http://concretemusic.tumblr.com/
CONCRETE MUSIC
Text PostRETURN OF THE TASH!
Photos here:(By Tim Popov)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=137919726273863&id=100001675084515&aid=29384
New bronx banners up from our sponsors at bored! Big Up!
http://boredofsouthsea.tumblr.com/
Posted March 4, 2011 at 12:08am in Return of the tash tash moustache arty moustache party portsmouth the kraken wakes bored of southsea dubstep houseFoamo at Concrete Music. Filmed and Edited by Rich Gould and Chris Gordan.
Posted February 26, 2011 at 4:53pmFoamo & Kry Wolf 22/02/11
Although there were a few people who were disappointed on arrival that there wasn’t loads of braless girls in white t-shirts and foam everywhere… the hype for Foamo was pretty mad, and was definately competing with Sukh for the best rave we’ve had since using the other room at The Kraken. Playing tunes that were mostly his or remixes by himself, the dancefloor was going nuts for what was a set dedicated to the best party music. Foamo really got the crowd going with him and the Kraken’s new manager couldn’t resist having a boogie on the bass speaker at the end of his set. Kry Wolf played before him, and dropped a “sewiois widdim”, Scratcher’s (Rinse) VIP of the banger “3001” for the first time. Pickers played afterwards, dropping Rock The Casbah as last tune of the night with people still singing along after the track had been stopped, and as the bouncers were chucking people out. Great vibes all night and was nice only having a bit of 140bpm stuff at the end for a change. Here’s a few snaps from our photographer Tim, and Big thanks to Rich Goold and Chris Gordan for filming on the night and making this vid!
More @ http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=136403876425448&id=100001675084515&aid=28664
Posted February 24, 2011 at 12:18pmConcrete DJs Feb Mixtape Pt.1
Here’s the first two February Mixes from our residents George A.G and Pickles.
George A.G.
House/Minimal/Deep
Wednesday Hangover by George A. G
Pickles
UK Funky/House/Dubstep
Feb concrete mix by Concrete Music
Posted February 10, 2011 at 12:39pm in concrete music concrete djs concrete tuesdays southsea mixes dubstep house portsmouth southsea the sound of hype kraken wakes southsea bronx southsea bronx | 3 notesSukh Knight!
Remember, it’s not diesel it’s petrol- Sukhel Sukhel! East London based Dubstep and Grime producer Sukh Knight, who has recently signed to Virgin made his mark big time at The Kraken on Tuesday. Having never played in Portsmouth, he said it was “The best Tuesday night I ever had!” The crowd were hyped and the place was rammed by half ten ready for Sukh to come on an hour later with some huge dubplates under his belt. Playing some serious shit like “Slang like this”, “Left the room”, “Jinglist”, “Diesel not petrol”, and the classic “Ganja Dub” which had some multiple reload action. Sukh’s a busy man at the moment doing lots of work with his True Tiger collective, as well as other side projects. Top bloke, came back for the after party too. Keep an eye out for more of Sukh’s riddims this year, think we’re gonna have to get him down again; the crowd loved it.
Here’s some of the best pics, by Tim Popov!
(more at www.loveconcretemusic.co.uk)
Posted February 10, 2011 at 12:21pm in sukh knight portsmouth february 2011 southsea bored of southsea southsea bronx concrete music concrete tuesdays the kraken the kraken wakes dubstep grime concrete djs strong island1st of Feb - Concrete Tuesdays Room Switch
Everyone looking beautiful in the photos from lastnight. Here’s what went down.
More Photos here:
Posted February 2, 2011 at 4:47pm in Concrete Tuesdays bored of southsea kraken wakes dubstep portsmouth southseaJack Beats 19/02/11
Sumo is at Wedgewood Rooms again! Gonna be big get on down!
Saturday 19 February 2011
11pm - 3am
• JACK BEATS •
http://www.myspace.com/jackbeats
• MODESTEP•
http://www.myspace.com/modestep
• KRY WOLF •
http://soundcloud.com/kry-wolf
• CONCRETE •
www.loveconcretemusic.co.uk
• PAIGE •
£12 in advance
Outlets :
Portsmouth : Withit
Southsea : Wedge Box Office, Dress Code
Gosport : Reflex Records Gosport
Facebook event here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=121796231227335
Posted February 1, 2011 at 1:23pmConcrete Tuesdays (18/01/11) Dynamik
Once again the Kraken was packed out as all the deadlines and exams are nearly done. Shout out to the Bristol crew that came down, up and coming dubstep/future garage producer Dynamik smashed it…Keep an eye on this guy, him and his crew ENK are going places, and being at uni in Bristol there’s no where better to make an impact on the dubstep scene. If you liked it, give him a download on soundcloud.
-Soundcloud
http://www.soundcloud.com/ dynamikproductions
-DOWNLOAD HIS DEBUT EP FOR FREE HERE:
http://dynamikproductions.bandcamp.com/
Sumo & Concrete Present: Scratch Perverts/Breakage and Camo
Crazy night! Didn’t all go to plan, but we ended up setting up a stage in Envy and still managed to put on a cracking party. Concrete DJs warmed up before Breakage and Mc Wrek got the crowd proper moving and grooving for the Perverts. Who dropped our favourite tune of the moment (Skreamix of Cassius - I Love You So), and it went off something stupid. The Drum n Bass heads weren’t left disappointed, with Camo smashing it again. Stay tuned for more big lineups with Sumo.
February dates: SUKH KNIGHT & FOAMO
We’re delighted to announce two of our favourite UK DJs will be gracing the decks at Concrete Tuesdays in February. At first we wanted to keep concrete as cheap as possible but with many shit nights in Portsmouth charging over a fiver for swag music and terrible club atmosphere, we thought we’d start bringing you two big names for a month that won’t go more than £5 for entry. This means you get to see the DJs you want at a price we think is fair, and we’ll be open to 2am on all the nights we book an act.
08/02/11 we’ve got SUKH KNIGHT…
Who has recently released the banger “Slang Like This” that’s getting reloads allnight long across the county, and “Left The Room”. He’ll bring the grimey, screw face feel that we know you all love in the Krakens. This is set to be one of the best concrete nights of the year.
22/02/11 we’ve got FOAMO…
Up and coming DJ of the year in 2008, Foamo hasn’t failed to impress with his selection of hits including his remix of La Roux’s Bulletproof. Anyone that was at the one eyed dog last December will remember how good he was, and the rave he brought.Always providing an energetic live performance dedicated to playing the latest and greatest party banger. We’re teaming up with Sumo on this one, so expect an hour set from KryWolf too.
(The other weeks in feb where we don’t have a DJ, will be £1 before 10, and £2 after!)
Join our FB group here, and stay tuned for more info on these events:
Posted January 21, 2011 at 12:53pm in sukh knight slang like this foamo kry wolf concrete tuesdays special guest dj dubstep electro house grime portsmouth bored of southsea skateshop southsea bronx strong islandScratch Perverts/Breakage/Camo and Crooked/DC Breaks
SUMO & CONCRETE MUSIC PRESENT:
☆Sunglasses at Night Special☆
★• SCRATCH PERVERTS •★• BREAKAGE•★• CAMO AND KROOKED •★• DC BREAKS •★
We want to get as many of you as we can raving in sunglasses, anything goes wayfarers, aviators, shutter shades or novelty. Rock out with your shades on! We’ll have photographers to capture the moments, and the pics will go straight on our facebook group. This is the biggest night of 2011 so far!
£12 advance tickets (motd)
Tuesday 25th January 2011
9pm - 2am
Liquid Portsmouth
NOTE: THIS IS NOT A NORMAL LIQUID NIGHT WE USE A STAGE AND HIRE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SOUNDSYSTEM, LIGHTS & VISUALS.
Ticket Outlets:
Portsmouth : Withit
Southsea : Wedge Box Office, Dress Code
Gosport : Reflex Records Gosport
Online : http://ticketreps.fatsoma. com/event.php?eid=39105
Student Ticket Agents :
Jack: 07875876688
Katie: (james watson) 07774664957
Jade: (james watson) 07760996597
Will: (Bateson) 07817905989
Amy: (Bateson) 07837065551
Rosy - 07960518180
Billy - 07540161436
Sam - 07773301754
Vers - 07843941728
Matt - 07833424041
Derry - 07595671147
Ben - 07534365360
>SUMO<
☆ http://facebook.ilovesumo.com/ ☆
☆ http://www.ilovesumo.com/ ☆
☆ http://twitter.com/SoundsofSumo ☆
>CONCRETE MUSIC<
☆ www.loveconcretemusic.co.uk ☆
UNITZ 11th January 2011
Concrete Music were happy to welcome down Dub Police DJ and Producer Unitz for a lesson in some serious dub plates. The dubstep producer from Epsom rocked up with his crew and was ready to party with the crowd and banging out tunes like The Drop VIP. The atmosphere was standardly ravey and even with exams going on at the mo people were out in numbers. We hit capacity by 11, and there was still a tonk cue outside- was a wicked way to kick of the first night back. Also we had tonkrete cofounder Jack Hussein back with us, massive shout out to that boy! We had Southsea Bronx banners up to rep Bored of Southsea who are now sponsoring us-Big Up! Had some mad dreadlocks going on in there aswell and some lovely girls. More guest DJs confirmed for February the mighty Sukh Knight and Foamo. Lezz Go! Here’s the best of the snaps, more are on facebook. See you next Tuesday!
NYE 2010 with Concrete Music
The best way to bring in the new year was definately with us…we had the Countdown theme tune on and then went into a bit of that tune from Buggsy Malone. You know the one that goes “You could of been anything that you wanted to be”. Great atmosphere lots of students and regulars came back to rave as well as loads of locals, oldies and fresh new faces. Pompey Snow had their official send off pre party before 150 boarders and skiers went off to the alps for their January trip. Uncle Kry Wolf came down with his gang and toar it up after Sumo’s silent disco soundclash party at the Fat Fox. Chan dressed to impress in a tuxedo. 2011 Concrete is gonna smash it so watch out, more partys, plenty of dj sets, lots of things going on, and some underground secret raves when the sun comes out properly. Big UP! Thanks for the support and all the best for the New Year sorry its 14 days late. Peace
More photos on facebook!
Posted January 14, 2011 at 12:19pm in nye 2010 new years eve dubstep electro funky house drum n bass garage fututre southsea bronx concrete music kraken wakesWhat We Do
A look at some of the times…
Electronic Music
Comments (0) Posted in Music and Sound Art by y_moutassie at March 11, 2011 @ 8:16 AMPIERRE SCHAEFFER
Paris, France, 1952
Courtesy GRM
PIERRE SCHAEFFER
Pierre Schaeffer: L'Oeuvre Musicale
Pierre Schaeffer, a radio engineer and announcer at Radiodiffusion Francaise (RF), began to explore research in sound and radio in the early 1940s. In 1948, he launched a new approach to music, which he called musique concrete. He described it in 1957 as the composition of "materials taken from an existing collection of experimental sounds ... using fragments of sound existing concretely and considered as sound objects defined and whole ..."
Schaeffer's first musique concrete work was an assemblage of sounds of train wheels, engines, and whistles, entitled 'Etude aux Chemins de Fer' (Railroad Study). It was broadcast on RF, and was followed by several more studies that year. Soon, he hired a team of assistants, including Pierre Henry, who became his musical collaborator. Their joint work, 'Symphonie pour un Homme Seul' (Symphony for One Man Alone, 1950) was publicly heard in the first live concert of musique concrete, that year. Maurice Bejart choreographed the work, in 1955.
The following year, Schaeffer established the Groupe de Recherche de Musique Concrete, a studio outfitted with new tape recorders he designed to meet the genre's unusual technical needs. Composers, including Karlheinz Stockhausen, Darius Milhaud, and Pierre Boulez created works in the studio. Schaeffer continued to compose and he began to articulate a theory of sound objects. After Henry's departure, in 1958, Schaeffer established a new studio, Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM), with Luc Ferrari, Iannis Xenakis, and others. At Schaeffer's urging, GRM soon became part of the newly formed Institut National Audiovisuel (INA), a section of Office de Radio Television Francaise (ORTF), in which he directed Le Service de la Recherche (The Research Service) from 1960 to 1975.
His musical activities during the years 1960 - 1975 were devoted largely to writing, including the completion of his major work, Traite des Objets Musicaux (1966), in which he defined his concepts of focussed listening and the sound object. Schaeffer briefly continued composing during the late 1970s, and ten years later, Pierre Henry completed a work based on an earlier collaboration. It received a performance in 1989. Pierre Schaeffer died in 1995.
SITES
EMF :: Arts Electric :: EMF Productions :: Ear to the Earth :: CDeMusic :: EMF Media :: EMF Institute
EMF and Arts Electric are registered trademarks of Electronic Music Foundation, Ltd.
Copyright © 2009 Electronic Music Foundation, Ltd.
The State of Music Today by Henry Rollins
<object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y2q5L8kUOtA&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y2q5L8kUOtA&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object>
The State of Music Today
It worries me sometimes that all of my posts as of late have been on “the state of blank today,” but this is what I find myself thinking about, and if I can’t say it here then I’d have to say it where someone would listen, and, let’s be honest, that’s not going to happen. So, without further ado (I can’t believe it’s been almost a year that I’ve had this set up and I haven’t done this yet) I present my views on the current state of music.
Genres and types aside, contemporary music has three distinct categories. These are the easy, the angsty, and the pretentious. Any type of music can fit into any of these categories, and a few types of music span the categories, although it is quite possible to place all of certain types of music within a certain category. Don’t get hung up on the names like I did; they’re there for lack of better words, and only angsty do I truly feel is accurate. What is important is the content, the flaws, and the merits (if any) of each type. Because it’s easy, and because it conveniently has me finishing with the category that I have the most to say about, we’ll do this alphabetically.
The Angsty
It has all kinds of names now, and has had all kinds of names in the past. Emo (the current forerunner), hardcore, punk, grunge, chik-rock, and if we want to throw in whiny (and oh, do we) with angsty we can do about half of indie and singer-songwriter music as well. Think anything from Alanis Morissette to Anti-Flag to the Smashing Pumpkins to Converge to Dashboard Confessional to even The Ramones or Sleater-Kinney. (Those of you that get all of those references, I’m impressed.) This has been around for years, and extends beyond music - Hot Topic fans, eat your heart out. I don’t want to write this category off - artists of promise have found themselves here, and some of them have stayed here. The category suffers from chronic flash-in-the-pan-itis, as one can only be angsty for so long before puberty ends. This is the music that the unpopular kids (art, goth, nerd, etc.) listened to in high school. It’s also the only category that has visitors from both other categories, because selling records is a lot simpler if you’re angry about something. The songs lack depth usually, and subtlety is almost unheard of; this is the realm of the metaphor (grisly, usually) and the hyperbole. It’s also fun to listen to, and if you don’t have any favorite band that belongs in this category, I’m pretty firmly convinced that you’re an alien, or at least tasteless. That said, they’re almost always embarassing, so I won’t ask you to name them. I certainly won’t be naming mine.
The Easy
If you told me that you didn’t own any albums in the Angsty category, I wouldn’t believe you. If you tell me that you don’t own any albums in the Easy category, I’ll congratulate you (though I’ll remain skeptical). This is bubblegum in all of its forms. I call it easy because it requires no unique skill to hear, to absorb, and to forget (and, admittedly sometimes, to enjoy). You don’t have to be a music listener to get a Kelly Clarkson song stuck in your head (in fact, it probably helps if you’re not) - but if you spend more than the 3 minutes that the song runs thinking about it, then you’re spending too much time. When something sells out, it goes here. This isn’t just teeny pop, however. Slayer belongs as easily in this category as the Backstreet Boys. You want to listen to something whose goal is just to deafen you? Then Easy is the category for you! 50 Cent fans aren’t free either; top 40 rap is just as much a member here as top 40 metal or pop. I would like to make it clear at this point that I’m not blanketly insulting music I haven’t really heard; first, I have heard a lot of it, and second, I’m not insulting, merely identifying. All of these musicians are extremely good at what they do - selling a product. It’s widely available and it’s intended to be catchy and short-lived. Does this make it worse than music in other categories? That depends on the criteria used to define “worse.” I merely place it here because it does not belong in either of the other categories. This is the music that the popular kids in high school listen to, because they’ve got lives to worry about, and spending time on anything other than Easy music would not, I imagine, be a high priority.
And finally, at long last, The Pretentious
This category includes a lot as well. At the moment, pretentious indie music is in its upswing, but the Velvet Underground belongs here as much as the Fiery Furnaces do. Hell, Atmosphere belongs here. Hieroglyphics belongs here. This is the underground that hasn’t given way to angst. It is the category of lyrical depth, subtlety, allusion, symbolism, and art. It is also bloated, repetitive, and often stolen from earlier artists. I want to present a fair picture of this, even though most (not all) of the music I listen to falls here. The key attack launched against the Pretentious category, apart from its obvious pretension, is that it is by and large unoriginal. Record reviews are usually comprised almost entirely of references to previous artists. The highest praise something in this category can hope to receive is that it is reminiscent of another artist that has already been deemed talented. This can vary from the internet phenomenon Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! being described as the Talking Heads for the 21st century to even newer band Wolf Parade being called a mixture of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! and the Arcade Fire. References have always been around in music - listen to David Bowie’ Hunky Dory and tell me he’s not channeling Bob Dylan. He even acknowledges it. The point remains that there are good things to be said about David Bowie beyond his ability to sound like Bob Dylan. Listening to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! is enjoyable because it’s like listening to a Talking Heads album with incredibly clever lyrics. Not to be forgotten is the “quasi-instrumental post-rock” that exemplifies the pretension here; not only is its name longer than most of the songs, but the concept of contemporary bands playing instrumental albums full of rock chords and calling them art is laughable (though, admittedly, usually enjoyable and often well done). Indie music (and the other pretentious types, although I don’t have as much experience with them) is the elitist sect of music, but it’s also some of the most enjoyable music currently being made.
There are exceptions to everything I’ve said; this is not an in-depth analysis, it’s a loose rant based on a half-baked idea that I thought to write about earlier this morning. That said, I stand by its analysis at least 90 percent of the time.
Darious Michaud (inspiration series)
|
|
Susan Mcclary(inspiration series)
| SUSAN MCCLARY BIO | | Print | |
|
SUSAN MCCLARY (Professor of Music and Associate Vice-Provost of the International Institute, UCLA; Ph.D. Harvard, 1976) teaches music analysis, history, and early-music performance. Her research focuses on the cultural criticism of music, both the European canon and contemporary popular genres. In contrast with an aesthetic tradition that treats music as ineffable and transcendent, her work engages with the signifying dimensions of musical procedures and deals with this elusive medium as a set of social practices. She is best known for her book Feminine Endings: Music, Gender, and Sexuality (1991), which examines cultural constructions of gender, sexuality, and the body in various musical repertories, ranging from early seventeenth-century opera to the songs of Madonna.
McClary is also author of Conventional Wisdom: The Content of Musical Form (2000), Georges Bizet: Carmen (Cambridge University Press, 1992; Italian edition. 2007), and coeditor with Richard Leppert of Music and Society: The Politics of Composition, Performance and Reception (1987). In her more recent publications, she explores the many ways in which subjectivities have been construed in music from the sixteenth-century onward. Modal Subjectivities: Renaissance Self-Fashioning in the Italian Madrigal(2004) won the Otto Kinkeldey Prize from the American Musicological Society in 2005, andshe is now finishing Desire and Pleasure in Seventeenth-Century Music. A collection of her most influential essays was commissioned from Ashgate with the title Reading Music: Selected Essays by Susan McClary.
Before arriving to teach at UCLA in 1994, McClary taught at the University of Minnesota (1977-91) and McGill University (1991-94). She won university-wide teaching awards at University of Minnesota (1987) and UCLA (1997). Since 1993 she has delivered the Bloch Lectures at Berkeley, the Grout Lecture at Cornell, the Hooker Lectures at McMaster, the Huang Lecture in Hong Kong, the Alfred Hook Lecture at University of Sydney, the Centre CATH Lectures in Leeds, the Faculty Research Lecture at UCLA, and the Curry Lecture at the University of Michigan; she holds a professorship at the University of Oslo and — in 2009 — a chair in music theory in the Netherlands. In 2010 she will direct a seminar at the Mannes Institute for Advanced Studies in Music Theory. Her work has been translated into at least twelve languages.
McClary has chaired the Board of Directors for the American Council of Learned Societies and served on the editorial boards ofSigns, Perspectives of New Music, Black Music Research Journal, Women and Music, ECHO, Musica Humana, and Music and the Moving Image. While living in Minneapolis, she wrote and produced a music-theater piece, Susanna Does the Elders (1987). McClary received a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in 1995.
|
Music as an Art Form
From: www.wmea.com/support/documents/MusicAdvocacyPacket.pdf
Music as an Art Form
“Humans throughout history have used the arts to express themselves to find beauty,
attain a higher level of meaning and better understand themselves and their culture. The
arts are the most human form of communication and expression.” A Report on Arts
Education in Wisconsin: The State Superintendent’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Arts
Education. 2000. Madison, WI: Wisconsin DPI.
The above statement embodies the guiding principles from the following various sources.
Guiding Principles from Vision 2020
Reimer, B. 2000. Why do humans value music? In Vision 2020. Reston, VA: MENC.
The five dimensions of musical value:
1. Music is ends and means. It is valuable in and of itself.
2. Music encompasses mind, body, and feeling.
3. Music is universal, cultural and individual.
4. Music is product and process.
5. Music is pleasurable and profound.
Guiding Principles from A Report on Arts Education in Wisconsin: The State
Superintendent’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Arts Education. 2000. Madison, WI:
Wisconsin DPI. Selected points.
• The arts are central to the development of a well educated person and the core of
all learning – connecting and enhancing whole brain development.
• The arts are intellectually challenging and contribute directly to the cognitive,
emotional, physical, and emotional development of all students.
• Higher order thinking skills – analysis, synthesis, evaluation, critical judgment,
including imaginative and creative thinking – are developed in the arts.
• Students who are often turned off by traditional academic subjects find success in
the arts.
• The arts provide opportunities for success in the creative fields of all of the arts,
as well as arts related fields of study.
Philosophy Statement of the Wisconsin Music Educators Association
Music is an integral part of a complete education. Music engages people in objective,
subjective, symbolic, and concrete aspects of human experience.
Music education improves learning in other subjects. Quality music education:
• develops aesthetic awareness and sensitivity;
• provides a source of enjoyment which enhances the quality of life from early
experiences through adulthood.
• provides a means for creativity and self-expression;
• provides a sense of history and cultural heritage;
• provides opportunity for visible success and achievement in the school and
community;
• develops life skills for work and personal success;
• makes the school and community a more pleasant place to learn, work, and live;
• increases the satisfaction derived from music throughout life; and
• increases understanding of other cultures through music.
Research Beyond Music for Art’s Sake – Selected from the American Music
Conference web site www.amc-music.com
Did You Know?
• Middle school and high school students who participated in instrumental music
scored significantly higher than their non-band peers in standardized tests.
University studies conducted in Georgia and Texas found significant correlations
between the number of years of instrumental music instruction and academic
achievement in math, science and language arts. Source: University of Sarasota
Study, Jeffrey Lynn Kluball; East Texas State University Study, Daryl Erick Trent
• Students who were exposed to the music-based lessons scored a full 100 percent
higher on fractions tests than those who learned in the conventional manner.
Second-grade and third-grade students were taught fractions in an untraditional
manner – by teaching them basic music rhythm notation. The group was taught
about the relationships between eighth, quarter, half and whole notes. Their peers
received traditional fraction instruction. Source: Neurological Research, March
15, 1999
• Music majors are the most likely group of college grads to be admitted to medical
school. Physician and biologist Lewis Thomas studied the undergraduate majors
of medical school applicants. He found that 66 percent of music majors who
applied to med school were admitted, the highest percentage of any group. For
comparison, (44 percent) of biochemistry majors were admitted. Also, a study of
7,500 university students revealed that music majors scored the highest reading
scores among all majors including English, biology, chemistry and math.
Sources: "The Comparative Academic Abilities of Students in Education and in
Other Areas of a Multi-focus University," Peter H. Wood, ERIC Document No.
ED327480 "The Case for Music in the Schools," Phi Delta Kappan, February,
1994
• Music study can help kids understand advanced music concepts. A grasp of
proportional math and fractions is a prerequisite to math at higher levels, and
children who do not master these areas cannot understand more advanced math
critical to high-tech fields. Music involves ratios, fractions, proportions and
thinking in space and time. Second-grade students were given four months of
piano keyboard training, as well as time using newly designed math software. The
group scored over 27 percent higher on proportional math and fractions tests than
children who used only the math software. Source: Neurological Research
March, 1999
• A McGill University study found that pattern recognition and mental
representation scores improved significantly for students given piano instruction
over a three-year period. They also found that self-esteem and musical skills
measures improved for the students given piano instruction. Source: Dr. Eugenia
Costa-Giomi, "The McGill Piano Project: Effects of three years of piano
instruction on children's cognitive abilities, academic achievement, and selfesteem,"
presented at the meeting of the Music Educators National Conference,
Phoenix, AZ, April, 1998
• Research shows that piano students are better equipped to comprehend
mathematical and scientific concepts. A group of preschoolers received private
piano keyboard lessons and singing lessons. A second group received private
computer lessons. Those children who received piano/keyboard training
performed 34 percent higher on tests measuring spatial-temporal ability than the
others – even those who received computer training. "Spatial-temporal" is
basically proportional reasoning - ratios, fractions, proportions and thinking in
space and time. This concept has long been considered a major obstacle in the
teaching of elementary math and science. Source: Neurological Research
February 28, 1997
• Young children with developed rhythm skills perform better academically in early
school years. Findings of a recent study showed that there was a significant
difference in the academic achievement levels of students classified according to
rhythmic competency. Students who were achieving at academic expectation
scored high on all rhythmic tasks, while many of those who scored lower on the
rhythmic test achieved below academic expectation. Source: "The Relationship
between Rhythmic Competency and Academic Performance in First Grade
Children," University of Central Florida, Debby Mitchell
• High school music students score higher on SATs in both verbal and math than
their peers. In 2001, SAT takers with coursework/experience in music
performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 41
points higher on the math portion than students with no coursework/experience in
the arts. Source: Profile of SAT and Achievement Test Takers, The College
Board, compiled by Music Educators National Conference, 2001.
• College-age musicians are emotionally healthier than their non-musician
counterparts. A study conducted at the University of Texas looked at 362 students
who were in their first semester of college. They were given three tests,
measuring performance anxiety, emotional concerns and alcohol related
problems. In addition to having fewer battles with the bottle, researchers also
noted that the college-aged music students seemed to have surer footing when
facing tests. Source: Houston Chronicle, January 11, 1998
• A ten-year study, tracking more than 25,000 students, shows that music-making
improves test scores. Regardless of socioeconomic background, music-making
students get higher marks in standardized tests than those who had no music
involvement. The test scores studied were not only standardized tests, such as the
SAT, but also in reading proficiency exams. Source: Dr. James Catterall, UCLA,
1997
• Music training helps under-achievers. In Rhode Island, researchers studied eight
public school first grade classes. Half of the classes became "test arts" groups,
receiving ongoing music and visual arts training. In kindergarten, this group had
lagged behind in scholastic performance. After seven months, the students were
given a standardized test. The "test arts" group had caught up to their fellow
students in reading and surpassed their classmates in math by 22 percent. In the
second year of the project, the arts students widened this margin even further.
Students were also evaluated on attitude and behavior. Classroom teachers noted
improvement in these areas also. Source: Nature May 23, 1996
Notable Quotes for Programs, Letters, Public Relations
"…Music feeds the soul and the imagination, and at a time when our young people hear
so much about war, terrorism, and the failing economy, they need to transcend the
message of conflict and strife to have faith in a future of peace and harmony. The
opportunity to participate in and develop an appreciation for music is a lifelong gift we
give our children. We allow them to dream, express themselves, and look at life through
many lenses." ELIZABETH BURMASTER, Wisconsin Superintendent of Education, Speech
at 2003 WMEA State Conference.
“The arts – the fruits of imagination – are not accessories to life, nor to education. They
are not the parsley that decorates the main course. They are education, and provide
lessons that can be learned in no other way.” DAVID MCCULLOUGH, Historian and Author
“A school’s mission is wider than learning how to make a living. It is a place where
students can learn how to make a life. Those who would send schools back to the basics
set their standards much too low. The logic of language, the structures of mathematics,
the conclusions of the sciences give us distinct perspectives, but they do not exhaust what
we can know, what we can imagine, or what we can feel. The arts are among the
important ways we remake ourselves.” ELLIOT W. EISNER, Arts Educator, Stanford
University
“When members of a society wish to secure that society’s rich heritage they cherish their
arts and respect their artists. The esteem with which we regard the multiple cultures
offered in our country enhances our possibilities for healthy survival and continued social
development.” MAYA ANGELOU, Poet
“The arts are an essential part of human experience; they are not a frill. We recommend
that all students study the arts to discover how human beings communicate, not only with
words, but through music, dance, and visual arts. Now more than ever, all people need to
see clearly, hear acutely, and feel sensitively through the arts. These skills are no longer
just desirable; they are essential if we are to survive with civility and joy.” ERNEST
BOYER, former President, Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching
“The arts enrich communities and employees, and also stimulate the kind of intellectual
curiosity our company needs to stay competitive.” NORMAN R. AUGUSTINE, CEO and
Chair, Martin Marietta Corporation
“Educators say they want materials and activities that are constructivist, that is, concrete
and hands on. They seek materials that are multi-modal, multicultural, appealing and
challenging to the classroom’s diverse range of learners. They look for activities that
provide not just a means of assessment but multiple ways to track and evaluate a
students’ progress. They want materials that promote critical thinking. They look for
activities that are inter-disciplinary. Research confirms what we always knew intuitively:
the arts teach all of us – students and teachers alike – innovation, novelty, and creativity.
We learn to be wondrous.” RAMON C. CORTINES, Director, Pew Network
“For the future of our children and our communities, we must find new ways to engage
students in the learning process. The arts can be a powerful vehicle through which to
challenge young people’s minds, stir their creativity, instill discipline, and build selfesteem.”
LAWRENCE A. HOUGH, President/CEO, Sallie Mae
“We need highly skilled workers to think and create. That’s why we’re willing to put our
money on the line to make a systemic change in the way young people are educated to
the arts and sciences in this country.” HELGE H.WEHMEIER, President/CEO, Miles Inc.
“Music education teaches students lessons that they will use for the rest of their lives:
cooperation, hard work, dedication, and the desire to strive for excellence. All students
benefit from music education, whether they sing, play an instrument, compose melodies,
or simply enjoy listening to and learning about the rhythms and the lyrics. Music is an
integral part of our daily lives. As I travel around Wisconsin, I hear music influenced by
the many ethnic groups that live in my state. I am pleased that these musical traditions
are being passed on to the children of Wisconsin, both in the classroom and in their
communities.” RUSS FEINGOLD, U.S. Senator, Wisconsin
“Providing our children with a challenging and well-rounded education is the best
investment we can make in our future, and music education is a key component of that
curriculum. Introducing children to the arts opens their minds to creative thinking and
teaches them about the many contributions that artists before them have made to our
culture. I will continue to support increased federal funding for education so that states
and school districts have the resources and the flexibility they need to devote more
money toward their highest priorities like music education.” HERB KOHL, U.S. Senator,
Wisconsin
“Music education stimulates, challenges, and enriches our young people during their
formative, school years; its value lasts a lifetime.” TAMMY BALDWIN, U.S.
Representative, Wisconsin
“…art means more than the resuscitation of the past: it means the free and unconfined
search for new ways of expressing the experience of the the present and the vision of the
future. When the creative impulse cannot flourish freely, when it cannot freely select its
methods and objects, when it is deprived of spontaneity, then society severs the root of
art.” JOHN F. KENNEDY
“Civilizations are most often remembered for their art and thought. I have always
believed in the definition of an educated man or woman as one who could, if necessary,
reform his or her civilization. That means we must teach our students more than hard
facts and floppy discs. We must teach them the rich artistic inheritance of our culture and
an appreciation of how fine music enriches both the student who studies it, and the
society that produces it … The existence of strong music and fine arts curricula are
important to keeping the humanities truly humanizing and liberal arts education, truly
liberating.” RONALD REAGAN
Arts and humanities “have enabled Americans of all backgrounds and walks of life to
gain a deeper appreciation of who they are as individuals and who we all are as a
society.” BILL CLINTON
In Print Resources
....and Music for All. (2001). Reston, VA: MENC – The National Association for Music
Education.
Blue Ribbon Report: A Report on Arts Education in Wisconsin. (June 2000). Madison,
WI: Wisconsin DPI.
Deasy, Richard J. (2002). Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and
Social Development. Washington, DC: Arts Education Partnership. Also available on
line at aep-arts.org
Fiske, Edward B. Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning.
Washington, DC: Arts Education Partnership. Also available on line at aep-arts.org
Gardner, Howard. (1993). Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New
York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than I.Q. New
York: Basic Books.
Jensen, Eric. (2001). Arts with the Brain in Mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Jensen, Eric. (2000). Music with the Brain in Mind. San Diego, CA: The Brain Store.
Jorgensen, Estelle R. (Ed.). (Spring 2002). Philosophy of Music Education Review. Vol.
10, No. 1.
Madsen, Clifford K. (Ed.). (2000). Vision 2020. Reston, VA: MENC – The National
Association for Music Education.
A Report on Arts Education in Wisconsin: The State Superintendent’s Blue Ribbon
Commission on Arts Education. 2000. Madison, WI: Wisconsin DPI.
The Report of the National Commission on Music Education. Growing Up Complete:
The Imperative for Music Education. (1991). Reston, VA: MENC.
Sylwester, Robert. (1998). Art for the Brain’s Sake. Educational Leadership, 56 (3), 31-
35.
On Line Resources
American Music Conference web site, www.amc-music.com
Americans for the Arts web site. www.artsusa.org
The Arts Education Partnership web site. www.aep-arts.org
Hudson, Iowa Band Program web site. www.hudson.iowapages.org/id6.html
Music for All web site. www.music-for-all.org
Wisconsin Music Educators Association web site. www.wmea.com
Parent & Community Relations/Support
Where can parents be most effective for advocacy?
Support at school board meetings by speaking on behalf of music
education as well as monitoring the dialog and issues before the board that
could impact the music program
Membership on various school/ district committees to advocate for music
Talking to other parents about the value of music education
Financial, academic and emotional support for students involved in your
music programs
As members of a music boosters group
How can you involve parents in your music program?
A. Communicate
Identify ways to share student expectations/goals/performance
times/curriculum, etc.
at the beginning of the year share with parents the names of the musical
pieces you will work on and the rational for choosing them
stay well informed about current education issues and music research and
share with parents
use various methods of communication
--newsletters
--websites (refer to index page of sample website following this article for
a list of topics and ideas)
--telephone trees
--hotlines
--email lists
--district newsletters
--use of community media
B. Start Booster Group
Understand the need for a booster group. A booster group can help with a
wealth of duties, however, in times of crisis it is also the perfect vehicle to
show the value of music to the children without being judged as self
serving.
Start your booster groups during good times, not as a reaction to critical
issues
set up various committees within your booster group (academic support,
scholarship, trips, fundraising, etc.
develop a mission statement (the better this mission statement exemplifies
the mission of the district, the easier it is for music advocacy at the district
level). Know the mission statement of your district—it is usually found in
the school library or is on the district website.
An umbrella music boosters group including band, chorus and orchestra
parents is the best to develop—each group can meet after the general
meeting to deal with trips, fundraisers, etc. but the most effective and
powerful group is built around the unifying subject of music.
Remember that even a small group is the beginning of an advocacy group;
nurture and enhance it.
C. Network
Identify and nurture parents who can support you, your program, music
education and the like. Choose people who:
--Match your philosophy
--Are thoughtful, insightful, calm, intelligent. Not loose cannons
Get to know your students’ parents and their background. Ask your
students if their parents sing or play an instrument. Have them perform
with your groups.
Keep your volunteers for more than their student’s tenure in school. A
tried and true advocate for music is extra valuable.
Hold receptions after your concerts to encourage to parents to meet each
other and socialize. It also gives you a chance to develop advocates.
Keep track of alumni. Bring them back to perform with your group if they
have continued in music. Invite them to your concerts. They can tell you
(and others) the value of music in their lives.
How do you reach out to your community?
Communicate with your colleagues. Talk to your fellow music teachers,
guidance counselors, other teachers in your school. If you establish
regular communication with your fellow staff members, problems with
scheduling, curriculum, student progress issues can be more easily
resolved. Be willing to cooperate for the good of the student. Share what
you are doing in your classroom and how it relates to other studies in your
school. (Or ask what the other teachers are studying and see if it is
possible to bring in music to compliment both of your curriculums.)
Communicate with your students. Have them get involved in a student
music group/governing body. Encourage student to student mentorships.
Have them represent music interests on various school committee (be
careful with this suggestion. We don’t want to suggest that music is an
extra curriculum interest on the student council, etc.)
Reach out to community members who could help your program by
performing, narrating for a performance and the like. Don’t forget school
board members, the principal, other teachers, the mayor. Acknowledge
them, make them feel part of your program.
Make a point of getting to know the culture of the community, how music
is perceived. If you understand where you are, you know in what
direction you must go.
Do concerts out in the community. Be an integral part of community
events.
Invite community bands to perform with you (or go to a community band
concert with your class).
Identify and invite service groups and senior groups to your concerts.
These members can be wonderful advocates. An afternoon dress rehearsal
of your musical is the perfect opportunity to invite a local senior group.
Volunteer to be on school and district committees. Make friends and keep
abreast of changes that might affect music education.
Stay informed about and acknowledge non-musical events in your school
community.
Become involved in professional organizations (WMEA, WAME, etc.)
Hold informances rather than performances; that is, educate your audience
about the history, etc. of your performance music. Visit
www.wmea.com/CMP/points-to-ponder/10-03 or read Shaping Sound
Musicians by Patricia O’Toole.
Start a file of quotes from your students about the value of music and what
music means to them. Include in your programs and other publicity.
Bring an artist in residence to your school.
Check out community resources for grants to bring artists in to your
classroom or to perform in select theaters. Many area businesses, service
organizations and even your school district may have grants or at least a
grant writer. Parents often work at businesses that will match funds or
even totally fund a concert or special project.
Resources:
Wisconsin Center for Music Education
“Music Booster Groups” packet produced by WAME
“Why Music is Basic—The Value of Music Education” by Bruce Pearson
Press Release Format
(Print on your school letterhead)
Date
For more information: Your name, School
Your telephone number (daytime and evening)
Your e-mail address
For Immediate Release
Title
Story goes here. Make sure to cover all pertinent information in the first paragraph and
then explain details in later paragraphs. (Cover Who, What, Where, Why, and How in
first paragraph.) Be concise. Small newspapers don't have staff to edit and usually can't
use anything too long. Large newspapers will likely have a reporter do research and write
their own story, using press release as background information.
Information should be double- or triple- spaced to allow room for editors to write notes.
Leave at least a 1.25-inch margin on the left side. Leave at least a 1-inch margin
everywhere else.
Double space (quadruple space) between paragraphs. Never split a paragraph between
pages. If you have more than one page, type (More) centered at the bottom of the page.
Then write a key word or phrase at the top of the next page plus, Add One (or Two, etc.)
Always let the editor know where your press release ends by typing -end- or -30- or
three number symbols.
# # #
Making Music with the Media
Fast Notes for Music Educators
Media Relations
Media relations is a low-cost, highly credible way to inform the community
about who you are and what you do. There are numerous ways to get the news
media’s attention, including:
• News releases
• Pitch letters
• Letters to the editor, etc.
No matter what method you use to contact the media, always make sure the
information you are presenting is newsworthy to reporters, editors and their
readers, listeners and viewers. Be succinct in presenting information through all
verbal and written communications.
News is: Timely, New, Informative, Educational, Significant, Unique, Interesting
Tips for Building a Positive Media Relationship
Familiarize yourself with the media outlet (i.e., read the newspaper in which
you plan to send a news release). Your relationship with the media is a two-way
street – it’s as important for you to understand the media as it is for the media to
understand you.
Make sure that you are sending the right information to the right person. Call
the general phone number and ask who is the most appropriate person to receive
your information (i.e. often there is a “beat” that reporters follow and usually
someone is assigned to school/educational news).
Once the appropriate media contact is identified, call and ask how they prefer
to be informed of your news items (i.e., email, phone, fax, etc.)
Always begin the conversation by stating who you are, why you are calling – in
words, not sentences, and ALWAYS ask if they are under deadline. For example:
Hi____, This is _____ calling from _____school in regard to ______(news
item). Do you have a minute or is this not a good time?
If the answer is, “No – this isn’t a good time,” respectfully let them go. DO
NOT go into a pitch about why you are contacting them. However, politely
ask if there is a time you can call back.
Follow up with your media contact after sending them information to confirm
receipt, unless they have requested otherwise.
Ideas for Gaining Media Exposure
Guest Articles Letters to the Editor Community Calendars
Student Features Event Photos Student Trips/Performance News
Tapping into Parent/Student Resources
Recruit a parent (i.e., public relations professional) to help with your media
relations. Often, they are looking for ways to show support.
Draw upon students to help with media relations, such as someone on the
yearbook staff, a communications or arts student. They can lend a hand while
gaining valuable experience.
Speaking the Right Language
Develop a vocabulary sheet of supportive language and use this terminology in all written
and verbal communications, including correspondence with the media. It will help to
position your program in a positive light. Here is a vocabulary sheet sample:
SUPPORTIVE NON-SUPPORTIVE
small group instruction lessons
coursework activities
study music play music
curricular co- OR extra-curricular
academic/core (Title IX) core as in state-tested classes
assessment contest or concert
technique knows how to play instrument
curriculum pieces or songs
National and/or State Standards fun songs
teachers coaches
collaborative competitive
student-centered teacher-centered
performance outcomes ratings or grades
understands music through instrument knows how to play instrument
involves cognitive, psychomotor and affective makes them feel good
skills – involves mind, body and spirit
Quotes, Quotes, Quotes…
In news releases and other materials, quotes can provide insight and support for your
information. Parents, Principals, Superintendents are great for quotes.
Do not give broad general statements. Give the facts – names, places and dates.
A summary sentence can be very useful as a quote.
Remember figures. Numbers and percentages can help legitimize a story.
Message should be clear and concise – not “wordy.”
When “ghost-writing” a quote for someone else, always make sure they approve it
before sending it to the media in your materials.
When talking with the media, remember NOTHING IS OFF THE RECORD!
For more tips on media relations, go to www.wmea.com/support and download
“Music and the Media.”
So You're Going to be Interviewed…
Reporters rely on interviews -- by phone or in person, planned in advance or immediate --
to gather information. Interviews set up in advance are often for the purpose of getting
background information. Spontaneous interviews usually indicate there is a breaking
news story, i.e., something has happened and the reporter needs facts or comments now.
In either case you want to be prepared.
When the call comes…
1. Confirm the identity and media outlet.
2. Ask for specifics about what the caller wants to know.
3. If necessary, buy time for yourself.
a. Explain that you're in the middle of something but you'll call back in a specified
time period -- and do.
b. Explain that you don't have all the information, but you'll do some fact-finding and
call back. Find out the reporter's deadlines and try to accommodate them.
c. Suggest that someone else may be a better source of information. Then call that
person immediately to give him/her a chance to anticipate the reporter's call.
Be prepared
1. Anticipate media calls or visits. Depending upon your locale, you may also be asked
to react to a state or national report on education. Keeping on top of news is helpful
in anticipating such calls.
2. Know your media outlets and reporters. By watching, listening and reading TV and
radio broadcasts and newspapers, you'll get a sense for the type of reporting an
individual does. Consider whether the reporter typically emphasizes human interest,
hard facts or a mix.
3. Decide the message YOU want to convey, based on what the reporter wants to know.
4. Make a list of the points you want to make and questions you think the reporter may
ask.
5. Review reports, correspondence, etc., that relate to the interview topic.
6. Prepare a one-page handout of facts regarding the interview topic, if time permits.
During the interview…
1. Concentrate on YOUR message. Remember, you are half of any interview.
2. Be concise. For broadcast, try to keep your responses under 30 seconds. For print, the
more concise you are, the harder it is to be misquoted.
3. Listen. Respond only to those questions that are asked unless you have a specific
point you want to make.
4. Be positive. Try not to respond to speculative questions. Instead, rephrase the
reporter's question or re-emphasize your own points.
5. Don't go off the record. Reporters can use off-the-record information to confirm
what they've been told with someone else and then use the information.
6. If you don't know the answer, offer to get the information.
7. If you can't answer a question, for legal or other reasons, explain why.
8. Be emphatic. Make your points up front, then offer substantiating information.
9. Do not let reporters put words in your mouth. Be cautious of questions that begin
"Would you say that…?" Avoid responding "yes" or "no" to such questions: instead,
rephrase them to emphasize your viewpoint.
10. Keep it simple. Avoid educational jargon. When you must use a term the general
public may be unfamiliar with, explain it as simply as possible.
If you are on the air…
On television…
1. Dress appropriately - no loud patterns.
2. Look at the interviewer, not the camera.
3. Respond with short answers. Most news segments are 90 seconds or less so a 5 to
10 second sound bite may be all you have.
4. Make visuals (charts, pictures, etc.) available if possible.
On radio…
1. Avoid mike fright. Follow the professional's advice on how to speak into the mike:
not too close.
2. Keep answers short and to the point. Don't be afraid to stop. Rambling often means
saying the wrong thing.
After the interview…
1. Make notes, if you didn't keep them during the interview.
2. Offer the reporter written information if available. Keep it brief.
3. Suggest another upcoming story the reporter may want to cover. Don't miss the
opportunity to emphasize something positive.
4. Alert other administrators, board members, parents and students as appropriate of
pending coverage.
5. Monitor coverage.
Practical Public Relations tips prepared by Mary Pat Pfeil of the Wauwatosa School District for
the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association.
Press Release Sample
(Print on your school letterhead)
Date
For more information: Your name, School
Your telephone number (daytime and evening)
Your e-mail address
For Immediate Release
Hundreds of Students to Participate in Music Festival Saturday
More than Number of Students students will participate in a Wisconsin School Music
Association (WSMA) sanctioned Solo & Ensemble Music Festival on Day of the Week,
Date hosted by Your School. During solo & ensemble festivals, students prepare vocal or
instrumental solos, duets, trios, or small ensembles to perform before an adjudicator. The
festival is free and open to the public.
WSMA music festivals annually attract thousands of students from middle, junior high,
and high schools from throughout Wisconsin. Last year, more than 200,000 students
participated statewide. The Solo & Ensemble Festival at Your School on Day and Date
will draw students from Number area schools, including List All Participating Schools.
"The exciting part about these music festivals is that students are measured against a
standard of excellence rather than competing against each other," said Your Full Name,
Your School, festival manager. "The festival format allows students at various levels of
experience to participate."
(More)
Music Festival, Add One
WSMA Music Festivals provide students with the opportunity to perform and be
evaluated. Over the years, the emphasis of these musical events has changed from
"contests," where ratings were the most important, to "festivals," which are clearly
focused on providing a positive learning experience for students.
The primary purposes of WSMA festivals are to:
• Establish standards of quality for music literature.
• Motivate students to prepare and perform to the best of their abilities.
• Improve students’ understanding of music literature and music concepts
(performance with understanding).
• Provide opportunities for performance of original student compositions.
• Support improvement of school music programs through individual and
group achievement.
• Encourage exploration of diverse musical styles and ensemble combinations.
# # #
The Wisconsin School Music Association is a non-profit service organization composed of over 1,000 member public and private schools.
Last year, more than 200,000 students took the initiative to be involved in WSMA activities, including District and State Music Festivals, the
State Honors Project, Student Composition Project, State Marching Band Championships, and more. WSMA believes music is basic, and
all children have the right to experience all that music offers them.