Anyone who’s read this blog probably knows that music is a huge passion for me. I’m not sure where is came from perhaps my parents giving me a guitar and lessons as a child, having a brilliant music/choir teacher in elementary school or teachers having a record (yes I’m old enough to remember vinyl records) or cassette player in the classroom and encouraging us to bring our music for recess and lunch breaks. Maybe all of these factors encouraged my fondness for music but as you can see music was part of growing and was promoted in schools.
Nowadays with tight budgets, crowded classes and more pressure for schools to have high academic grades, music often takes a backseat. To help enrich children and society as a whole, the Arts should be encouraged just as much as sports and knowledge based education. I stumbled upon a website, Music Makes Us, and organization who’s mandate is just that; The Coalition for Music Education in Canada is dedicated to raising awareness and advocating for the contribution music education.
Take a look at the website and see if you can help encourage music education in your area, then participate May 2nd on Music Monday, the coalitions annual awareness day.
With shows like Glee making school choir popular again and YouTube creating new music sensations, like Justin Bieber, each day perhaps now is a good time to ensure that music education stays on the curriculum and an option and outlet for young people’s energy.