Advocacy:
Music and arts are often overlooked in the education system. As a musician and educator, promoting the benefits of music is not only part of the job, but a subject that I feel very passionately about. It is my wish that everyone is able to truly experience music and the emotions associated with it. I would like to share a few quotes from notable individuals who share similar sentiments.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music." -Sergei Rachmaninoff, composer.
"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent." -Victor Hugo, poet.
"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature could not do without." -Confucius, philosopher
By participating in music programs, students are really immersing themselves in a more thorough education than they could imagine. Some surveys indicate that students who participate in music ensembles have better success in other areas of education. Multiple subjects are re-enforced through music instruction:
Math & Science - Music is all ratios, from rhythms to overtones and harmonics. Chords are equations, and chord progressions are formulas. When broken down and analyzed closely one finds that music is incredibly organized, each and every note is written for a purpose and fits into a logical equation of sorts.
Language & World Studies - Music is rich with vocabulary, and full of history. Most musical terms are in Italian, German, French, and other world languages in which English is a minority. Great music and amazing composers have come from all over the world and many unique styles have come in and out of fashion over the course of documented history.
Physical Education & Problem Solving - Musicians have incredible dexterity, coordinating articulations and air-control with the mouth, moving fingers to change notes, in the case of marching bands, marching in time while also playing an instrument. By participating in ensembles, musicians work together to achieve a collaborative sound that no individual can accomplish. Students must learn techniques to help maximize efficiency while practicing, and work to overcome performance plateaus by continually learning and improving upon their musicianship.
Again, it is my personal goal that everyone I interact with will be able to understand and appreciate the tremendous value to music education. Some additional resources for music advocacy are listed below:
http://youthvoices.net/discussion/life-without-music-would-be-insane
http://themusiclife.org/no.html
www.nafme.org
http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/advocacy/
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music." -Sergei Rachmaninoff, composer.
"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent." -Victor Hugo, poet.
"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature could not do without." -Confucius, philosopher
By participating in music programs, students are really immersing themselves in a more thorough education than they could imagine. Some surveys indicate that students who participate in music ensembles have better success in other areas of education. Multiple subjects are re-enforced through music instruction:
Math & Science - Music is all ratios, from rhythms to overtones and harmonics. Chords are equations, and chord progressions are formulas. When broken down and analyzed closely one finds that music is incredibly organized, each and every note is written for a purpose and fits into a logical equation of sorts.
Language & World Studies - Music is rich with vocabulary, and full of history. Most musical terms are in Italian, German, French, and other world languages in which English is a minority. Great music and amazing composers have come from all over the world and many unique styles have come in and out of fashion over the course of documented history.
Physical Education & Problem Solving - Musicians have incredible dexterity, coordinating articulations and air-control with the mouth, moving fingers to change notes, in the case of marching bands, marching in time while also playing an instrument. By participating in ensembles, musicians work together to achieve a collaborative sound that no individual can accomplish. Students must learn techniques to help maximize efficiency while practicing, and work to overcome performance plateaus by continually learning and improving upon their musicianship.
Again, it is my personal goal that everyone I interact with will be able to understand and appreciate the tremendous value to music education. Some additional resources for music advocacy are listed below:
http://youthvoices.net/discussion/life-without-music-would-be-insane
http://themusiclife.org/no.html
www.nafme.org
http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/advocacy/