The Importance of a Music Education

Recently I have run into some comments that honestly make me so angry I want to spit fire.
These comments have rolled off the tongues of parents, teachers, and even administrators. I am reposting a letter that I wrote to the teachers of one of the schools I frequent. I found it necessary to repost only because if you happen to be one of the people that think this way I hope you would reconsider your point of view.

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Hello All,

I just wanted to send out a note to you all on something you can help me with here at (*****). It is the middle of the school year, and in strings (and I'm sure in many other classes) attention is waning a bit. Some of it is due to the fact that it is becoming more of a challenge to produce a good sound (esp. with the bow), and some is just disinterest. I have heard many parents, teachers, and random people say things to me like, "It just isn't her thing", or even better " they realize that they are not going to be musicians."

Well to me to even entertain this idea is and can be damaging to a child not just in my class but in any other area where that child has to work a bit harder to get results. If a child doesn't read well, we don't assume that they will just become illiterate, no we push them to work on it and it will get better.

So to all of you I just ask that you encourage your students in music. It is not easy and honestly this bunch is way ahead of the other kids in the district (I make sure I keep tabs on the other programs too:-). When you hear kids, or parents making these statements please correct it.



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Please don't let ignorance bring you down, its just not cute :-)