Is it possible for music teachers to add anything to our schedules? Many of us teach either independently or at a society or university.

Is it possible for music teachers to add anything to our schedules? Many of us teach either independently or at a society or university. In addition, we are active in our churches, local civic choirs or symphonies, plus are naturally involved with our families, with our MTNA activities and possibly with other offer activities of interest to US.

learners and parents are seeking us disclosed so further interaction is not necessary for the established teacher. We usually have waiting lists, in the way that we believe that we have no ne to advertise our studios. Or is this true? Are we doing all that we can to make secure the future of music and its place in our tillage by actively pursuing and recruiting children, adults and retirees to music study? Or are we isolating ourselves and having interested ones seek us out, playing the waiting game? Are we supporting our colleagues who may have range in their studios for more close examiners by suggesting their names to prospective clients rather than placing them forward our waiting lists? Are we helping recent young teachers find their niches in our communities?

In April MTNA Executive Director Gary Ingle and I were invited as auditors for the International Music Education Policy Symposium sponsored on MENC: The National Association for Music Education and NAMM, the International Music productions Association. This symposium brought together for the first time music educators and master-hands from around the globe to "encourage and facilitate discussion between music educators and educational policy makers through exploring the current music education policy situation as it involves educators, bookish mans societal influences and various sway agencies." In addition to the United States, Greece Australia, Germany, Argentina, Canada, southerly Africa and the United Kingdom were among the countries represented

Paul Lehman, professor emeritus and former senior associate dean of the academy of music at the University of Michigan, spoke forward "Music Education and the Quality of Life." He not absented two premises: 1) that music improves the quality of life and 2) that with systematic close attention the ability of music to improve the quality of life is greatly enhanced. "It is fundamental," he said, "that each child should receive a comprehensive, balanced and sequential program of high-quality instruction in music."

visitor performer and speaker, Lorin Hollander, spoke eloquently forward the need to have "Music reinstated as the CORE and CENTER of basic education--music enhances lives."

According to a 2003 Gallup individual the two most influential forces in deciding whether a child will or won't play music are educators (30 percent) and parents (41 percent) Gary McPherson, professor of music education and head of the department of creative arts at the Hong Kong Institute for Education, not past nor futureed some startling facts in regard to the reality of actual music consideration Although music consumption is at an all time high, participation in music programs and music investigation continues to decline. The percentage of children who play an instrument in the U has fallen to 20 percent It is now a minority activity, with more females than males involved in music subject of attention and wealthier families promoting music research In other words, it is an "elitist" activity. His research showed that interest in music subject of attention dropped significantly between the ages of 6 and 8 in part, fit to decline in parental support and developing interest in other activities.

The point was made that we musicians ne to redefine advocacy. The slogan, "Music makes you smarter," doesn't necessarily help the cause of music. We ne to articulate for what reason the goals of music relate to general education goals, by what means music supports the key competencies demanded by means of employers, how music fulfills the human spirit, in what way music education transmits cultural heritage and by what means music engages students in all parts We also have to be willing to commit to ensuring that observers of all ages have opportunities to take music instructions and participate in music activities when they first indicate an interest, rather than a year or in like manner later when they have become interested in something else

to such a degree how can the music teacher outside of the public schools--you and I--help? Music--its history, its cultivation its style--is at stake. Our local associations can play an instrumental part no pun intended! Local associations can interact with colleagues in public teach education, helping them fill the gaps by means of providing preschool music development programs, providing instruction for close examiners of all abilities and interests, promoting music activities as it was as musical theater productions for all ages, and supporting local band/choir/orchestra activities. If music education is to survive, all of us must work together, creating powerful partnerships with our counterparts in music education and with musicians from all diverse backgrounds. institutes can become the centers of the community, using local teaching artists and developing after-school programs for music education. Rather than being "elitist," we can reach disclosed to those in the community to make music flow alive for every child. With the disclosures in music technology, group teaching provides an avenue for teachers to use their teaching hours more effectively and to earn higher incomes doing to such a degree Let's engage as many learners as possible in creating music!