Mentions are Nice – Mandates Matter
I have been asked over the years why I have been such a forceful proponent of mandates. Many individuals, and even organizations have commented we should be happy with standards and to be included in lists of core curriculum. I am not suggesting these have not been important accomplishments in the evolution of music and […]
Grammy Prexy Hits a High Note for Music Education
Our great partners at the Recording Academy came through as Neil Portnow, Recording Academy President, took to the stage of the 49th Annual Grammy Awards to ask the country to take a stand for music and arts education. We were proud to have worked together with the Academy and many other like-minded groups including the […]
A Music and Arts Education Advocate Runs for President
This morning, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee announced his plans to run for President of the United States. You will know from reading this blog that Governor Huckabee has been an unwavering supporter of music and arts education and has used his position of power and influence to help educate others on the critical role […]
From Hope to Higher Ground
No advocate has had a greater impact on advancing music and arts education over the past decade than Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. No one. He has used his leadership posts as Governor, his chairmanship of both the Education Commission of the States and the National Governors Association as his own “bully pulpit” to promote the […]
How Bush education law has changed our schools
USA Today published this excellent review of the impact of No Child Left Behind on the 5th anniversary of the enactment of the law: How Bush education law has changed our schools By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY The walls are speaking these days at Stanton Elementary School in Philadelphia, and they're talking about test scores. […]
College Marching Bands Take Center Stage… Again
Great story today in the New York Times about college marching bands in general and Florida and Ohio State specifically. The nice thing about this coverage is that it is showing the trend toward showcasing these bands again… something that has been waning in college athletics for the past 2 decades. Nice to see a […]
And in this corner…
Happy New Year Everyone! Well to start us off on the proper footing we have two news stories that are certain to spark the debate over the "best" music to use for "teaching" music. In the corner to our left we have no lesser a fellow than famed cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. According to an […]
Happy Holidays from Music for All
My Letter to Santa…
Well another year is in the books! By the time you are able to read this column Midwest Band has come and gone, the new Bands of America Grand National Marching Band Champion – Broken Arrow High School – will be enjoying their Christmas Break and you are undoubtedly digging to the bottom of all […]
Time to Revise the National Standards for Arts Education
The World Wide Web had yet to go mainstream. No eBay, no YouTube, no Amazon, no iPod. Apple was in the computer business, Google was not even a dream. Musical tones were generated from electric boxes with cords and plugs. Desktop music making was more concept than reality. Mashing was for potatoes. Hip Hop was […]
