Thank you for joining the MusicFriends program and for your support of music education. MENC: The National Association for Music Education is pleased to present MusicFriends E-Newsletter Volume 3, Number 4.

MENC's mission is to advance music education by encouraging the study and making of music by all. We believe music is intrinsically valuable and should be part of the core curriculum in every school for that reason alone. That music study appears to benefit students in so many other areas of their lives is a big bonus! (See the "Quick Fact About the Benefits of Music" in each newsletter for examples.) Knowledge of these benefits can be very helpful when you are trying to convince your local school board to protect the music program...and you'll feel even more positive about supporting music education for your kids and all the kids in your community.

The MusicFriends e-newsletters will provide you with information you can use to support your local music program and, as a result, improve education by promoting the teaching and learning of music. And remember, music-making isn't limited to kids — we hope you will make music with your children and community!

Your feedback is encouraged. To ask questions of the staff at MENC, contact elizabethl@menc.org.

 
 

 

 



Traditional Songs Out of Tune With Today's Kids

Americans for the Arts
March is Music In Our Schools Month®
Welcome to the musicedge.com
Arts, Foreign Languages Getting Edged Out
Choral Singers Turned Into Winners
Humble Violin Gave Voice to Her Future
Yonkers Student Lives for the Sound of Music
Music's Healing Powers
Grammy Signature High Schools, SupportMusic.com, ForSociety.com, Tri-M Music Honor Society™, State Music Educators Associations, U.S. Department of Education
Hershey's All-USA High School Band, February is African American History Month, World's Largest Concert®/Music In Our Schools Month Teacher's Guide, MENC/NSBA Electronic Music Talent Search, Blues Lab National Songwriting Contest
MENC and Potbelly Sandwich Works Make Beautiful Music Together, Learn About Concert Etiquette!, Send a Friend a Musical E-Card!, Take the Musical Quizzes!, Read the "Jammin' With…" Interviews!, Contact your Members of Congress!



A two-year Swiss study involving 1,200 children in 50 schools showed that students involved in the music program were better at languages, learned to read more easily, showed an improved social climate, showed more enjoyment in school, and had a lower level of stress than non-music students.

— E.W. Weber, M. Spychiger, & J.L. Patry, 1993, taken from "Music Advocacy Action Kit," provided by The Selmer Company



Traditional Songs Out of Tune With Today's Kids, Chicago Tribune, 12/26/2003
The traditional songs of American childhood -- folk tunes, nursery rhymes and even the national anthem -- are disappearing, victims of pervasive pop culture and funding cuts that have nibbled away at arts education in elementary schools. Old standards such as "I've Been Working on the Railroad," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," and even "Mary Had a Little Lamb" are too often absent from the youngest generation's repertoire. Dr. Patricia Foy, a children's music specialist at Converse College in Spartanburg, S.C., says songs such as these help children "connect with history, their ancestors and the people who live around them." Traditional songs out of tune with today's kids, Chicago Tribune, 12/26/2003

Americans for the Arts
Does your state have an arts education standard for your school? You can learn where your school district is in terms of arts education by checking on the Americans for the Arts Web site at: http://www.artsusa.org/public_awareness/pac_article.asp?id=585

March is Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM)
March has been officially designated by MENC: The National Association for Music Education for the observance of MIOSM, the time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools across the nation. Help your children celebrate the importance of music in our schools by visiting the Web site at: http://www.menc.org/guides/miosm/MIOSMFront.html

Welcome to the musicedge.com
Here's a great site to explore today's newest music trends and introduce your child to the world of music and the making of it. There is a time in every person's life where they hear that first riff, or see their first band and say, "I want to do that." This site is geared as a launching pad for the ambitions of tomorrow's musicians-a place where they can go for information on up and coming bands, current stars and a comprehensive guide to finding the right instrument for your child to express themselves. http://www.themusicedge.com/about_me.html


Arts, Foreign Languages Getting Edged Out
Click here.


Choral Singers Turned Into Winners
Click here.


Humble Violin Gave Voice to Her Future
Click here.


Yonkers Student Lives for the Sound of Music
Click here.


Music's Healing Powers
Click here.


GRAMMY Signature High Schools
In cooperation with MENC, the GRAMMY Foundation Signature High Schools program honors public high school music programs that promote and preserve music education as a key part of their curriculum. All public high schools nationwide have the opportunity to apply for consideration as a GRAMMY Signature School. Top schools are selected to receive the honor of being designated as GRAMMY Signature High Schools. http://www.grammy.com/foundation/signature_schools.aspx

SupportMusic.com
Music and the arts… vital to every child's education…SupportMusic can help you revive your community's commitment! Make music a key part of your school and community. Build a case for music in school. Face the challenges with the resources offered here.
http://www.supportmusic.com

Tri-M Music Honor Society
Tri-M is the International Honor Society recognizing secondary music students for their musical ability, academic excellence, school involvement, and community service. Take a moment to investigate all the Tri-M Web site has to offer! http://www.menc.org/information/trim/TriMMain1.html

State Music Educators Associations
Check out the Web site of your state music educators' association (the MENC affiliate in your state). You might contact the leaders of the organization to offer your assistance as a volunteer.
http://www.menc.org/connect/stateinf.html

U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov




Hershey's All-USA High School Band
Want to recognize an outstanding student? Nominate him or her for Hershey's All-USA High School Band. Co-sponsored by MENC, this national program acknowledges the exceptional skills and accomplishments of high school–age musicians. Teachers and administrators are eligible to submit nominations. Hershey's All-USA High School Band members will be featured in a national promotion recognizing their commitment to excellence. All program information, including applications, rules, and guidelines, can be accessed from www.menc.org or http://www.hersheysfundraising.com/promotions/menc.asp Applications must be received at MENC by March 15, 2004. Winners will be announced on October 1, 2004.

February is African American History Month
MENC is pleased to present online music resources for celebrating African American History Month in February. Included are the Duke Ellington Centennial Project, Martin Luther King Middle School Lesson, and many other links and resources. Visit http://www.menc.org/guides/aahistory/AfricanAmericanHistory.html for more information.

World's Largest Concert/Music In Our Schools Month Teacher's Guide
Your local teacher can get ready for Music In Our Schools Month and the World's Largest Concert with the 2004 Teacher's Guide, now easily accessible online. The guide includes activity ideas, and information on how to get started, plus complete lesson plans and music for the big event in March! Visit http://www.menc.org/guides/wlc/tg04/lessonplans.html

MENC/NSBA Electronic Music Talent Search
Sponsored by MENC and the National School Boards Association (NSBA), the Electronic Music Composition Competition recognizes outstanding compositions and is held to help influence school administrators to include or improve music technology in their schools' curriculum. Details on the 2004 program are available at http://www.menc.org/contest/nsba/nsbamain.html. The 2004 prize package includes Sibelius software, MENC publications, Carl Fischer publications, and Mix and Electronic Musician subscriptions.

Blues Lab National Songwriting Contest
Songwriters between the ages of 13 and 19 can enter original blues lyrics to win a trip to Los Angeles and have their song produced by Ray Charles and special friends. For more information visit http://www.blueslab.org/.

MENC and Potbelly Sandwich Works to Make Beautiful Music Together
MENC announced a partnership between MusicFriends and Potbelly Sandwich Works, a growing national chain restaurant serving oven-baked sandwiches, milkshakes, and homemade cookies, in an effort to support music education. Read the article on PNN, the nonprofit news and information source at http://www.pnnonline.org/article.php?sid=4928

Learn about Concert Etiquette!
Share your knowledge with fellow concert goers and make everyone's experience more enjoyable. Visit http://www.menc.org/guides/etiquette/etiquette_home.html.

Send a Friend a Musical E-Card! Take the Musical Quizzes! Read the "Jammin' With..." Interviews!
http://www.musicfriends.org/resources.html

Contact Your Members of Congress With Your Concerns About Education!
This site makes getting in touch with your Senator or Representative easy.
http://Congress.org

You can help promote MusicFriends by displaying your membership decal on your vehicle, by telling others about the Web site, and by distributing brochures when possible at community and school events. To receive a supply of brochures, please contact bonnies@menc.org.

Read the previous MusicFriends newsletters: