VH1 Save The Music News!

3/03

In This Edition of VH1 Save The Music News!

-VH1 Save The Music And American Express Launch National Media Campaign To Support Music Education On Music’s Biggest Night During The Grammy Awards

-VH1 Save The Music Launches New Website And Resources To Support Music Education

-With Budget Cuts Looming Nationwide: One Community’s Plan To Fight Back… A Blue Print For Local Coalition Building

-"Music In Our Schools Month" 2003 Schedule For March VH1 Music Studio / Cable In The Classroom Programming For Educators

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VH1 Save The Music And American Express Launch National Media Campaign To Support Music Education On Music’s Biggest Night During The Grammy Awards

VH1 Save The Music and American Express launched a yearlong program in conjunction with this year’s GRAMMY Awards that took place on February 23 in New York City. The partnership, known as Blue for Save The Music will raise awareness about the importance of music education in a variety of ways and has pledged to raise $1 million this year to help restore public school music programs.

Campaign activities include:

- The GRAMMY Viewing Party: In association with the Recording Academy (National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences), Blue For Save The Music kicked off its yearlong fundraising efforts in conjunction with the GRAMMY Awards with a star-studded GRAMMY Viewing Benefit Event in The Theater in Madison Square. The benefit featured live performances and special appearances by some of the entertainment industry’s top performers.

-The Blue Orchestra: a select group of music students from Save the Music programs around the country had the opportunity to play at the special Grammy Viewing Party with top musicians which demonstrated firsthand the power of music education. The Blue Orchestra featured 17 middle and high school-aged music students from six different U.S. regions who performed at The Theater in Madison Square Garden, New York City.

- Auction: Following the GRAMMY Awards ceremony, musical instruments and memorabilia used by awards show performers went on sale via an Internet auction. The auction is being hosted at www.americanexpress.com/blueformusic and www.grammys.com/Blueformusic.com from February 23 to March 7, 2003. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to music education programs through Blue For Save The Music and the GRAMMY Foundation.

-Radio: Infinity Broadcasting, one of the nation's leading radio groups, will contribute to the initiative by anchoring the local events in major markets across the country. Working with Infinity stations, Blue For Save the Music will create more than 30 fundraising events to benefit Save the Music in a variety of cities across the country. These events will be hosted by station DJ's and feature music performances by some of the industry's hottest talent. Events will include instrument drives and ticket sales to raise funds for Blue For Save The Music.

-Public Service Announcements: Blue For Save The Music have produced "video portrait" PSA-style ads for television and radio featuring well-known artists including The Dixie Chicks, Mary J. Blige and Boyd Tinsley of the Dave Matthews Band, among others, to portray the tremendous influence music has made in their lives and to reinforce the importance of music education. These spots began airing in February and will continue airing during the year.

For more information about upcoming activities please visit www.vh1savethemusic.com

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VH1 Save The Music Launches New Website And Resources To Support Music Education

The VH1 Save The Music Foundation officially re-launched their new website offering resources to support music education and information related to the activities supporting the organization’s efforts.

The VH1 Save The Music website (http://www.vh1savethemusic.com ) has a wide variety of ready-to-use materials to support local advocacy efforts. The website is divided into three areas:

-"Who We Are": Background information about the Foundation and its supporters.

-"What’s Going On": Information about current events, calendar activities and schools.

-"What You can Do": Tools and materials to use for advocacy efforts, an area to ask for congressional support to benefit the music community and a contribution area for donate money to the Foundation.

The website will include the latest news and events, research information and useful links to other websites and partner organizations. In addition, website visitors can also sign up for the VH1 Save The Music e-mail newsletter for breaking news about music and music education related issues. For more information, please visit www.vh1savethemusic now!

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With Budget Cuts Looming Nationwide: One Community’s Plan To Fight Back… A Blue Print For Local Coalition Building

The following is an excerpt of a plan of attack developed in Nevada to organize advocacy efforts to support music education. This is a solid model for how to build a communication and oversight structure to help support music education in local communities (stolen from Marcia Neel!)

Excerpt:

We have to remember that it (music education advocacy) has to become a parent-driven effort. All YOU are going to do is get one parent from your program who is a die-hard, do-anything-for-your-band-program type of parent to put the "machine" in gear -- you know, the organizational part. Here's what we're doing right now.

1. One parent has been chosen to serve as the district-wide Secondary Music Education Contact Person.

2. One parent has been chosen to serve as the district-wide contact person for each of the following programs: Band, Choir, Orchestra and Mariachi / Guitar / Keyboard programs. With the person from #1 above, we have a central parent committee of 5 parents who will "drive the machine" when necessary.

3. Every secondary music educator has been asked to choose one parent to serve as the contact person for their own program and report the name, e-mail address, fax, and phone number to the appropriate person in #2 (i.e. band, choir, orch, etc.).

4. The contact person representing the individual school program is to acquire the e-mail address, fax, and phone number of every parent in that particular program so that they may be contacted ASAP!!!!

There you have it. . . if you can do the same -- we'll be connected throughout the state and the circle will be closed!!! Please be sure, however, that this effort is done at the appropriate time of day. . . what we don't want to do is take instructional time away from students to do coalition-building. My understanding is that when legislators hear from constituents regarding school issues (particularly teachers and students--who definitely SHOULD have their voices heard), they check the e-mails to see if they were sent during "school time." If so, it's a definite problem. Also, legislators listen more intently to registered voters. PLEASE encourage those parents who are NOT registered to do so ASAP.

You'll just LOVE this -- one parent has recommended that the entire state's Music Parent group should be organized into one huge "booster" group called (get this) Advocates for Music Education in Nevada -- AMEN!!! The problem with this is that it doesn't say the "parent" word.

Finally, we also need to organize the contact information on the music professionals in your area -- piano teachers, etc. In other words, who are the others who need to be brought into the circle. The parents are one aspect, but there is a whole other realm of people to include once you get your parent contacts going.

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"Music In Our Schools Month" 2003 Schedule For March VH1 Music Studio / Cable In The Classroom Programming For Educators

In honor of Music In Our Schools month, VH1 has set aside extra airtime for special broadcasts of VH1 Music Studio programming. Educators can capture programs, each featuring different musical concepts at 4 am every Tuesday starting March 4-25 with the last episode airing on April 1. Depicting a celebration of the talented and powerful female artists "100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll" will air as a five hour, five episode series of specials starting Tuesday, March 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 1 at 4am (ET/PT). The series includes all new interviews with many of the greatest women of rock history and their admirers, with an eclectic mix of artists representing diverse styles and influences. Each hour is highlighted by vintage performances throughout four decades. VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock And Roll" were chosen by the most influential women in society today, all of who share a passion for music. The panel of over 300 women included politicians, photographers, writers, actresses, fashion figures, music industry executives and, of course, the musicians themselves. For more information about please visit www.vh1musicstudio.com. Scheduled dates are March 4, 11, 18, 25, and April 8 at 4am. Set your VCR's on the Monday night before the scheduled dates and information below:

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(March 4, 2003, Tuesday)

"100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll" (100 - 81) hosted by Jennifer Lopez will air Tuesday, March 4 at 4am(ET/PT).

Artists covered:

(100) Erykah Badu, (99) Tina Weymouth, (98) Kim Deal, (97) Lucina Williams, (96) Siouxsie Sioux, (95) Olivia Newton-John, (94) Liz Phair, (93) Peggy Lee, (92) Natalie Cole, (91) Kim Gordon, (90) Ani DiFranco, (89) Eartha Kitt, (88) Sheila E., (87) Nico, (86) Laurie Anderson, (85) Petula Clark, (84) Yoko Ono, (83) Salt-N-Pepa, (82) Grace Jones, and (81) Gloria Estefan.

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(March 11, 2003, Tuesday)

"100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll" (80 - 61) hosted by Gerri Halliwell will air Tuesday, March 11 at 4am(ET/PT).

Artists covered:

(80) Big Mama Thornton, (79) Indigo Girls, (78) Mahalia Jackson, (77) Janet Jackson, (76) The Go-Go's, (75) Exene Cervenka, (74) Anita Baker, (73) Tammy Wynette, (72) Queen Latifah, (71) Tori Amos, (70) ABBA, (69) Sarah McLachlan, (68) Hole, (67) Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes, (66) Sade, (65) Loretta Lynn, (64) The Shirelles, (63) Christine McVie, (62) Lena Horne, and (61) Whitney Houston.

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(March 18, 2003, Tuesday)

"100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll" (60 - 41) hosted by Julianna Margulies will air Tuesday, March 18 at 4am(ET/PT).

Artists Covered:

(60) Ruth Brown, (59) Joan Armatrading, (58) Cyndi Lauper, (57) Mavis Staples, (56) Martha & the Vandellas, (55) PJ Harvey, (54) Tracy Chapman, (53) Alanis Morissette, (52) Laura Nyro, (51) Bette Midler, (50) Sarah Vaughan, (49) Melissa Etheridge, (48) Dinah Washington, (47) The B-52's, (46) Kate Bush, (45) Roberta Flack, (44) Sheryl Crow, (43) Cher, (42) Dionne Warwick, and (41) Patti LaBelle.

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(March 25, 2003, Tuesday)

"100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll" (40 - 21) hosted by Courteney Cox will air Tuesday, March 25 at 4am(ET/PT).

Artists Covered:

(40) Heart, (39) Pat Benatar, (38) Diana Ross, (37) Donna Summer, (36) Bjork, (35) Sinead O'Connor, (34) Dolly Parton, (33) k.d. lang, (32) Joan Jett, (31) Barbra Streisand, (30) Rickie Lee Jones, (29) Karen Carpenter, (28) Carly Simon, (27) Joan Baez, (26) Bessie Smith, (25) Marianne Faithfull, (24) Dusty Springfield, (23) The Mamas & The Papas, (22) Emmylou Harris, and (21) Linda Ronstadt.

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(April 1, 2003, Tuesday)

"100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll" (20 - 1) hosted by Susan Sarandon will air Tuesday, April 1 at 4am(ET/PT).

Artists Covered:

(20) Grace Slick, (19) Etta James, (18) Gladys Knight, (17) Chaka Khan, (16) The Supremes, (15) Patti Smith, (14) Stevie Nicks, (13) Ella Fitzgerald, (12) Debbie Harry, (11) Patsy Cline, (10) Carole King, (9) Annie Lennox, (8) Madonna, (7) Chrissie Hynde, (6) Billie Holiday, (5) Joni Mitchell, (4) Bonnie Raitt, (3) Janis Joplin, (2) Tina Turner, and (1) Aretha Franklin.

Corresponding lesson plans for "100 Greatest Women in Rock" will be available March 3, 2003 at www.vh1musicstudio.com and written in partnership with MENC: The National Association for Music Education. The lessons explore the elements of music typical of different genres and take a look into music of the time, as well as other concepts that correlate to the standards-based concepts taught in the music and cross-curricular classroom.

This season, VH1 Music Studio's 2002-2003 programming line-up "Diverse Genres of Music", explores how the word "music" encompasses an eclectic mix of styles, and how the many types of music we listen to today have been influenced by music written throughout many centuries by artists of all ethnic backgrounds. The "genres" programming introduces elements of music that are unique to each style, how artists use music as a means of expression and how each style both influenced and was affected by the social and historical events taking place at the time during which the music was written. Programming will include an extensive exploration of music genres such as Country, Folk/Traditional, Latin, New Age, Rap, Rock/Pop, Reggae, Hip-Hop, and Western European/ "Classical" and their influences on popular music.

Educators should set their VCRs for taping late Monday night to obtain this wonderful resource. VH1 Music Studio programs are commercial-free and copyright cleared for use in the classroom for one year with accompanying lesson plans available at www.vh1musicstudio.com.

As a network member of the Cable in the Classroom initiative, VH1 airs commercial-free educational programming for use in the music and cross-curricular classroom each month. By taping the program, teachers can keep the shows and use them at the point and time that most appropriately fits into their curriculum. The music programming featured for VH1 Music Studio is based on a multitude of concepts that can reinforce the National Music Standards and integrate music with other subject areas. VH1 works in partnership with your local cable company to provide these valuable educational resources available on VH1 and through www.vh1musicstudio.com.

In partnership with MENC: The National Association for Music Education, standards-based lesson plans are developed to coincide with each program. The lesson plans provide ideas on how to use the programming in an interactive lesson. These materials are available to educators at www.vh1musicstudio.com under this month's program and lesson plans. (For more information about MENC please visit www.menc.org.)