Let’s Bring Music Back Into Schools
As if I don’t have enough projects on my plate as it is, I’ve been thinking about creating a foundation that will help bring music back into the curriculum of our schools. I’ve been hearing all these stories about how many of the school systems have cut music and arts-related classes because of lack of funding. It makes me sad to think of a world where kids aren’t exposed to music on a daily basis.
Art leaders in Philadelphia have already started the process of getting arts and music back into schools, but it’s certainly going to take more than 120 people to make this a nationwide thing.
I just discovered the San Diego Music Foundation which has the Taylor Guitars for Schools program. That’s definitely a great start. However, I’d love to see marching bands with kids playing a wide range of musical instruments. For me, marching band parades were big when I was in middle school and high school. Living here in San Diego, I don’t see much of that.
I find great inspiration in watching young kids playing music. Here’s a video of an 8-year-old playing the saxophone…
2 Responses to “Let’s Bring Music Back Into Schools”
By Boy @ Heart on Aug 21, 2008 | Reply
At my primary school in the UK, many years ago, music was a dominant part of out education. The headmaster was passionate about music and so from the age of 7 until 10 much of my school life was spent singing in assembly. assembly was possibly the longest “lesson” of the day and we even had special additional assemblies at times where there would be more singing of hymns or we would work our way through a musical story, rehearsing the songs for weeks, resulting in a concert performance for parents on an evening. I remember Christmas always being a huge performance.
I’ll never forget any of that because although as a typical boy I would groan about assembly again with my friends, I know it helped shape the path I’m on now. I am a passionate creator of music. It is my life and I am working towards making it even more of a focus than it is now.
Music in Schools brings kids together, gives them an education that goes in deeper than just learning the “real” subjects and adds an appreciation of what is possibly our greatest art form in my opinion. Who doesn’t like music at all?
By NoSongUnsung on Aug 21, 2008 | Reply
Hi Rob,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts…Music was a huge part of my life during grade school. I took piano lessons and was involved in the marching band. I had the time of my life!