"Some people think music education is a privilege,
but I think it is essential to being human."
-- Jewel
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| Violin 12-16-14 |
"Music, of all the liberal arts, has the greatest influence over the passions,
and it is that to which the legislator ought to give the greatest encouragement."
-- Napoleon Bonaparte
"Music is a way for young people to connect with themselves
as well as a bridge for connecting with others.
Through music, we can introduce children to the
richness and diversity of the human family
and to the myriad rhythms of life."
-- Daniel A. Carp, CEO, Eastman Kodak
"Without music, life would be a mistake."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
Last night we attended a high school choir and orchestra concert.
It did my heart a great good to see and hear so many young men and women making beautiful music together with their voices and their instruments.
I could totally get on a soapbox about how I feel about the importance of music (and all the arts) in the education of our youth. But I won't. If you want to read about the myriad benefits of music education (and I encourage you to do so), click here.
I simply want to applaud the students and their teachers for making music a priority in their school, and in their education and in their lives.
And I want to encourage anyone who'll listen to support the arts in our schools whenever the opportunity comes up.
Vote yes for the arts and for legislators who support arts education.
Show up at concerts, even if you don't have a kid in the program.
Buy something from the fundraiser or make a donation.
Sign your kid up for lessons.
Buy your nephew a guitar or a harmonica or a ukulele for Christmas.
However you can, please encourage budding musicians to keep it up, keep practicing, keep trying, keep playing, keep singing.
Because music has the capacity and power to make us all better people.
And better people make a better world.
And I, for one, think a better world would be a good thing.
