Music is all around, in fact to quote Julie Andrews, the hills are alive with the sound of music.

The halls of our schools however are becoming quieter. It is strange for me to know that my childrens school only has music class once a week. Stranger still is the fact that some schools are doing away with the class all together. For me, music class was always the best part of the day. Learning about and playing different instruments available not just here in the United States, but throughout the world was fascinating. Why the sudden change in direction? To some music class is a waste of time and money. Its not a fundamental skill needed in life such as math. That does not mean it is worthless toward developing a childs education. Those who are able to participate in a music program are also shown to have an easier time learning in other areas. According to dosomething.org Schools with music programs have an estimated 90.2 percent graduation rate and 93.9 percent attendance rate compared to schools without music education who average 72.9 percent graduation and 84.9 percent attendance. The biggest factor working against the music program is budget. Many schools are having a tough time keeping the music program active due to financial restraints. Marguerite Roza wrote an article for educationnext.org breaking down the financial budget across multiple levels of schools. She found that the cost of providing any course varies widely based on teacher salary and class room size. Research from the NAMM foundation in 2010 found that the annual cost per student in their sample market K-12 was $187, $189 in middle

school, and $143 for high school students. With the average class size at 30 students that per pupil cost is $5,610, $5,670, and $4,290 annually per class respectively. What will be lost along with the music program? To those who think its a waste of time Id like to share a quote from John McLaren, President of BBE Sound, The school band or orchestra is a powerful metaphor for civilization itself. It teaches the child with immediacy and intensity all the basic lessons of life in a civilized community. It teaches children to live and work togetherto learn the law as the community has established to govern itself and to peacefully abide by those laws. In a band, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Music is a natural way of expressing in the same way that art is. Music after all is art. Without expression the imagination becomes stagnant, void, uninterested, and unable to think of new ideas. Music is discipline. Without it harmony becomes chaos. Youve heard it many times before. We have to make learning fun. Music programs can do that. How can we keep it going? Donations can keep the beat going. There are many foundations that provide financial and material resources to keep the music program alive. VH1 Save the Music foundation and the NAMM foundation are two such organizations. Through donations made to the VH1 Save the Music Foundation since 1997 they have been able to provide $51 million dollars worth of equipment to benefit 2.3 million children in 1,900 schools. Imagine the impact on those 2.3 million children had these foundations not intervened.

17.3% of those students would not have graduated. 9% wouldnt have bothered showing up to school. Thats 397,900 students and 207,000 students respectively. By helping to keep the music program in our schools going you not only enrich the lives of your children but of the world as a whole. Without it the next Mozart, Bach of Beethoven could be lost. We can do this, we can save the music. In conclusion, for us to continue providing our children with the skills and benefits provided by a school music program, well need you to help out and donate what you can to foundations such as VH1 Save the Music or the NAMM foundation. Together we can keep the song going for more than 2.3 million children. In the words of Bob Marley Get up, stand up, dont give up the fight.