If you are reading this page, I imagine that you, like most readers of The A Cappella Blog, love music. You love the way in which a beat can get your toes tapping. You love the way in which perfect harmonies complement one another. You love the unique capacity for music to capture your imagination, taking you on journeys through memory, or creating mental images of things that you one day hope to see. Music makes us smile, makes us cry, makes us feel.
In order for us to enjoy music, someone needs to create it. It’s quite possible that you, yourself are a singer, or that you play an instrument, or that you write or arrange music. Whatever your musical trade, the odds are you learned it from someone else. Whether it was an older relative, a friend, a private teacher, or your school, someone was probably there to foster your musical education—to teach you the basics, to encourage you to practice, to challenge you to achieve more, and to ultimately help you discover your own voice (perhaps literally, perhaps figuratively) in music.
In today’s educational system, music is not a high priority. Many schools have no choice but to focus on achieving minimum test scores, and providing children with certain “core” skills, that are deemed the most practical as they move on in the world. Not to take anything away from reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic, but there is certainly room for more in a young person’s life. Musical training fosters a capacity for creativity, self-expression, and discipline. What’s more, there exists a substantial body of research to support links between musical training and aptitude in language, reasoning and critical thinking. In addition, creating music can relieve stress, lend people a sense of accomplishment, and, quite frankly, be a lot of fun.
Music education is far too important for us to let it dwindle. Indeed, were it not for music in our schools, it’s doubtful that we’d have the hundreds of a cappella groups performing, entertaining and growing across our great nation, and across the world.
The A Cappella Blog has formed a partnership with VH1’s Save the Music Foundation. Throughout our 2009 publication season, we will be selling limited edition ACB Save the Music wristbands. The bands are available now through this site at a cost of $3 (shipping & handling included). Profits from this sale with go directly to The Save the Music Foundation, which, in turn will be applied to starting and restoring music education programs at selected schools across the United States, primarily through the purchase of musical instruments. In addition, we will be accepting monetary donations to forward on to Save the Music.
Music holds a rich place in our history. Music is a powerful force today. We encourage you to join us in this effort, and help ensure that music remains a part of our future.
Wristband Sample
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