U.S. House Unanimously Passes Resolution Supporting School-Based Music Education
Members of Congress passed House Concurrent Resolution 121 unanimously, showing a display of continued support from Congress for music education as part of a complete education for all children. This provides another tool for advocates to use when making the case for the importance of music in our schools. Tip of the hat to NAMM […]
You CAN Make a Difference
I often use this space to provide advocacy advice and suggest strategies for use in saving, maintaining, and expanding programs for everyone to consider. Not today. Instead, I want to share with you an actual exchange with a band director whose program was in an immediate crisis. Panic Button I was recently on vacation with […]
Music, Arts Education and the Presidential Campaign
One of the activities we have become known for is our efforts to see where candidates for elected office stand on the arts in general and music and arts education in particular. It is no secret that this years campaigns for President are already. One candidate, who has been a friend to Music for All […]
100 years ago today…
A group of music educators gathered starting the process that would lead to the creation of what today is MENC: The National Association for Music Education As the music supervisor in Keokuk, Iowa, Philip Cady Hayden put out a call to music supervisors to gather together to discuss general problems and present papers, and 104 […]
Spring Break!
Spring has finally sprung so we are off for the next few days. We will reurn the week of 4/9!
Music for All National Festival
It was very gratifying to see Music for All umbrellaing a national festival celebrating the best of music making by some of the finest students across the country. All the ensembles were unbelievable in their caliber. It was also the first time since our merger that the spirit underlying the premise of the merger really […]
Don’t Be Silent!
This has been a very busy two months. I have had the distinct pleasure of traveling around the country from coast to coast, visiting with educators and parents, politicians, and policy makers – Senators and Governors, education leaders of all stripes, students and a few activist musicians along the way. Two events during my recent […]
The Secretary of Education Says….
On the eve of Arts Advocacy Day Secertary of Education Margaret Spellings released the following statement: STATEMENT BY EDUCATION SECRETARY MARGARET SPELLINGS ON 2007 ARTS ADVOCACY DAY U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today made the following statement on the celebration of 2007 Arts Advocacy Day: I am pleased to join the many artists, administrators, […]
When a Deal is Not a Deal – New Jersey Arts Funding Gets Personal
Many of you may know that I have been working closely with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts on several arts education projects not the least of which is the New Jersey Arts Education Census Project. I have a great deal of respect for the work of our Council and their commitment to […]
Not on the Test
Go on to sleep now, third grader of mine. The test is tomorrow but you'll do just fine. It's reading and math. Forget all the rest. You don't need to know what is not on the test. These opening lyrics from the song, “Not On the Test” do a nice job of summing up the […]
