Advocacy News, Action, and Alerts
U.S. Army All-American Marching Band Airs January 5!!!
The members of the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band are being introduced on a nationwide media tour this fall prior to their January 5, 2008 performance. Visit the web site to view the band members who were revealed this week. For photos of presentation ceremonies, visit the U.S. Army All-American Bowl site.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band. Students accepted to this ensemble will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to San Antonio, TX, in January 2009 to perform at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

2008 Presidential Candidates Statements
MENC has requested statements from the 2008 presidential candidates on their views on the upcoming reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act and on their general position on the role of music education in our schools. Visit the web site to view the statements already received, and check back often, as statements will be added as they arrive!

MusicFriends helps at the holidays!
Send a "Season’s Greetings" e-card just in time for the holidays! Starring Coda, the MusicFriends Bear, this e-card will send cheery greetings to friends and family without the hassle of stamps. If you're a little behind on your holiday shopping, don't forget to visit the MusicFriends Store for all of your holiday gifts for teachers, family members, and anyone else on your list who loves music! You will find terrific gift ideas while supporting music education at the same time!

Holiday Shopping on Amazon.com
This holiday season, online shoppers can make a big difference to music education. By making purchases at Amazon.com via MENC’s special associate link, shoppers can support MENC initiatives and programs at no personal cost. MENC receives a small commission on any purchase of books, music, movies, and more! Amazon.com donates a percentage to MENC for each purchase made at hundreds of online retailers. Start shopping now by visiting MENC and clicking on “Make Purchases on Amazon.com via MENC’s Associate Link” or visit MENC’s associate link directly .

For Music Teachers
NEW! Music In Our Schools Month Calendar
MENC has introduced a new, interactive MIOSM Advocacy Calendar to help enable music educators to share school music advocacy ideas with their colleagues. Help fill the calendar up! Visit the calendar and add your ideas for events, contests, performances and more during Music In Our Schools Month. Members can utilize these ideas for their own celebrations during MIOSM as well as throughout the entire year in efforts to raise awareness of the importance of music education.

The National Anthem Project Returns to Washington, D.C. in June 2008!!!
Building on the success of 2007's National Anthem Project event in Washington DC, where more than 5,000 students gathered to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Washington Monument, MENC will continue to remind our nation of the importance of music programs in our schools next year. The 2008 event will take place in Washington, D.C. June 12-15, 2008 and is planned to include a concert featuring a national anthem sing-along.

Student ensembles will once again have the opportunity to perform at Washington, D.C.’s historic memorials. Additional fun and musical activities will round out the weekend. For more information, visit American Musical Salute.

Jewish Musicians Young Composers Award
The Guild of Temple Musicians are looking for a set of three pieces, performable as separate pieces or as a unit, for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass choir, and piano (or organ), in Hebrew, using texts from Jewish liturgy, Bible, Jewish poetry or prose, or a combination. $1,800.00 for the winning composition, plus performance and publication opportunities. Applicants should be Jewish composers from any country born on or after January 1, 1973. Find more information on the web site. Deadline: January 4, 2008.

For Music Students
Music Essay Contest: $1,000 Scholarships and Matching Music Products
School Band Orchestra Magazine is inviting students to finish this letter, “Dear Mr. President, I am writing to tell you why music is so important to my complete education,” in 250 words or less. Ten $1,000 scholarships will be awarded, five to grades 4-8 and another five to grades 9-12, as well as matching music products for the winners' school music programs. For more information or to apply, visit the web site. Deadline: December 31, 2007.

This Month In Music History …

• December 2, 1949 - Gene Autry's song "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," hit the record charts.
• December 5, 1791 - Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died in Vienna, Austria, at the age of 35.
• December 16, 1770 - Composer Ludwig Van Beethoven was born.
• December 17, 1892 – the Russian Imperial Ballet first performed Peter Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” in St. Petersburg.
• December 31, 1929 - Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians played "Auld Lang Syne" as a New Year's Eve song for the first time.