Posted by Steve Dedman on June 24, 2000 at 08:53:59:
In Reply to: Re: Everything I ever needed to know... posted by cw on June 23, 2000 at 22:26:47:
A friend that works at a music store shared the following fact with me:
Of all of the inmates currently awaiting execution on death row in the US, NOT ONE spent four years in a high school music program.
He has a fact sheet of stats like that that he got from some organization. I'll try to find out which one, but it's not vh-1.
Yes, the love of the music should be the primary motivation behind our activities. But think back to when you were in school. There was always that one sax or clarinet or trumpet player (never a tuba!) that just didn't GET IT. But they hung in there for 4 years. Talk about teaching perseverance! If I hadn't had a love of the music and a little innate talent, I don't know that I would have made it. But they learned the lessons that Joe mentions, and many are a LOT more successful in their field than I am in mine.
Many of the arguments that VH-1 espouses are not aimed at the musicians. That would be preaching to the choir, as it were. Their arguments are aimed (rightfully so) at the politicians that control the purse strings, many of whom don't know a half-note from an interoffice note, and don't care to learn. Their arguments are also equally suited to the parents that don't know if their child that doesn't GET IT should continue in band. When they see that it's about much more than music and halftime shows, they may encourage their child to stick to it and try to enjoy it while they can. Some of the best band parents I've ever seen couldn't carry a tune with a forklift. But they have talents that benefit the band program in other ways - organization of parent meetings and fundraising come to mind. That's where the non-musical benefits argument has real impact.
Steve "Holistically thinking" Dedman