Schools

2009-04-15T11:10:00.000-04:00

Hotel manager in Lee County offers to fly, lodge potential arts savior

SAM COOK • SCOOK@NEWS-PRESS.COM • APRIL 8, 2009

• Blog: Artfest Fort Myers puts up $500 challenge to help save jobs of 80 art, music teachers

If you don't believe art and music are important to folks in the Lee County School District, check out Alan Jarrett's response to an alternate plan to cutting 80 art and music teachers by the superintendent and his board.

"I find (John) Benham's offer intriguing and I am throwing in this offer from Cooper Hotels of Lee County,'' writes Jarrett, the company's regional director of operations and a county resident since 2000.

"We will pay $500 for Mr. Benham's plane ticket, offer him complimentary accommodations at one of our hotels and provide function space for interviews and town hall meetings with the parents and teachers of Lee County.''

That's a superb start.

Superintendent James Browder's solution is to eliminate teachers from traditional public elementary schools if the district's 2009-10 budget comes up $50 million short.

Jarrett isn't shy about what motivates him.

He says Cooper Hotels, which owns and operates the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Homewood Suites by Hilton Hotel at Bell Tower Shops, has more than 200 employees raising families in Lee's school district.

"Our business model is not based upon destination locations, cold winters, warm beaches and six weeks of baseball,'' Jarrett writes. "That is a first-class ticket to bankruptcy. Ours is simple. Tight-knit caring communities, strong schools and a thriving college. This has made our hotels profitable for over 20 years. So there. My cards are on the table.''

Benham, 66, lives near Minneapolis. He has saved fine arts programs in school districts for 28 years. He was recommended by Jeff Hanjian, who worked in Gwinnett County, Ga., when Benham performed his magic there in 1995.

Benham estimates his fee would be $8,000 plus transportation, food and lodging for a week - peanuts compared to Lee's possible financial woes.

Michel Wilk's daughter, Emily, is a junior clarinet player at Fort Myers High.

"Music is our lives in many ways - and my daughter would be lost without it,'' Wilk writes. "I spend countless hours fundraising - because the music program receives a hysterically small amount of money each year.

"The school does not pay for the marching band - the parents do. All of the other band ensembles are also supported by the boosters.We pay for our own buses, equipment trucks, music (for all ensembles) and instrument repair. We drive to and from.

"One wonders what would happen if they cut the sports programs or even one sports program.''

If you want to help, call Hanjian at 470-1895.

Dan Pink at TMEA

2009-03-27T16:26:00.002-04:00

If you have the extra 45 minutes, you should watch the video of Dan Pink's Keynote at the 09 TMEA Convention - http://www.tmea.org/2009keynote/ It's well worth watching to get a new perspective on why the arts are important to a complete education and to function in a 21st century economy.

Recession forcing layoffs at Sesame Workshop

2009-03-12T13:09:00.000-04:00

Recession forcing layoffs at Sesame Workshop

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Enlarge	By Mark Lennihan, AP file

Big Bird reads to kids during a taping of Sesame Street in New York last year.

NEW YORK (AP) — The crisis on Wall Street is plaguing Sesame Street.

Sesame Workshop, the non-profit producer of Sesame Street and other kids' programs, is cutting about one-fifth of its workforce because of the economic downturn.

JOBS GRAPHIC: Map shows states hit hardest; forecasts for rebound

LAYOFFS: Visualization of 2009 layoffs

JANUARY JOBS DATA: 651,000 jobs cut nationwide

The company said Wednesday that it's eliminating 67 of 355 staff positions.

Declaring it is "not immune to the unprecedented challenges of today's economic environment," the company pronounced a need "to operate with fewer resources in order to achieve our strategic priorities."

The statement reiterated the organization's mission "of helping children reach their highest potential here and around the globe."

Best known as the home of such Muppet characters as Big Bird and Elmo, Sesame Workshop was founded in 1968 as Children's Television Workshop, then unveiled the groundbreaking Sesame Street as a literacy-building initiative a year later. That show, which remains a worldwide hit, was the first step toward a media empire that encompasses television, books, toys and online programing.

Among the company's early TV efforts is The Electric Company, which aired during the 1970s and was revived with new episodes on PBS in January.

Sesame Workshop gets revenue from product licensing and the sale of its programs to PBS and syndication. The company is also funded by government agencies, foundations and corporations.

Total revenue was $145 million in 2008, with operating expenses totaling $141 million, according to the company's website.

Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing It Best

2009-03-02T11:58:00.001-05:00

Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing It Best

Art and music are key to student development.

by Fran Smith

Credit: Getty Images

"Art does not solve problems, but makes us aware of their existence," sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz has said. Arts education, on the other hand, does solve problems. Years of research show that it's closely linked to almost everything that we as a nation say we want for our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity.

Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Arts learning can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork. A 2005 report by the Rand Corporation about the visual arts argues that the intrinsic pleasures and stimulation of the art experience do more than sweeten an individual's life -- according to the report, they "can connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing," creating the foundation to forge social bonds and community cohesion. And strong arts programming in schools helps close a gap that has left many a child behind: From Mozart for babies to tutus for toddlers to family trips to the museum, the children of affluent, aspiring parents generally get exposed to the arts whether or not public schools provide them. Low-income children, often, do not. "Arts education enables those children from a financially challenged background to have a more level playing field with children who have had those enrichment experiences,'' says Eric Cooper, president and founder of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education.

It has become a mantra in education that No Child Left Behind, with its pressure to raise test scores, has reduced classroom time devoted to the arts (and science, social studies, and everything else besides reading and math). Evidence supports this contention -- we'll get to the statistics in a minute -- but the reality is more complex. Arts education has been slipping for more than three decades, the result of tight budgets, an ever-growing list of state mandates that have crammed the classroom curriculum, and a public sense that the arts are lovely but not essential.

This erosion chipped away at the constituencies that might have defended the arts in the era of NCLB -- children who had no music and art classes in the 1970s and 1980s may not appreciate their value now. "We have a whole generation of teachers and parents who have not had the advantage of arts in their own education,'' says Sandra Ruppert, director of the Arts Education Partnership (AEP), a national coalition of arts, business, education, philanthropic, and government organizations.

Yet against this backdrop, a new picture is emerging. Comprehensive, innovative arts initiatives are taking root in a growing number of school districts. Many of these models are based on new findings in brain research and cognitive development, and they embrace a variety of approaches: using the arts as a learning tool (for example, musical notes to teach fractions); incorporating arts into other core classes (writing and performing a play about, say, slavery); creating a school environment rich in arts and culture (Mozart in the hallways every day) and hands-on arts instruction. Although most of these initiatives are in the early stages, some are beginning to rack up impressive results. This trend may send a message to schools focused maniacally, and perhaps counterproductively, on reading and math.

"If they're worried about their test scores and want a way to get them higher, they need to give kids more arts, not less," says Tom Horne, Arizona's state superintendent of public instruction. "There's lots of evidence that kids immersed in the arts do better on their academic tests."

Education policies almost universally recognize the value of arts. Forty-seven states have arts-education mandates, forty-eight have arts-education standards, and forty have arts requirements for high school graduation, according to the 2007-08 AEP state policy database. The Goals 2000 Educate America Act, passed in 1994 to set the school-reform agenda of the Clinton and Bush administrations, declared art to be part of what all schools should teach. NCLB, enacted in 2001, included art as one of the ten core academic subjects of public education, a designation that qualified arts programs for an assortment of federal grants.

In a 2003 report, "The Complete Curriculum: Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in American's Schools,"a study group from the National Association of State Boards of Education noted that a substantial body of research highlights the benefits of arts in curriculum and called for stronger emphasis on the arts and foreign languages. As chairman of the Education Commission of the States from 2004 to 2006, Mike Huckabee, then governor of Arkansas, launched an initiative designed, according to commission literature, to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn about, enjoy, and participate directly in the arts.

Top-down mandates are one thing, of course, and implementation in the classroom is another. Whatever NCLB says about the arts, it measures achievement through math and language arts scores, not drawing proficiency or music skills. It's no surprise, then, that many districts have zeroed in on the tests. A 2006 national survey by the Center on Education Policy, an independent advocacy organization in Washington, DC, found that in the five years after enactment of NCLB, 44 percent of districts had increased instruction time in elementary school English language arts and math while decreasing time spent on other subjects. A follow-up analysis, released in February 2008, showed that 16 percent of districts had reduced elementary school class time for music and art -- and had done so by an average of 35 percent, or fifty-seven minutes a week.

Some states report even bleaker numbers. In California, for example, participation in music courses dropped 46 percent from 1999-2000 through 2000-04, while total school enrollment grew nearly 6 percent, according to a study by the Music for All Foundation. The number of music teachers, meanwhile, declined 26.7 percent. In 2001, the California Board of Education set standards at each grade level for what students should know and be able to do in music, visual arts, theater, and dance, but a statewide study in 2006, by SRI International, found that 89 percent of K-12 schools failed to offer a standards-based course of study in all four disciplines. Sixty-one percent of schools didn't even have a full-time arts specialist.

Nor does support for the arts by top administrators necessarily translate into instruction for kids. For example, a 2005 report in Illinois found almost no opposition to arts education among principals and district superintendents, yet there were large disparities in school offerings around the state.

In many districts, the arts have suffered so long that it will take years, and massive investment, to turn things around. New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has made arts education a priority in his school reform plans, and the city has launched sweeping initiatives to connect more students with the city's vast cultural resources. Nearly every school now offers at least some arts instruction and cultural programming, yet in 2007-08, only 45 percent of elementary schools and 33 percent of middle schools provided education in all four required art forms, according to an analysis by the New York City Department of Education, and only 34 percent of high schools offered students the opportunity to exceed the minimum graduation requirement.

Yet some districts have made great strides toward not only revitalizing the arts but also using them to reinvent schools. The work takes leadership, innovation, broad partnerships, and a dogged insistence that the arts are central to what we want students to learn.

In Dallas, for example, a coalition of arts advocates, philanthropists, educators, and business leaders have worked for years to get arts into all schools, and to get students out into the city's thriving arts community. Today, for the first time in thirty years, every elementary student in the Dallas Independent School District receives forty-five minutes a week of art and music instruction. In a February 2007 op-ed piece in the Dallas Morning News, Gigi Antoni, president and CEO of Big Thought, the nonprofit partnership working with the district, the Wallace Foundation, and more than sixty local arts and cultural institutions, explained the rationale behind what was then called the Dallas Arts Learning Initiative: "DALI was created on one unabashedly idealistic, yet meticulously researched, premise -- that students flourish when creativity drives learning."

The Minneapolis and Chicago communities, too, are forging partnerships with their vibrant arts and cultural resources to infuse the schools with rich comprehensive, sustainable programs -- not add-ons that come and go with this year's budget or administrator.

In Arizona, Tom Horne, the state superintendant of public instruction, made it his goal to provide high-quality, comprehensive arts education to all K-12 students. Horne, a classically trained pianist and founder of the Phoenix Baroque Ensemble, hasn't yet achieved his objective, but he has made progress: He pushed through higher standards for arts education, appointed an arts specialist in the state Department of Education, and steered $4 million in federal funds under NCLB to support arts integration in schools throughout the state. Some have restored art and music after a decade without them.

"When you think about the purposes of education, there are three," Horne says. "We're preparing kids for jobs. We're preparing them to be citizens. And we're teaching them to be human beings who can enjoy the deeper forms of beauty. The third is as important as the other two."

Fran Smith is a contributing editor for Edutopia.

This article was also published in the February 2009 issue of Edutopia magazine under the headline "State of the Arts".

Chairman Miller Announces Plans to Examine How Arts and Music Benefits the Economy and Education

2009-02-25T13:47:00.001-05:00

Chairman Miller Announces Plans to Examine How Arts and Music Benefits the Economy and Education
Arts organizations generate $166 billion and over 5 million jobs each year
February 5, 2009 4:49 PM
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the arts and music among the many industries being hit hard in economic downturn, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today announced plans to hold a series of hearings this Spring to examine how the arts benefit the nation’s economy and schools – and what can be done to improve support for the arts and music fields.
“Like so many other sectors of our economy, the arts and music are suffering greatly – hurting millions of workers and families who depend on these industries for good jobs and the students who benefit from participation in arts and music education in school. Research shows that when students are exposed to arts and music, they perform better in other subjects,” said Miller. “In states and communities around the country, like my home state of California, these industries are vital engines for local economies – making up a large share of revenue and providing employment for a wide array of jobs, from construction to musicians to art teachers to sound editors.”

“President Obama has made it clear that arts and music have a critical role to play in improving our schools, our workforce and our overall quality of life. These hearings will give Congress the opportunity to hear from experts in these fields about how supporting the arts and music can help us build a stronger America.”

Arts organizations generate $166.2 billion in economic activity, support 5.7 million jobs, and return nearly $30 billion in revenue to the government each year, according to a 2007 study by The Americans for the Arts.

Recent news reports have highlighted the tough economic realities arts organizations are facing – many are cutting budgets and programs that provide important services to local communities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, unemployment in certain arts fields was far higher than the overall workforce in 2008.

The goal of the House Education and Labor Committee in the 111th Congress is to rebuild and strengthen America’s middle class by improving the lives of students, workers and families. For more information on the committee’s work, click here.

# # #

RIver City Brass Band

2009-02-18T12:03:00.001-05:00

Brass Band fighting to play on
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
By Andrew Druckenbrod, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The River City Brass Band has postponed rehearsals this week, but officials hold out hope that the next set of concerts -- and the band itself -- will continue.

"I think that we will have a clearer picture of the future in a week," said executive director Robert Parkinson. "We have been working on this since our December board meeting and staff, musicians and board members are working as hard as they can to find solutions. There are a series of events that we have to work through: agreement on expense cuts, raise the immediate cash and implement the long-term plan. The foundations have been fabulous, but they are strapped."

Later this week the band is looking to hear responses from foundations to its request for immediate funds. The River City Brass Band, which formed in 1981, is also talking to the musicians union about restructuring the collective bargaining agreement, which is due to expire in June. The 28 musicians are paid "per service"; many also teach or play in other groups.

The staff, which is salaried, has already been asked to take "painful cuts," Parkinson said. If the band gets the necessary funds in time to squeeze in the "requisite number" of rehearsals next week -- four plus a dress rehearsal Feb. 26 in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Homewood -- then it will proceed with a series of concerts, "American Graffiti," beginning March 1. That concert takes place at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center in Johnstown, with concerts to follow throughout the region.

For more details, read tomorrow's Post-Gazette.
Classical music critic Andrew Druckenbrod can be reached at adruckenbrod@post-gazette.com. He blogs at Classical Musings at www.post-gazette.com.
First published on February 17, 2009 at 6:32 pm

Museum of Making Music

2008-08-13T20:26:00.002-04:00

Check out this YouTube site - http://www.youtube.com/museumofmakingmusic

You can see some video clips from the Museum of Making Music as well as a few videos showing you some of the qualities important in violins.

Want To Learn Excel?

2008-08-12T19:56:00.002-04:00

Yes - it's been since April since this blog was updated. Hopefully, I will continue to update.

I wanted to point you to a great blog that will teach you some great tips for using Microsoft Excel. - http://www.thecompanyrocks.com/excels/

The blog is written by Danny Rocks who works very closely in the music products industry. Danny worked at Alfred Publishing and now runs his own company - The Company Rocks. I have had the great opportunity to meet Danny and have come to know him and find him to be someone full of knowledge and someone who is so willing to share that knowledge. I encourage you to check out his blog - well worth the time to view the lessons.

Create and Judge Marching Shows Online

2008-04-02T10:35:00.002-04:00

Check out http://www.micromarching.com/ You can design your own marching band drill (without music) and judge other shows and leave comments.

Might be good practice for you aspiring drill designers.

The Beat Goes On: Gibson Sues "Rock Band" Game Creators

2008-03-29T21:22:00.001-04:00

From the MMR E-Mail Newsletter

On Mar. 21 Gibson Guitar filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Viacom's MTV networks, Harmonix, and Electronic Arts relating to the "Rock Band" video game and Harmonix's previously developed game, "Guitar Hero."

The suit, filed in Federal District Court in Tennessee, relates to the same patent involved in another suit Gibson filed earlier against mass-merchant retailers of "Guitar Hero," including Wal-Mart and Target (MMR Update, Mar. 21.)

Gibson claims the games violate a 1999 Gibson patent for technology to simulate a musical performance.

Harmonix developed the first "Guitar Hero" game and was later bought by MTV. Electronic Arts publishes "Rock Band" and another company, Activision Inc.,{doesn't make sense} and the retailers either develop, distribute, or sell one or more of the games in the "Guitar Hero" series.

As reported in MMR Update on Mar. 14, Activision responded to Gibson's complaint by filing a preemptive suit against Gibson. Contrary to myriad online reports, however, Gibson has not filed a lawsuit against Activision on the 1999 patent claim.

The Activision lawsuit asks the U.S. District Court for Central California to declare Gibson's patent invalid and to bar it from seeking damages.

Gibson has been a high-profile partner in the "Guitar Hero" games. Activision licensed the rights to model its guitar-shaped video controllers on Gibson models and to use their likenesses in the game.

Activision has said that by waiting three years to raise its claim, Gibson had granted an implied license for any technology.

Pittsburgh Pictures

2008-03-21T21:26:00.000-04:00

I just came across this site - http://pittsburghskyline.com/

Some amazing pictures of Pittsburgh. It will make you fall in love with the skyline all over again.

Guitar Hero No More?

2008-03-14T15:39:00.000-04:00

Gibson Files Suit Over "Guitar Hero"
Gibson has told Activision Inc that its popular "Guitar Hero" video games infringe one of Gibson's patents. Gibson said the game violates a 1999 patent for technology to simulate a musical performance. A copy of Gibson's patent included in the court filing showed a method for simulating a live performance using a musical instrument, a 3D headset with stereo speakers, and a pre-recorded concert.

"Based on our preliminary analysis, the 'Guitar Hero' software (including any expansion packs) and the guitar controller provided by Activision being used as a musical instrument (packaged with the software or sold standalone) are covered by the ... patent," Gibson's law firm said in its January 7 letter. "Gibson requests that Activision obtain a license under Gibson's ... patent or halt sales of any version of the 'Guitar Hero' game software."

On Tuesday, Activision filed a lawsuit asking the U.S. District Court for Central California to declare Gibson's patent invalid and to bar it from seeking damages.

Gibson made its claims in a letter sent to Activision in January, a copy of which was included in Activision's lawsuit. Gibson has been a high-profile partner in the "Guitar Hero" games, with Activision licensing the rights to model its controllers on Gibson guitar models and to use their likenesses in the game.

"Gibson is a good partner, and we have a great deal of respect for them. We disagree with the applicability of their patent and would like a legal determination on this," Activision general counsel George Rose said in a statement.

Activision said its games did not infringe Gibson's patent, and that by waiting three years to raise its claim, the guitar maker had granted an implied license for any technology.

(Source: Reuters)

Ticking package strikes a bad chord at Duquesne U.

2008-03-14T12:27:00.000-04:00

Friday, March 14, 2008
By Anya Sostek, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A ticking care package shut down a Duquesne University building for several hours this morning.

A Pittsburgh Police bomb squad investigation revealed the culprit to be a metronome, which turned on as the package was transported. The package also contained food and medicine, said university spokeswoman Bridget Fare.

The building, Rockwell Hall, houses the campus mailroom along with the School of Business, various computing and technology operations and other offices.

A mailroom employee noticed the ticking sound around 7:30 a.m. and evacuated the building, said Ms. Fare. No classes were in session that early in the morning, she said.

Police gave the all-clear to re-open Rockwell Hall around 10 a.m., she said.

First published on March 14, 2008 at 10:47 am

How rockin' is your high school marching band?

2008-03-13T23:07:00.000-04:00

I stole this from the YEA! website - wouldn’t it be great to have a Western PA band on this show?
Is your high school marching band rockin' enough for MTV?
The network's producers want to know!
MTV News & Docs is casting a new show which will chronicle the inner workings and outside lives of a high school marching band. The chosen band will share their experiences of rehearsals, half-time performances, competitions and fundraisers all the while balancing the normal pressures of high school. The network is looking for outgoing, interesting, diverse band members to share their lives with them… and a proud, dedicated school that’s willing to open up their doors to its producers.
Interested parties should contact Claresa Mandola, Casting Director, to discuss making a video application: (212) 654-4871 or mailto:castingspring08@mtvstaff.com.

TV News Attitude

2008-03-12T17:22:00.001-04:00

This is a riot - good thing TV people don’t have big egos...

And The Band Played Badly

2008-03-08T15:24:00.000-05:00

I’m an avid New York Times reader and love the Sunday Times. The Op-Ed page this week took one small break from politics and had this article. There is this movement known as “Recreational Music Making.” So many in the school music world push for “perfection” in music. It’s great to see people who enjoy making music - just for the sake of making music. This piece is an example of that - and these folks don’t strive for perfection at all - just for fun.

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR
And the Band Played Badly

By ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH
Published: March 9, 2008

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the forthcoming novel “The Miracle at Speedy Motors.”

MySpace

2008-03-08T14:01:00.003-05:00

Based on some advice from a colleague who uses MySpace as an additional web presence for their store, Progressive Music now has a MySpace. You can visit it at www.myspace.com/progressive_music It's very basic and boring now - but I promise - as I begin to figure out how to use MySpace - you will see the page grow. Please add us as a MySpace friend.

Standardized Music Test in Florida

2008-03-06T14:41:00.002-05:00

Yes, I have not blogged in a long time. I am going to attempt to start correcting that. Take a look at the article below. Once of the things that music advocates always look for are facts. There has been no national study of access and cause/effect with regard to music. While there was some sense we would see that just a few months ago when we saw Sens. Dodd and Alexander call for a national study on arts education access. The study would have helped lawmakers make crucial decision regarding No Child Left Behind. Speaking of NCLB - haven't heard much about education policy on the campaign trail have we? Let's hope the subject does come up.

Interesting article below - regular blogging to begin again soon.

First results from Florida's first standardized music test (yes, you heard that right, music test)
posted by LesliePostal on Feb 25, 2008 6:24:00 AM
Discuss This: Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Linking Blogs | Add to del.icio.us | Digg it
More than two years ago, the Florida Music Educators' Association devised a 30-minute standardized test for fourth graders. Last spring, association members gave it to nearly 10,000 kids. Last week, they shared the results from this first pilot session.

The major ones:

--Kids who take music class at school know more about music than kids who do not (hardly surprising, but music teachers say it shows that if you want kids to learn about music, well, you need to send them to music class).

-- students who do well on the music test also do well on FCAT

-- minority students, as a group, do not lag as far behind white classmates on the music test as they do on FCAT reading, math and writing exams.

"One subject -- music -- gives students a greater chance to succeed, regardless of ethnicity," the group said.

The Florida Music Assessment, or FMA, was given at 106 schools in 42 counties. The test has students answer questions, sometimes after listening to snippets of music. This pilot project was paid for with state money, but it is not clear yet if the state will fund more or bigger administrations, said James Perry, executive director of the music association.

That question likely will be answered in the coming session of the Florida Legislature. Meanwhile, the association is working to develop middle and high school music exams, too.

The group devised the test as a way to spur improvements in music education and to highlight its importance in public schools. It comes as some schools, feeling pressure to improve students showing in more academic fields, have cut back on music education.

In the 106 pilot schools, some students had no music classes and a few at a magnet school had daily instruction. The average was about 38 minutes a week.

Students who took music and took it more often did better on the test than those who had the class less often or not a all. So, Perry said, "it would certainly be unreasonable to start lessening the time you have in music."

Good scores on the FMA also correlated with good scores on FCAT, suggesting that improving one might improve the other, the association said.

The so-called achievement gap between minority and white students was smaller on the music test than on FCAT, confirming national studies that also show music lessons "reach across all ethnic and socio-economic boundaries" in a way some other subjects do not, Perry said.

The art of education must include the arts

2007-12-17T22:37:00.001-05:00

The art of education must include the arts

Barbara Hall
is a freelance journalist

who writes on education

His name is Andrew, and we nearly lost him.

Around 2000, Andrew was a 12-year-old, at-risk student at Harding Elementary School in Erie. He was saved from dropping out, his teachers believe, by an all-community arts-education program focusing on opera. The program, an ambitious and successful effort, thrives today.

Erie has received a $15 million, five-year math-and-science grant from General Electric. Thinking creatively, Erie administrators are directing a portion of this to Harding's school opera program. As a result, a resident visual artist, poet and dancer will work with students on this year's production.

Arts education in Erie is flourishing.

Not so in Philadelphia. School district administrators confirm there are literally no music or art teachers in the city's middle and high schools - even though music and art are core curriculum subjects with minimum standards for instruction.

Those who care about arts learning in Philly schools are hoping that the School Reform Commission's new CEO, Sandra Dungee Glenn, will include art and music in her priorities.

For now, organizations such as the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership and the National Endowment for the Arts are picking up some of the slack. The NEA's 2007 Learning in the Arts for Children & Youth grants total five. They cover an Asian youth folk-arts festival, a Latino youth artist program, a young playwrights project titled "Exploring Ourselves and Our Cultures," a youth mural project, and an advanced study program at the Settlement Music School of Philadelphia.

Such help, though, cannot compensate for the arts-teacher vacuum in city schools.

Why does arts education matter?

A recent survey by Target Corp. polled millions of American parents over age 18. Ninety-four percent said they consider arts education important to their child's intellectual development. And more than half said they feel their music and art school programs were underfunded.

"Arts have traditionally been the first programs to go when there are tight budget constraints," says Philip Horn, executive director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. At the same time, he adds, "Pennsylvania does pretty well by comparison to other states."

What can parents do for their children and the arts?

Join parent organizations and advocate, urge Horn and Michael Faison, program head at the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

"A school can only be as strong as its families," counsels Dennis Creedon, administrator for creative and performing arts in Philadelphia schools. "Help offset school cuts in arts education by doing your part. That way, school will never be out!"

Take full advantage of culture around the state. There's the Barnes Museum (for now) of Merion, the Brandywine in Chester County, and, of course, the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Philadelphia Orchestra, led by conductor and artistic director Charles Dutoit, has a spectrum of year-round cultural events.

As former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige observed, "From music and dance to painting and sculpture, the arts allow us to explore new worlds."

Conn-Selmer to Close Kenosha Woodwind Facility

2007-12-07T14:35:00.001-05:00

Conn-Selmer to Close Kenosha Woodwind Facility
On Dec. 4, the Conn-Selmer subsidiary of Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. announced it will be closing its woodwind manufacturing operations in Kenosha, Wis. The production of the 95,000-square-foot plant will be transferred to the company’s woodwind facility in Elkhart. Conn-Selmer reports it has sufficient inventory to meet customer needs during the transition of production, which is expected to be completed over the next 12 months.

The closing marks the end of an era in Kenosha, where the late Vito Pascucci founded G. Leblanc Corp. in 1946 and built it into a leader in the band instrument field. Conn-Selmer acquired Leblanc in August 2004 for $36.8 million. The acquisition also included the Holton brass instrument factory in nearby Elkhorn, Wis., which is not expected to be directly affected by the closing of the Kenosha woodwind facility.

John Stoner, president of Conn-Selmer, commented, "We have achieved a high level of expertise at our Elkhart facility through the team’s steady commitment to continuous improvement. This consolidation will help us gain efficiencies and remain a viable U.S. manufacturer in the student clarinet and flute categories."

As a result of the Kenosha plant closure, which will affect approximately 100 active employees, the company expects to incur charges of $800,000 to $1 million over the next few quarters. The charges include severance costs, make-ready costs to prepare the Elkhart plant, and costs for the relocation of machinery and inventory from Kenosha. In addition, the company expects to incur expenses associated with terminating the use of certain capital equipment and real estate assets.

Dana Messina, CEO of Steinway Musical Instruments, explained, "This very difficult decision regarding Kenosha reinforces our commitment to remain a profitable U.S. manufacturer of band instruments. We are confident that our strategy will improve profitability and allow us to compete with lower-cost offshore manufacturers."

September is Nuts

2007-09-19T22:55:00.000-04:00

Lots going for us in September - school is back so we're really up and running and getting instruments etc. out the door.

Not going into a ton of detail right now - but check this link.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Apparently, there is some new sitcom about tv news and the PG did an interview with some local tv anchors. Sally Wiggin is just one of my favorite people so it's worth it for that alone.

Saving The Oboe From Extinction

2007-09-08T19:56:00.001-04:00

The oboe has been listed as one of five classical instruments on a national "endangered species" list because too few people play it and orchestras have struggled to recruit members to their woodwind sections, according to a recent report released in London. Now, the T.W. Howard Co., Sussex, England oboe maker is attempting to address the problem with a "child friendly" mini-oboe. The company's education coordinator, William Ring said, "the problem has always been the oboes are too heavy for children to play so they take up another instrument instead. the new mini-oboe has been designed to replicate the full-sized instrument as closely as possible." the mini-oboes and mini-bassoons are being introduced to pupils at schools in Sussex as part of the government's Wider Opportunities scheme. It aims to allow every school-age child to have a year of free tuition on an orchestral instrument.

--Source - The Music Trades, Sept. 2007

Steeler Nation

2007-09-05T19:27:00.000-04:00

Ok - so I am far from a sports fan - don't watch many sports at all - however, this video was recommended to me and it's worth seeing. ESPN did a show profiling how Pittsburgh's culture is shaped so much by the Steelers.

Some well known Pittsburghers are seen in the video - including Sally Wiggin.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1527321414

Be Glad You're Not From South Carolina

2007-08-26T16:40:00.000-04:00

Take a look at this - http://www.maniacworld.com/what-is-she-talking-about.html

From what I understand, this took place this past Friday in the Miss Teen USA pageant.

I'd say it speaks for itself. Wonder if she can find the US on a map?

Where I've Been...

2007-08-18T16:55:00.000-04:00

Haven't blogged in a long time...

Just finished two weeks of band camp. See highlights of our band camp and my current venture back into journalism at www.bwschools.net/patron/music

It's fun to do the "Notes From The Field" segment. It's using my old tv reporting skills and we're playing it a little off of what DCI and the Cadets have done throughout the drum corps season.

Speaking of drum corps, we got to head out to the live broadcast of DCI quarterfinals last week. The story of the night... the Cadets coming on the field then leaving the field due to a line painting issue. I think it was the right decision for safety reasons, but those Cadets and George Hopkins haters out there used it as another reason to hate The Cadets and Hopkins. Que sera sera.

School starts soon - so that means we're gearing up for that - busy time of the year now!

Boys and Girls Clubs

2007-07-26T14:32:00.000-04:00

This morning I was able to spend about an hour at the McKeesport Boys and Girls club. How cool!

I was up there because NAMM has created an after-school program with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America as a way to create more music makers.

I was there to talk a bit about the Music Makers program, but I was blown away by what goes on there everyday. I had no clue! There were probably about 70 kids there - which is more than I expected and there were volunteers there today who were from as far away as Rhode Island and Wisconsin. How cool to see these kids in an environment where they are having fun and learning at the same time.

And from what I could tell, it's not all about sports - there is also lots of focus on learning. But, it's the great kid of learning that happens when the kids don't even realize that they are learning.

--

In other news, I just found out last night that a friend from high school is leaving tomorrow for six months in Paris. Can you imagine that you would HAVE to go to Paris for your job?

Some National Advocacy News

2007-07-18T09:27:00.000-04:00

Louisiana Adds Music/Arts Mandate - Massachusetts goes the other way

Governor Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana just signed into law Act 175 mandating the visual and performing arts for all schools. Full implementation of the law is scheduled for the 2010/2011 school year and will require all students to have music and the arts as a part of their basic education. The Louisiana law was largely based on the Arkansas legislation that mandated music and art instruction for all children starting with the 2005/2006 school year. Louisiana is now the first state to replicate the Arkansas legislation. Music for All worked closely with Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee along with music and arts advocates to pass the model legislation.

In Massachusetts, arts advocates are pushing the state Department of Education to make arts education a bigger part of recommended high school graduation requirements, which list music, art and related subjects as electives. The recommendations, which the state Board of Education plans to vote on this fall, include four credits each of English and math, three credits each of history and a lab-based science, two credits in the same foreign language and six credits in a chosen elective. Electives may include visual and performing arts, career and technical education, technology or additional courses in other academic subjects. Advocates would like to see students required to take at least one credit of art.

Source: Music for All

Cows Milk Quality Improved By Music

2007-07-16T11:46:00.000-04:00

Do you want to improve your cows' milk quality? Play them Mozart
05/23/2007

In an orderly fashion 700 cows queue up for milking, with no fuss, no stress and very little mooing. The sharps and flats, bass and alto of Mozart's music have been found to be the perfect mix of tonality.

The Chirigota farm on the outskirts of Madrid is using an innovative system to produce the best quality milk possible from its milking cows.

The bovines are treated like VIP's at this Spanish farm with the help of accessories such as waterbeds, electronic brushes and sprinklers that have turned the complex into a five-star hotel for pampered cows.

However, the biggest influence on milk quality, according to the farm owners, is the use of music. It is not any old music though, but that of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The placid harmonies of the Austrian composer's concerto for flute and harp in D major is played continually at milking time. The music soothes the nerves of the Friesians.

"It only happens with Mozart and although it was discovered by monks in Brittany, the idea is being used mainly in Israel. We in fact have specialists come over from Israel to explain to us new concepts of production. And it was them that told us to use Mozart," said Nicolas Sieber, the head of marketing for the milking farm and company.

In an orderly fashion the 700 cows on the farm queue up for milking, with no fuss, no stress and very little mooing. The sharps and flats, bass and alto of Mozart's music have been found to be the perfect mix of tonality: enough to get the cows to relax but not too soothing that they fall asleep.

"It is relaxing music for them but at the same time it is dynamic, it keeps the cows active. The trick is not to have music too relaxing, " added Nicolas Sieber. What the music does for cows is passed onto the milk both in the quality and quantity of the milk they are producing. Any other cow on a normal farm would normally produce 29 litres daily, these cows yield is between 30 to 35 litres per day.

The milk, which is marketed exclusively under the farm's own brand name of Priegola, also has higher levels of healthy fats and proteins.

An ELementary School Based Around Music

2007-07-05T14:17:00.000-04:00

First, violin
At this charter school, music is the primary tool for teaching
By Don Aucoin, Globe Staff | May 30, 2007
Ten-year-old Isaiah Simmons of Roxbury is the picture of concentration as he carefully makes his way through a solo violin version of the venerable folk song "Old Joe Clark."
His classmate Bernard White, however, is eager to play along on his own violin. So Bernard politely asks his teacher, Mona Rashad, "Can I try to play the harmony to it?" She shakes her head in a firm no. But Bernard, a 10-year-old from Roslindale, is not defeated: He tucks his chin to his chest and proceeds to play air violin, pantomiming the bow strokes along with Isaiah.
Literally and figuratively, music is in the air at the Conservatory Lab Charter School -- and in the curriculum, too.
Plenty of elementary schools teach music, but how many require students to attend a 45-minute music class every day, and to take half-hour violin lessons twice a week, and to practice every night? How many issue a violin to each student in first grade, which he or she gets to keep until graduating fifth grade? How many organize the entire educational experience around music?
"At most schools, you don't get to learn how to play an instrument," Bernard says a few minutes after he completes his own solo. "You just do one thing. But music and math kind of go together." Adds Isaiah: "Music helps me do other things."
Researchers -- and parents -- tend to agree. Maybe that's why there's a waiting list of more than 600 for a spot in the Conservatory Lab Charter School, a racially and ethnically mixed elementary school in Brighton for mostly low-income Boston youngsters. Tomorrow afternoon , all 132 students will take the stage at Jordan Hall for a year-end concert during which they will showcase the kind of learning that can't be measured by a standardized test.
At a time when some schools are cutting back on performing-arts education, this school has decided that music is the best way to animate the study of seemingly unrelated subjects. Jonathan Rappaport, the school's executive director , is a longtime music educator and musician who describes the organizing principle of the school's curriculum as "learning through music." The goal is not to produce musicians, he says, but rather "to use music as a way of educating kids in a very comprehensive way."
At this moment on a recent weekday, that interdisciplinary approach is on display in a classroom not far from where the young violinists are playing. More than a dozen students -- black, white, Latino, Asian-American -- are swaying in a chorus line, their young voices raised in their own version of a protest song.
They wrote the lyrics and the music as part of a "co-teaching project" overseen by their music and social studies teachers. The idea is to connect music with their study of the civil rights movement. Their words poignantly combine youthful idealism with a sense of the world's struggles: "Let good be your guidance/ Stop doing violence/ We should all get along/ Try not to do wrong/ Don't discriminate, it only makes hate." The refrain is punctuated by rap interludes that allude to Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and the mid-1970s busing crisis in Boston.
"Every time there's a ready connection to be made, we make it," says Katherine Hakim, 27, the music teacher, who accompanied the students on the piano. "We'll say [to other teachers], 'What are you doing in the classroom, and how can we enhance it with music?' " The teachers also draw from the world of music to impart other lessons. During the violin exercise, Rashad exhorts the students to practice, noting: "Anne-Sophie Mutter, a famous violinist, practices her pieces two years before she performs them." Malcolm Doremus Cuetara, a 10-year-old fourth grader, is impressed. "Wow, she's dedicated!" he exclaims.
The school was founded in 1999 by administrators and faculty members at the New England Conservatory who thought a music-centered curriculum fit logically within the state mandate that charter schools strive to be laboratories of innovation. (As the performance scheduled for tomorrow at NEC's Jordan Hall suggests, the school retains a close relationship with the conservatory . )
"What is different here is that music is taught as a daily core curriculum subject," says Rappaport. "The development of critical-thinking skills is so important, and a lot of that comes out of the music." He points out that music has a mathematical basis, with phrases divided into measures and measures divided into beats. "Music has a very profound effect on the cognitive development of young people," he says. "I think we're proving it here."
Rappaport admits, though, that it has been a struggle to raise the MCAS scores of the students. With such a small student body, the sample size for standardized tests is relatively miniscule. Last year the school finished below the state average in a number of categories. However, it improved from the previous year, prompting the state Department of Education to say the school had achieved "adequate yearly progress" in math and English language arts. Rappaport says he expects further improvement this year.
The ratio of students to teachers at the school is 9 to 1. The student body is a broad cross section of Boston: Nearly 40 percent of the students are African-American, 30 percent are Hispanic or Latino, 20 percent are white, and 4.5 percent are Asian-American. More than 70 percent of the students come from low-income families; for more than one-third of the students, English is not their first language.
Young as they are, the students seem to have grasped that the time they spend rehearsing and performing music may help them master the three R's. "You have to be patient," Bernard says. "You can't just pick up a violin and play a song you haven't learned yet." Malcolm adds: "Sometimes I use music to do my math. I'll think of adding quarter-notes, half-notes. I put my notes together as math." Beyond such pragmatism, of course, lies the pure joy of performing music. "It has a lot of emotion," says Yarimar Muniz, 11, a fourth-grader from Roxbury, though she admits "it's a little bit complicated when you first learn a new song."
Back in the classroom, the students are running through their song one last time. Hakim offers praise, advice, and something more. "The harmony, I want you guys to keep the pitch up, be a little stronger," she says, while a roomful of young strivers listens attentively. "With the melody, you have that nice soaring melody."
"That's what I want from you," she says. "Soar."
Don Aucoin can be reached at aucoin @globe.com.

Community Bands in the PA Spotlight

2007-07-03T18:26:00.000-04:00

There just aren't enough community bands out there, but Pennsylvania is rich in community bands. The famous Allentown band is one for example. Our state house has proclaimed July as Community Band month in PA. Wouldn't it be great to have some type of great community band festival in PA to celebrate?

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No. 341 Session of 2007

INTRODUCED BY MENSCH, HUTCHINSON, BAKER, BARRAR, BEAR,
BENNINGHOFF, BEYER, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, CONKLIN, COSTA,
CREIGHTON, DiGIROLAMO, J. EVANS, EVERETT, FABRIZIO,
FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FREEMAN, GABIG, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS,
GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, HARHART, HARKINS, HENNESSEY,
HERSHEY, HESS, KILLION, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, MAJOR,
MANN, MANTZ, MARSHALL, MILLARD, MILNE, MOYER, MURT, MUSTIO,
NAILOR, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PASHINSKI, PERZEL, PETRONE,
PHILLIPS, PYLE, QUIGLEY, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROHRER,
ROSS, SAINATO, SAMUELSON, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SONNEY,
R. STEVENSON, SWANGER, R. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TRUE, VEREB,
VULAKOVICH AND WALKO, JUNE 21, 2007
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JUNE 21, 2007
A RESOLUTION

1 Designating the month of July 2007 as "Community Band Month" in
2 Pennsylvania.

3 WHEREAS, This country and this Commonwealth in particular
4 have a long and rich tradition of supporting community bands;
5 and
6 WHEREAS, Community bands have a variety of origins, including
7 as militia and military bands; and
8 WHEREAS, Community bands have been celebrated in musical and
9 theatrical performances; and
10 WHEREAS, Community bands perform an important role in our
11 communities; and
12 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is home to some of the oldest and most

1 renowned community bands, including the Allentown Band, in
2 continuous existence since 1828, the Franklin Silver Cornet
3 Band, in continuous existence since 1856, and the Red Hill Band,
4 which has performed summer concerts each year since 1900; and
5 WHEREAS, These community treasures have continued through the
6 tireless efforts of volunteer musicians and organizers;
7 therefore be it
8 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
9 month of July 2007 as "Community Band Month" in Pennsylvania
10 with thanks for the immeasurable contributions of community
11 bands and band members to the betterment of this Commonwealth.

Old WTAE Promo

2007-06-27T21:15:00.000-04:00

I was looking around YouTube. Look at this old WTAE promo...

Is that the Cadets drumming in there? So cool to see music so involved in a promo.

Long Time No Post

2007-06-25T14:23:00.001-04:00

I have not posted here in quite some time - mainly because I don't have much to post about.

Now that school is out, business here has slowed up a bit. That's typical for our summer months. It's a good for us to take these next two months to get ready for the very busy fall season when school starts back up again.

We've also added a new member to the Progressive Music team - Suzi Bernard. You'll see her bio go up soon in the about us section.

If you were not at the drum corps show at Baldwin last week, you missed a great show and some great corps. You have one more chance to see some great corps this Thursday at Elizabeth Forward High School. The show starts at seven. It's the last local show of the summer. And I'm the emcee - so it's worth it to go for that reason as well.

You also want to head to the show to make sure you enter to win two free tickets to the DCI Eastern Classic on July 7-8. All you have to do is stop by the Progressive Music table sign up for our e-mail newsletter and you will be entered to win.

***

As I've mentioned before, I have been transferring my old video tapes to DVD's. Every once in a while I'm posting some items to YouTube. Here's a clip from a show I watched when I was in high school - Breakfast Time on fX.

You might recognize Tom Bergeron - he hosts something on tv now - not sure what. And Laurie Hibberd works for CBS. You may even recognize some of the others you see as well.

Band is back up in full swing for me as well. We're preparing for the 4th of July parade now. That's about it.

Duquesne High School to Close

2007-06-06T09:26:00.001-04:00

Perhaps you heard the story about Duquesne High School closing. Here is a WTAE report about it.

I don't know that it's a done deal - but I did take note that one of the reasons that they have cited to close is it lack of music classes and activities. It's good to hear that is a rational for a solid high school education.

Vintage Video

2007-06-06T09:18:00.001-04:00

I am in the slow process of putting all of my old video tapes on DVD's. It takes so long because the computer takes time to process the dvd menus as well as to process the video. I've decided to post some of the things I find on these old videos to YouTube.

Here is one gem I found. Remember Pittsburgh's Talking in WTAE with Ann Devlin.

Ann and PT are the reasons I ever became interested on a career in journalism. The clip above is from WTAE TV day at Kennywood in 1990. I had no interest in the subject - soap operas - however, I was in the audience that morning - way way way in the back. But, I did get to meet Ann Devlin and have my picture taken with her. A pretty exciting thing for a 10 year old.

A Guitar Innovation

2007-05-28T08:49:00.000-04:00

Well, so much for my plan to post daily. Last week was taken up by doing elementary school music tryouts so I have very little time to post.

Here's a great story I found in yesterday's New York Times. - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/business/yourmoney/27goods.html

It looks like a very cool iinovation for the guitar industry - a foldup travel size guitar!!! A bit expensive now - but I imagine that it will come down in price with time.

Northwestern Jazz Program to Be Cut

2007-05-17T16:17:00.000-04:00

It seems that most of us who do any work in the music advocacy world spend lots of time trying to keep music programs alive in K-12 schools.

Today, I heard of cuts in the jazz studies program at Northwestern University in Chicago. Check out this link for more information of this music program cut at the college level.

Jazz is such a great American art form. It would be dis-heartening to see jazz taken out of an American institution of higher education.

Ummm... are you kidding me?

2007-05-16T21:37:00.001-04:00

WTAE has added a new section to their website called Links N@. How riduclious. The premise is apparently that these two women tell us about the website of the day, the tv clip of the day etc. I'm a bit confused at to why I need to watch a video of them anchoring and telling showing me the links to these sites. Perhaps, just have a list of cool links etc.

Tunesmith & Anthony has a great post about this site as well.

Oh, what tv news has come to. They're trying to make the local news model work in an internet situation. I don't think it will work. At least, not how they have it set up.

Again, these are the things that remind me how happy I am to not be in television news anymore.

Huckabee

2007-05-12T14:33:00.000-04:00

Republican presidential candidate Mike Hucakbee was at the Iowa Bandmaster's Convention this week. Read about it and listen to his remarks here. He makes great points about keeping music in schools and the value of music education.

That said - he was one of three candidates at the relublican debate last week who said he did not believe in evolution.

I still don't think the guy has a chance, however it's great to have someone at that level bringing some attention to music education.

Fascinating Friday

2007-05-11T21:43:00.000-04:00

I guess I am somewhat fascinated by history. I do not know much of the history of Progressive Music. I've asked questions here and there but have never found anything that provides solid answers. So, I decided to begin the process of actually putting together some history.

Well, today was step one in what I imagine will be a long process. I spent most of the day today with who I came to discover is a McKeesport legend - Helen Tozzi. What an amazing amount of information she was able to provide me and what an absolutely captivating woman.

Lots of information from her - I'm not going to go into it all here - but I did find out that 2007 is Progressive Music's 60th anniversary year. I certainly did not know that!!! Look for more in the coming months as I try to research the history of what i have come to find is a real McKeesport institution - Progressive Music.

--

Tonight, I attended an elementary band concert in the Baldwin-Whitehall school district. Though I do spend time teaching high school music, it is wonderful to see these 4th and 5th graders just starting out in music. It really is amazing what these kids can accomplish in just a few short months. In many ways, that's what music education is all about - seeing these kids up there performing for their family and friends. It really shows that they were able to accomplish something so tangable in just a few short months. Hopefully, they get the life lesson out of that.

Newseum

2007-05-10T11:40:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting about the Newseum. I was there years ago - before they closed it and started gearing up for a new building. It should be a fascinating place to visit once it's opened up again.

Newseum gets $15 million gift

Staff and agencies
10 May, 2007

By BRETT ZONGKER, Associated Press Writer Wed May 9, 2:28 PM ET

WASHINGTON - A used cell phone. An old vest. It‘s a mishmash of donations, and they‘re not for Goodwill.

The cell phone was donated by a Virginia Tech student who sent CNN the footage from outside a campus building where a student gunman killed 32 people and himself last month.

Also new to the collection is the vest worn by ABC Newsman Bob Woodruff when he was badly injured in Iraq by a roadside bomb. But the Newseum‘s biggest gift, announced Tuesday, will be $15 million donated by the Annenberg Foundation. In recognition of the gift, the Newseum will name its largest theater the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Theater.

The gift, along with $79 million from 11 news organizations, foundations and families, is earmarked for the $435 million facility, scheduled to open Oct. 15.

The Annenberg Theater will present a 4-D movie experience with an 11-minute trip through history, featuring Edward R. Murrow as a central character. Audience members will wear 3-D glasses, similar to an Imax film. The fourth dimension will be misting water, rumbling seats and other "surprise special effects," Bennett said.

When it opens this fall, the new Newseum will be among the most expensive museums in Washington, charging $17.91 for adults (symbolic for the year the First Amendment was ratified), $16 for seniors and $13 for children ages 6 to 12. The 4-D theater will charge an admission fee of $5 in addition to the museum admission price.

"We are a nonprofit organization," Bennett said. "We needed to generate some revenues to help offset the cost of running this new and much larger and improved Newseum."

___

Newseum: http://www.newseum.org

Posting Daily

2007-05-09T20:50:00.000-04:00

One of the many blogs I read each day is Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. Though I do not completly subscribe to her idea of a formula for happiness, I do like to read her blog for great insight and sometimes great links to other interesting sites.

One of the things Gretchen talked about is that she makes it a point to post to her blog daily. I've attempted lately to do the same - with limited success.

Another topic Gretchen has posted about got me thinking recently. She talks about reading books you want to read and not just reading because you feel you have to. In the last year, I've probably read one or two books that I wanted to read for "pleasure." I am constanly reading things I feel I should read. I read what seems like at least a dozen trade magazines a month. I am constantly in receipt of reports about the state of music education, the music industry etc. I read as much of these as I can because I have always felt that it is necessary to be as aware of the industry you are working in as possible. Gretchen says take time to read more books you want to read. I don't even know what those books are anymore.

I come home - usually nap because I am constanly exhausted anymore, then read read read. As I am reading, I usually have talk radio podcasts that I've downloaded playing. I'm not as focused on reading or listening as I'd like. That lack of focus is not good I am sure. I don't even watch television anymore. You know I've talked about how useless I think it is anymore. The NewsHour on PBS is all I watch - and that's not even with the regularity that I would like.

--

On another note, I hope all the readers of this blog receive our e-mail newsletter. If not, send an e-mail to info@progressivemusiccompany.com, today we published a story about more focus going to get a better grasp on on the state of music education in the US. The US General Accounting Office has been asked to do a study of access to music in schools across this country. This is really ground-breaking and important for music advocates across this nation. Check our music advocacy page for more information.

New York

2007-05-08T10:33:00.000-04:00

Last week I was in New York for a NAMM regional Town Hall Meeting. It was a great chance to talk to others in the music products industry and have some great discussions about music advocacy and keep music programs alive and well in schools.

The meeting was held at an airport near LaGuarida airport. Beautiful hotel - strange area of town -- enough said.

I flew in on Tuesday and back home Wednesday night. Well, I went to the airport around 3 on Wednesday as the meeting was over. My flight was supposed to leave at 8 and I would be back in Pittsburgh by 9:30. Because of winds in the area and a delayed flight crew, I didn't leave New York until after 10. It was after midnight that I got home.

Here was the cool part of the flights though. I've never flown into New York as I usually drive. However, flying into LaGuardia was fascinating as you could see all of Manhattan up close on the way in. And I got to see it at night on the way home. It was quite a sight.

Venezuelian Music Program

2007-05-07T10:26:00.000-04:00

Check out this article in the LA Times.

It talks about the progress of a Venezuelian music program. I watched a DVD recently about the youth symphonies in Venezuela. It's great to see what these youth are doing. Apparently, it's the product of a part government/part private program that creates local community music programs.

I'm curious to learn more information about this program and how it could be replicated in the United States.

Official Word From the PG

2007-05-04T15:13:00.001-04:00

Elizabeth Forward band director out of hospital

Friday, May 04, 2007

By Jim McKinnon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Elizabeth Forward band director David Cornelius is on his way home.

Mr. Cornelius was among those injured early yesterday when a bus crashed with members of the band aboard on their way to a competition in Wildwood, N.J.

The bus crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer that was moving into eastbound traffic on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Chester County.

Timothy Berkshire, the bus driver from Masontown, remains hospitalized in serous condition.

Most of the other passengers were members of the Elizabeth Forward High School indoor percussion group.

A few students suffered injuries that required treatment, such as a broken nose and a broken arm. Most of the rest had minor injuries.

All of the percussionists were given the day off from school today, spokeswoman Jane Milner said.

Investigators yesterday inspected the tractor-trailer and found no major mechanical problems, state police said.

The bus was to be inspected today.

Results of the two inspections will be released by Monday, police said.

Mr. Cornelius was discharged this morning from a hospital.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Elizabeth Forward Bus Accident

2007-05-04T15:00:00.000-04:00

I had planned on writing today about my trip to New York City earlier this week, but I wanted to write a few words about the bus accident you may have been hearing about in the news. I'll post about New York later.

I'm sure you all saw the story about the Elizabeth Forward Indoor Drumline on their way to Wilidwood, NJ for the TOB Indoor Championships.

The thoughts and prayers of everyone here at Progressive Music go out to everyone who was on that bus especially band director, Dave Cornelius. Thursday morning is the day I usually see Dave as Elizabeth Forward is one of my accounts and my alma mater. So, it was odd yesterday to hear about him and the drumline yesterday. Just from looking at the pictures of the bus, I'd say everyone is lucky that they are as un-injured as they are. I imagine that Dave was sitting in the first seat on the passenger side of the bus, hence the reason he was injured enough to stay over night. That's the seat I always sit in when I'm on a band trip. For all the years of trips I've been on, I can certainly say that we have been lucky with our travel. We've only had minor incidents.

I guess it makes everyone in the band world stop and think a little bit about their travle plans.

I hear that Dave is on the way home. I hope he is well and I wish him the best. I hope to see him next week!

U.S. House Resolution Supporting School-Based Music Education Passes Unanimously

2007-04-27T11:55:00.000-04:00

U.S. House Resolution Supporting School-Based Music Education Passes Unanimously
Resolution Demonstrates Congress’ Continued Support of the Importance of Music Education for All Children.

Members of Congress discussed the benefits and importance of school-based music education for children on the House floor today resulting in the passage of House Concurrent Resolution 121. After some discussion, the Resolution was passed unanimously, showing a display of continued support from Congress for music education as part of a complete education for all children.

NAMM recently met with Reps. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) and Jon Porter (R-Nev.), providing them with research outlining the many social, developmental and educational benefits for school-aged children who receive music education in the school curriculum. Reps. Cooper and Porter presented the bi-partisan Resolution with strong support last year, and this year, more than 25 cosponsors signed the Resolution.

The Resolution states that learning music in schools is important because it develops skills needed by the 21st century workforce such as critical thinking, creative problem solving, effective communication and team work; keeps students engaged in school and makes them more likely to graduate; and helps students achieve in other academic subjects such as math, science and reading.

“A lot of folks who have had the privilege of a music education take it for granted,” said Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.). “But 30 million or more of our children across this country every day are being deprived of that chance to not only experience the joy of music but as my colleagues have mentioned, the increased and enhanced learning abilities that music offers and also the ability of music to deter people from gangs and drugs and other undesirable activities…Whether it’s band or whether it’s orchestra or whether it’s students on their own learning the guitar or other instruments, it’s a wonderful way to not only enjoy life but to enhance their skills.”

"My passion for music began in the first grade with my parent’s encouragement for which I am deeply grateful,” said Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.) “It has been the greatest gift. Music brings people together whether it is at church, in school or at a concert. The discipline and teamwork I learned throughout the years, playing individually or collaboratively have been invaluable lessons applicable to every aspect of my life."

“One of the basic reasons that every child must have an education in music is that music is a part of the fabric of our society,” said Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) “The intrinsic value of music for each individual is widely recognized in the many cultures that make up American life. Music helps shape individual abilities and character. Success in society is predicated on success in school. Skills learned through the discipline of music transfer to study skills, communication skills and the cognitive skills useful in every part of the curriculum. Participation in music brings countless benefits to every individual throughout life. The benefits may be psychological, spiritual or physical. I ask my colleagues to support this Resolution and support the next generation of music lovers.”

“Research has shown that students’ involvement in their school music program is crucial to a complete education,” said Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.). “Musical study develops critical thinking and self-discipline skills and improves a child’s early cognitive development, basic math and reading abilities, self-esteem, SAT scores, ability to work in teams, spatial reasoning skills and school attendance. In an analysis by the U.S. Department of Education [outlining] data on more than 25,000 secondary school students, research has found that students who report consistent high levels of involvement in instrumental music over the middle and high school years showed significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12 regardless of a student’s socioeconomic status.”

“This Resolution expressing support for music education is a message from the U.S. Congress that music education is a critical element of a complete education for all children,” said Mary Luehrsen, director of public affairs and government relations at NAMM. “The Resolution also serves to remind states and local communities to assure access to music education for all students and that music education stands along side other core academic subjects in helping students achieve in school and in life. Music and arts education are, for many students, the reason for coming to and staying in school. This Resolution supports the ongoing work of educators, parents and citizens who believe that music education is not a frill or extra-curricular activity—it is basic to a whole education for every child.”

Cosponsors of the bill included Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.), Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.), Rep. John Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.), Rep Bob Etheridge (D-N.C.), Rep. Baron Hill (D-Ind.), Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-Texas), Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.), Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.), Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.), Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan.), Rep. James Moran (D-Va.), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, (D-D.C.), Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.), Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), Rep. Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-N.Y.), Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.), Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Ma.), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo.).

The Glass Castle

2007-04-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. I heard about the book through WPTT-AM talk radio host Lynn Cullen. The book is part of the Allegheny County Library Association One Book One Community program.

I recommend this book to anyone. It tells the story of Jeannette Walls and her family as they move around the country and are basically homeless. Her parents would argue that they are homeless by choice. I haven't come down as to what I feel about the parents. Where they bad? Where they good? I can't make a judgement just yet, but I can say they were certainly excentric.

I'm not going to go into all of the details of the book, but I do recommend the book to you.

Here's a few of my biggest reactions to the book.
1) It amazes me how much Jeannette remembers from her childhood. Could any of us write in so much detail what Jeannette remembers? I really don't think I could. And especially after having been through so many experiences, would you be able to remember so much with so much detail?

2) Jeannette wrote something so very noteworthy to me. I guess I find it so interesting because I can realate so much to this, but never realized it. Jeannette joined her high school newspaper and loved it because she got to go and cover all the exciting events that happen when you're in high school. These are not normal events that she would have found herself attending because she felt out of place, but when she was there as a reporter, she felt a purpose and was about to be a part of the things that she once felt out-cast from being a part of. I wonder to myself if that's why I was so into my former journalism career. I look at the journalism world now and am sickened at what I see and am generally happy to not be a part of it.

Anyway, a very interesting book that will certainly make you think. Check it out.

Virginia Tech

2007-04-21T09:27:00.000-04:00

I'm sure there will be a lot of talk about the media coverage of the killings at Virgina Tech and gun control and campus safety.

But, take a look at this story. You may have already seen it. This is the Virgina Tech Marching Band making a surprise visit to the hospital where some shooting victims were staying. Make sure to watch the video clip.

Progressive's Bill Schultz

2007-04-16T11:48:00.000-04:00

These pictures come to us courtesy of Fender. They are pictures of Bill Schultz who ran Fender. He started his career right here at Progressive Music. We believe these pictures to be taken when Progressive was at 811 Walnut Street. That is two buildings ago.

More on Bill Schultz at www.fender.com/billschultz - worth checking out.

Dozens in GOP Turn Against Bush's Prized 'No Child' Act

2007-04-12T15:24:00.000-04:00

Dozens in GOP Turn Against Bush's Prized 'No Child' Act
By Jonathan Weisman and Amit R. Paley
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, March 15, 2007; Page A01

More than 50 GOP members of the House and Senate -- including the House's second-ranking Republican -- will introduce legislation today that could severely undercut President Bush's signature domestic achievement, the No Child Left Behind Act, by allowing states to opt out of its testing mandates.

For a White House fighting off attacks on its war policy and dealing with a burgeoning scandal at the Justice Department, the GOP dissidents' move is a fresh blow on a new front. Among the co-sponsors of the legislation are House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a key supporter of the measure in 2001, and John Cornyn (R-Tex.), Bush's most reliable defender in the Senate. Rep. Eric Cantor (Va.), the House GOP's chief deputy whip and a supporter in 2001, has also signed on.

Burson Snyder, a spokesman for Blunt, said that after several meetings with school administrators and teachers in southwest Missouri, the House Republican leader turned against the measure he helped pass. Blunt was convinced that the burdens and red tape of the No Child Left Behind Act are unacceptably onerous, Snyder said.

Some Republicans said yesterday that a backlash against the law was inevitable. Many voters in affluent suburban and exurban districts -- GOP strongholds -- think their schools have been adversely affected by the law. Once-innovative public schools have increasingly become captive to federal testing mandates, jettisoning education programs not covered by those tests, siphoning funds from programs for the talented and gifted, and discouraging creativity, critics say.

To be sure, key lawmakers would like to reauthorize the law this year. Ranking Republicans on the House and Senate education committees are pushing for a renewal. And key Democrats, including Rep. George Miller (Calif.) and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (Mass.), the chairmen of the House and Senate committees responsible for drafting an updated No Child Left Behind Act, are strong supporters, although they want large increases in funding and more emphasis on teacher training and development.

Still, Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), author of the new House bill, said the number of Republicans already backing the new measure exceeds the 41 House Republicans and Democrats who voted against the original legislation in 2001. Of the House bill's co-sponsors, at least eight voted for the president's plan six years ago.

"President Bush and I just see education fundamentally differently," said Hoekstra, a longtime opponent of the law. "The president believes in empowering bureaucrats in Washington, and I believe in local and parental control."

As Congress considers reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act, the GOP rebellion could grow, conceded Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (Calif.), the ranking Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee and a key ally of the president on the issue. "It was a struggle getting it passed last time. It'll be even more of a struggle this time," he said.

Under Hoekstra's bill, any state could essentially opt out of No Child Left Behind after one of two actions. A state could hold a referendum, or two of three elected entities -- the governor, the legislature and the state's highest elected education official -- could decide that the state would no longer abide by the strict rules on testing and the curriculum.

The Senate bill is slightly less permissive, but it would allow a state to negotiate a "charter" with the federal government to get away from the law's mandates.

In both cases, the states that opt out would still be eligible for federal funding, but those states could exempt any education program but special education from No Child Left Behind strictures.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said that advocates do not intend to repeal the No Child Left Behind Act. Instead, they want to give states more flexibility to meet the president's goals of education achievement, he said. As a House member in 2001, DeMint opposed No Child Left Behind when it first came to a vote, but he voted for it on final passage.

"So many people are frustrated with the shackles of No Child Left Behind," DeMint said. "I don't think anyone argues with measuring what we're doing, but the fact is, even the education community . . . sees us just testing, testing, testing, and reshaping the curriculum so we look good."

Parent unrest in places such as Scarsdale, N.Y., and parts of suburban Michigan could affect members of Congress. Connecticut has sued the government over the law, while legislatures in Virginia, Colorado and heavily Republican Utah have moved to supersede it.

Republican lawmakers involved in crafting the new legislation say Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and other administration officials have moved in recent days to tamp down dissent within the GOP. Since January, Spellings has met or spoken with about 40 Republican lawmakers on the issue, said Katherine McLane, the Education Department's press secretary.

"We've made a lot of progress in the past five years in serving the children who have traditionally been underserved in our education system," McLane said. "Now is not the time to roll back the clock on those children."

But so far, the administration's efforts have borne little fruit, Republican critics said.

"Republicans voted for No Child Left Behind holding their noses," said Michael J. Petrilli, an Education Department official during Bush's first term who is now a critic of the law. "But now with the president so politically weak, conservatives can vote their conscience."

A Progressive Legend on Drums

2007-04-10T15:41:00.000-04:00

Look at this YouTube video. Playing drums with Benny Goodman is a legend of days gone by at Progressive Music, Hud Davies.

Hope Your Already Saw This...

2007-03-30T13:51:00.001-04:00

I love to see parodies of tv news like this. Once again, I am reminded why I'm glad to not be in tv news.

What We Call the News | Send To Friends | Funny Animations at JibJab

Why I Don't Watch The Local News

2007-03-20T21:28:00.000-04:00

As, I've said before, I used to want a career in broadcast journalism. On the rare chance when I actually see tv news, I realize why I am glad i'm not in it.

Two examples from today:

1-I am still a news junkie and keep tuned to CNN all day (though they have been going down the tubes of late.) You may have heard this afternoon about a 14 year old boy who was trapped onder a piece of concrete in Butler County. Well, the cable channels were all over the story because it's easy and visual. MSNBC and CNN were picking up shots from WPXI's helicopter. PXI didn't break into programming with the story, WTAE eventually did. Well, MSNBC interviewed a WPXI reporter who shall remain nameless on their air. It's amazing how breathless these reporters are when covering stories like this. It's sick. They're practically salivating. And you can almost hear it on the phone. Yes, it's a story that the kid was trapped, but does it deserve this breathless coverage where facts that aren't even correct are put out there only to be retracted later? Perhaps, it's just the effect of the of a 24 hour news cycle, but come on - these reporters make the story out to be Watergate. Again, glad the boy is ok, but should it be all over the tv?

2-The only thing I ever really watch on tv at all is The Newshour on PBS. I turned the tv on tonight to watch. Well, I thought I turned PBS on, but I ended up on a local station. President Bush held a press conerence in the 5pm hour today. I caught about 30 seconds of it live on the local station. Bush was talking about the US attorney issue. Well, when the station came back to the anchors in the studio - they were absolutely clueless. It looked as if they had no idea at all what this story was about. Hello - you're news anchors! You should be paying attention to the news. It's disgusting, they were not able to put anything the viewer just heard into context. Why? They don't pay attention? They're only faces on tv? I have no idea - but that's not journalism - this is what they do everyday. Perhaps they should be paying attention to the news around them - that includes national news!!!
I saw one of those anchors doing a tease a little bit later about what kind of steaks to buy. Now - that's news.

Music Advocate runs for President

2007-03-20T14:31:00.000-04:00

I've been meaning to post this for some time. I doubt I'll get into much political talk on this blog - though I do have some rather political view.

I want to fraw your attention to former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. He is running for the republican presidential nomination. Huckabee is a strong advocate for music education. I had the chance to see him speak at the NAMM show in January.

While I don't think he has a very strong chance to end up being the nominee, he can certainly bring some attention to the importance of music education.

Here's what he had to say on Meet The Press a few weeks ago.

MR. RUSSERT: Now, I believe that song is “Born To Be Wild.” Is that your inner self?

GOV. HUCKABEE: It probably would be born to be mild would be a better one for me. I love music. One of the things that I’m very passionate about is music and art and education because it was life-changing for me. I think in a creative economy we’ve got to have a whole group of kids coming up and a generation whose left and right brains are stimulated. It’s something I pushed for as a governor in Arkansas where we are one of the few states that required both music and art education. I’m a musician, I’m passionate about it, but I think this, this country has made a huge mistake in cutting music and art out of school budgets. And it’s something we’ve got to address because the future economy is dependent upon a creative generation.

The more we hear of music and arts education, the better our case is to keep it alive in the schools.

McKeesport Students Singing at State Capitol Today

2007-03-16T12:22:00.000-04:00

McKeesport students to sing at state Capitol

Thursday, March 15, 2007

By Eric Slagle
Singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" is not an easy task for most vocalists because of its octave-and-a-half range.

Add a couple of voices to the mix, however, and the national anthem becomes less challenging.

"It's a lot easier to sing as a group than as an individual," said Mary Jo Vallus, a Mc-Keesport Area High School senior.

As a singer in the school's 65-member a cappella choir, Ms. Vallus, a soprano, knows about singing in a group. She and fellow choir members have been practicing the national anthem and other numbers in preparation for a performance tomorrow in Harrisburg.

They will perform as part of Music in Our Schools Month in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association.

Also on the bill are selections by the high school's eight-member flute ensemble, directed by Karen Cole. The two groups will take turns performing their music in the rotunda of the Capitol Building.

The student musicians will also tour the facility.

"Seeing the rotunda and performing on the steps is a phenomenal experience," said Beth Murphy, director of the a cappella choir. "The sound goes up into the dome and bounces all around."

Other songs in the program include "An Irish Blessing" and "David's Lamentation," which should bring rich sound reverberating through the 272-foot-high Capitol dome.

Ms. Murphy said there is no particular theme to the performance.

The students will travel to Harrisburg and back by bus in one day.

The choir performed at the same venue about six years ago, said Ms. Murphy.

She said the a cappella choir has existed at the high school for decades; the flute ensemble was formed about two years ago.

State Rep. Marc Gergely, D-White Oak, visited musicians at the high school last week to honor their selection for the performance.

(Eric Slagle is a freelance writer. )

Music Ed in Pittsburgh Catholic Schools

2007-03-11T13:20:00.000-04:00

They said organizing band programs wouldn't work, but Sister Serafina proved them wrong

Music of the spirit

Sunday, March 11, 2007

By Tim Grant
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

They told her it couldn't be done.

Sister Serafina Viagrande had a dream to some day provide instrumental music education in Catholic elementary schools on a grand scale.

"My whole life was music as a child," she said. "I realized the importance of music, and I saw the lack of music in Catholic schools."

When she was an enthusiastic young nun wanting to organize multiple band programs during the 1950s in Columbus, Ohio, several priests told her it would never work.

Sister Serafina proved them wrong in Pittsburgh.

The instrumental music program she manages for the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has grown to include 76 schools and is believed to be the largest band program for Catholic school elementary pupils in the country.

This year marks her 25th anniversary at the helm of the band program.

"By providing children this chance to play instruments, they can discover if they have the gift," she said. "Even if they don't continue their whole life, they can have an appreciation for what's good in music."

While a growing number of religious sisters no longer wear the traditional habit, Sister Serafina, 76, said she always will do so because it's her way of representing God to people without having to say a word.

Her band pupils are her disciples. She is the tiny, soft-spoken, but stern music teacher who insists they sit up straight, behave and pay attention throughout concert rehearsals that run up to 41/2 hours. She seldom has to correct anyone. Students respect her as a nun and a musician.

"We never wanted to push the envelop with her because she made music important enough that we really wanted to do it well," said Tom Wilson, 50, of the North Side, a former student at St. Thomas District High School in Braddock.

Some of her students went on to earn advanced degrees in music.

John Rogel, 50, who also attended St. Thomas, received a bachelor's degree in music from the University of Maryland. He's now a professional classical music teacher and opera singer in Bowie, Md. Sister Serafina taught him to play bass viol.

"Her deep understanding and her love for music is what inspired me most," he said.

The total enrollment in her band program this year falls just shy of 2,000 elementary school pupils, 36 band directors and five district managers.

Although the National Catholic Education Association in Washington, D.C., keeps no official records on elementary school band memberships, officers there believe her program could be the largest of its kind in the nation.

"It is very extraordinary, especially in this day and age," said Sister Mary Dawson, assistant elementary school executive director for NCEA. "More often those programs are run by musicians from the local areas who are willing to take on music lessons for one or maybe two schools. What she is doing is a rarity across the country."

The Rev. Kris Stubna, diocesan secretary for education, said 80 percent of all elementary schools in the diocese participate in her band program.

"Music is one of those things that gets set aside because of curriculums and budgets," Father Stubna said. "But music is another language that opens the mind and heart to human understanding in a different kind of way.

"She really believes getting children in music learning at an early age will have a profound impact on their lives," he said.

At a time when many Catholic schools are struggling to pay salaries for classroom teachers, her band program has grown from 22 to 76 schools over the years, largely because it costs schools nothing to provide it.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh pays Sister Serafina a stipend of $1,000 a month and parents of band students pay her a $10 annual fee for each child in the program. She provides a band teacher for each of the schools. Parents pay those teachers $18 to $26 a month for each band student.

"In the past, teachers got a percentage of what the parents paid outside companies that ran the program," Sister Serafina said. "When I took it over, I felt the teachers deserved to get all the payment, and they stayed."

Only in the past few years has Sister Serafina given up teaching in schools, limited her travel and shifted the bulk of her duties to administering the program, which she does from an office at St. Aloysius Rectory in Reserve.

Her best students in each district have the opportunity to perform concerts as a group in Honors Band and the All-Star Band at no additional cost.

A Dominican Sister of St. Mary of the Springs, Sister Serafina came to the United States from Sicily as a baby in 1931, joined the convent in 1949 in Columbus and was sent to Pittsburgh in 1965.

Violin is her main instrument, but she has studied all band and string instruments and holds a master's degree in music education from Ohio State University.

She used to play the violin with the University of Pittsburgh Community Orchestra, the Wilkinsburg Symphony and the Pittsburgh Savoyards. She continues to perform on the violin in church and in the convent.

The Rev. Hugh Lang, former superintendent of Catholic Schools for the diocese, made it possible for Sister Serafina to fulfill her life's ambition when he appointed her in 1982 to coordinate the instrumental music program.

The band program was declining steadily under the leadership of outside companies. She feared it would fade away completely, and she was not about to let that happen.

"Sister Serafina doesn't understand the word 'no,' " said Father Lang, now retired and living at St. Anne's in Castle Shannon. "To say she was appointed by me is an understatement. She appointed herself.

"Anything she undertakes, she does it with such enthusiasm it won't fail," Father Lang said. "She puts her heart and soul into her work."

Charles and Jean Marie Nemeth, of Thornburg, have had six children in Sister Serafina's music program, one of whom obtained a bachelor's degree in music from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and a master's degree in music from the Royal Academy of Music in London.

"Sister Serafina was essentially the capstone of all my children's instrumental musical experience," Mr. Nemeth said. "She magnificently incorporates the spiritual life into music. She sees music as a spiritual undertaking. It's her method of spreading the gospel."

(Tim Grant can be reached at tgrant@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1591. )

Pianist with Hearing Loss

2007-03-05T21:05:00.000-05:00

Check this story in the PG about a pianist with hearing loss.

Kudos to the PG for some many music and arts stories.