My Interview with Mike Huckabee
Last week at the Iowa Bandmasters Association meeting I was able to sit down with Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee to talk about music in his life and the reasons he is focusing on music and arts education in his campaign. The complete unedited interview is part of our most recnt version of From the Trenches. […]
Weapons of Mass Instruction
Mike Huckabee made a surprise appearance at the Iowa Bandmasters Association meeting in Des Moines on Friday and made sure there was no mistaking his position on music and arts education. Radio Iowa documented his visit: Huckabee: musical instruments can be "weapons of mass instruction" Friday, May 11, 2007, 1:27 PM By O.Kay Henderson Republican […]
Musical Tastes of the Candidates
In our continued efforts to unwrap the musical and artistic sides of our presidential candidates we have been given this gift from the Associated Press. In their musical tastes, the presidential candidates are a little bit country, a little bit opera, oldies, pop, soul and goth rock. The Associated Press is asking the candidates a […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
