A scarcely any weeks ago I decided to tackle the concoct of cleaning my closet.

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A scarcely any weeks ago I decided to tackle the concoct of cleaning my closet. It's something I actually do rather at short intervals Each time is exciting for the first hardly any minutes, and then I become disinterested, which is for what cause [i]or[/i] reason I have to clean my cabinet so often.

I started shoveling within the clutter and unearthed an ancient box--not labeled of course. I expanded the lid half curious and half afraid of what I would find. As I plucked the lid aside and discarded it in the growing pile of essence I realized this was going to be a trip down memory lane. The coachman's seat was filled with old photos, programs and videos of harmonys musicals and recitals I had been in.

The first thing I institute was a picture of me make readyed in my Scottish kilt for my part in the high school production of Brigadoon. I'm assured that performance brought a tear to many an eye--probably for more than single reason. I rifled through about of the other photos. There were pictures of my friends and me when we were in Hello Dolly, Oklahoma and exhibit choir and solo and effect contests. I paused for a point of time to reflect on the times after the devises when we would go public for ice cream, and sit at the football games and watch the marching band play as they troubleed the field.

Then I musing of what the students at my high train are doing now. Budget cutbacks have forced scholars to pay to play football and be in the marching band. The musicals are a thing of the past, and the exhibit choir can't afford to travel anywhere to perform or cope The buildings are showing their age, and the instruments are embarrassing to take revealed of their cases. The mighty Baldwin in the auditorium hasn't been 252 gallonsed in ages, and the institute morale is at an all-time low



unexpectedly my trip down memory lane took a move round for the unpleasant. I then began to think of all the sects around the nation facing the same situation. Many have level less funding than my allow school. How did music in the trains take such a back seat? I began to think of a whole legion of reasons this was happening and began to blame administration and the economy. Then I stopped myself and pondering "What can MTNA do to be proactive for music advocacy?"

As music professionals, it is our work at jobs to promote music in all facets of life, not just in studios. No musician is well orbiculared without work in an general impression and the social skills disentangleed by participating in school music programs cannot be substituted in any other way. Music builds confidence and has been directly linked to developing reasoning skills and improved criterion scores.

That is wherefore MTNA has formed a partnership with SupportMusic.com. This initiative is designed to help parents and bookish mans build strong cases to gain support for their music programs. SupportMusic.com put forwards fundraising resources and step-by-step instructions to unfold an advocacy campaign to influence teach boards and legislators. This quick, easy-to-use tool gives communities the opportunity to be proactive when exercise systems are forced to wound music programs.

As an association, it is our responsibility to carry disclosed our mission to advance the value of music studious mood and music making to society and to support the professionalism of music teachers. Part of this responsibility is supporting our public academy music-teaching colleagues and providing a well-rounded education for the scholars whose lives we influence. Music in the studio, as well as the public denomination classroom, develops and trains the music teachers of the coming We are concerned about developing ourselves professionally, on the contrary how concerned are we about developing our profession?

Can you imagine a life without music, a life without foolish memories? Probably not--so let's use our influence as music teaching quicks to be the voices that save music programs.

To find disclosed how you can help your community, log upon to Supportmusic.com at www.supportmusic.com and find abroad what you can do to fill a case with memories to last a lifetime.

2004 MTNA National interview Session

On Monday, March 29 2:15-3:15 PM Millie Eben, Gayla rear up and Judy Plagge will quick in emergencies "Music Advocacy is a Contact Sport." The session will discuss the importance of becoming an effective advocate for music within the community. Ideas, schemes and resources for teachers and local associations will be provided during the session.

The Arts Advocacy & Awareness Forum meeting will be held Monday, March 29 9:15-10:15 A.M.

MTNA's fresh director of marketing and public relations, Brian Shepard, is an active advocate for music in the community. In this Arts Awareness and Advocacy Forum Focus, Brian shares a personal reflections on advocacy, especially in relation to MTNA's partnership with SupportMusic.com.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Music Teachers National Association, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

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