- ArtistshouseMusic -

Music Advocacy: What Counts Is the Seed

amosher — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 19:47:06 -0700

Music Advocacy: What Counts Is the Seed

Can you imagine a world without music and the arts? Of course not! Why not? Perhaps, because you and I have had the luxury of involvement in music for most of our lives. We almost take it for granted - music will always be there. We take it as a given that most people enjoy and value music. We probably assume most people share our viewpoint: music and the arts are vital components of a civilized society.

Unfortunately, for millions of young students there is a different reality. There are no music and arts classes offered during the school day and if they are, it's possible the classes are offered after school or require that a fee be paid. This may put music and arts education programs outside the reach of a struggling family's resources.

Sadly, the erosion of school music programs is increasing at a rapid pace due to many reasons: mandates to increase test scores in math and English; more options in elective subjects and a lack of resources: not enough space, not enough students, not enough equipment and, unfortunately, not enough qualified music teachers.

There is further evidence of the erosion of support for music and music education. Have you been to a concert recently? Have you noticed the number of empty seats? Have you noticed the age of the audience members? A majority of them seem to be well over 50 years old. Where are the young people? Why aren't they attending concerts?

Of course in some communities there may no longer be a local orchestra and if there is, it may not be performing as often as in the past. What has happened? What went wrong? Don't people value the arts? Is there a cause and effect? Can we draw the conclusion that after 30 years of sustained cuts in school music programs, we have severely damaged our cultural landscape? What can be done to change this situation?

The bigger question, in my opinion, is, "How has a lack of music and arts education programs affected our young students?" The painter, Joan Miro said, "More important than a work of art itself is what it will sow. Art can die, a painting can disappear. What counts is the seed."

Recent scientific research has drawn attention to the positive connection that music making has on developing the brain and improving learning abilities - especially in the area of critical thinking. Additional research has pointed out that beneficial effects that music making has on improving health and reducing stress. Most of all, music making enhances lives and opens hearts. I recently heard Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas say, "Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a society where kids carried guitars and violins instead of knives and guns?

We can help change the landscape and improve support for music and arts education. Several years ago, I came across this statement from the Iowa Alliance for the Arts Council and have taken it to heart:

A majority of those outside the fields of music and the arts do not understand the whys and hows concerning the process of arts education. Provided with a clear understanding of those hows and whys, and supported by quality arts education in practice, people begin to realize the value of music and arts education.
If a district school board and its administration are adequately informed of the arts' unique benefit to children and if this information is supported by sound classroom practices, chances are that decisions regarding music's and the arts' status in the district will favor strengthening the programs rather than weakening or eliminating them.

How can you, the independent music teacher, help change people's perceptions about the benefits of music and music education? Become involved with your local coalition to support the arts. You can locate your local chapter at www.supportmusic.com, which is a terrific resource for getting facts, figures and action plans for music advocacy in your community.

One strategy I frequently recommend to music educators: call up your local service organization (Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club and so forth) and ask them to allow a group of your students to perform at their next meeting. These business leaders are sure to be impressed by what they see and hear: dedication, discipline, leadership, teamwork, listening skills, excitement and creativity - all vital skills needed to be competitive in the workplace and community. Be sure to leave them with a fact list detailing the benefits of music education in developing students' lives. And ask for their financial support. Give them a list of specific monetary amounts that support current or proposed music programs.

A Chinese proverb says, "The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is now." I urge you to plant a few seeds in your community today.

Copyright: It's a Matter of Respect

amosher — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 08:53:49 -0700

Every day it seems that there is another headline news story about copyright—or rather, about the infringement of copyright. As I write this article, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is filing suits against hundreds of individuals seeking millions of dollars in fines and restitution for stealing copyrighted song files—intellectual property—through illegal downloading over the Internet. Record companies are reporting dramatic declines in sales of audio product. Music stores are closing or scaling back their selection of recorded material. The courts forced NAPSTER to shut down its Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing last year, but 7.6 million home computers are now using its successor - KaZaA – to share files according to comScore Networks.

I talk to many groups of educators during the year and they seem as puzzled by copyright—what is allowed and what is illegal—as their students. Most young people, it seems, cannot understand what it is “wrong” with downloading “free stuff” over the Internet and most parents and educators have difficulty giving them an explanation. Many of us are left to wonder if technology has finally managed to usurp the rights and ability of the creative community to control the distribution of Intellectual property. In this article, I will attempt to illustrate how, through the passage of time, advancements in technology and court challenges have actually strengthened copyright protection to benefit society.

What is Copyright?

In 1788 the U.S. Constitution was ratified giving congress the power “to promote the progress of science and the useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.” On May 31, 1790, George Washington signed the first U.S. national copyright law: “An act for the encouragement of learning.” The concepts of “exclusive” and “limited time” embedded in the constitution are central to our understanding of the law and they have been re-defined and expanded over time as new technologies developed and the U.S.A. joined other countries in encouraging and protecting creative works.

The father of copyright in the U.S. is acknowledged to be Noah Webster who crusaded to secure protection not only for his spelling books and dictionaries and also for all authors. It is worth noting that “music” was not specifically added to the copyright law until 1831. As we trace the history of music and copyright in our country, we will see that “limited time” protection has expanded from the original term of 14 years – with an extension of an additional 14 years – to the current 1998 law which grants protection for the “lifetime of the composer plus an additional 70 years.” Just a few months ago, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the 1998 copyright extension.

The other core concept of copyright—exclusive right to copy—has evolved over time to now be held as a “bundle of rights.” These exclusive rights granted to the creator or their agent(s) are:

• To reproduce the work in copies and recordings
• To prepare derivative works – arrangement of the work for different instrumental or vocal combinations. This right was added in 1870 and expanded in 1909.
• To distribute copies of the work by sale or transfer; rental, lease or lending.
• To public performances of the work – added by congress in 1897
• To public display of the work – think lyrics projected onto a karaoke machine. This was added to the copyright law in 1976.
• To public performance of the work via digital audio transmission.

Side-by-side with each of these exclusive rights, the copyright law makes provision for the public to access these works under the concept of “fair use.” The fair use exception is “for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research…” I am sure that most of you had no idea of the fair use provision. However, before you start to think that—as educators—you can make unlimited photocopies of copyrighted works “for teaching purposes,” please consider the dividing line between “fair use” and copyright infringement: Plain and simple, if you are doing something to avoid purchase you are violating the law.

Fair use guidelines for educators, critics and performers allow:

• Emergency copying to replace a purchased copy for imminent performance. Replacement copies must be obtained.
• For academic purposes other than performance. Copied material cannot constitute a performable unit—e.g. a sonata movement—and is limited to 10% of the entire work.
• Editing or simplifying purchased printed copies. In doing so you cannot distort the fundamental character of the work. You can neither add nor translate lyrics without obtaining permission.
• Make a single copy of a recording of a student performance or make a single copy of a purchased recording for aural exercises.

In 1975, a subcommittee of Congress met to develop guidelines for multiple copying for classroom use. To meet the “minimum standards of educational fair use” a teacher must pass the test for “brevity, spontaneity and cumulative effect.” In other words, you cannot reuse copied materials year-after-year as a substitute for a standard textbook nor can you cause commercial harm to the copyrighted work by avoiding purchase.

I am not a lawyer nor am I an expert on Copyright Law and Intellectual Property. I urge you to consult a lawyer if you are in doubt over any possible copyright issue. Hopefully, you are inspired by this article and will try to expand your knowledge of the history and importance of copyright. If so, I provide a list of sources for further reading at the end of this article.

The Evolution of Copyright in America

In the 1890’s - one hundred years after the copyright law was first enacted – the purchase of published sheet music was practically the only way that people were exposed to music. “After the Ball,” by Charles Harris sold over 2 million copies when it was made popular at the Chicago World’s Fair. This was a colorful era when “Tin Pan Alley” flourished in New York and composers and publishers turned out music to meet the growing demand for music making in the home and in touring vaudeville shows.

The first disruptive technology that tested the copyright laws and caused a major revision was – surprise – the Player Piano. Specifically, the Aeolian Company aggressively purchased the exclusive rights to most of the popular pieces of the day for exclusive use with their player pianos. Congress was concerned that this constituted collusion and restraint of trade. Their solution was to create the “compulsory mechanical license.” This statute is still very much in effect today and stipulates: Once the composer grants permission to allow the first recording of their work anyone can obtain permission to record that work by securing a mechanical license and paying the statutory fees. Currently the fees are: 9.1 cents per songs lasting 5 minutes or less or 1.75 cents per minute or fraction thereof over 5 minutes. Of course, these fees are per unit record (or CD) made and distributed. The Harry Fox Agency www.harryfox.com is a one-stop source to secure a mechanical license since they work on behalf of most -—but not all — publishers.

What are Performance Rights?

Victor Herbert, John Philip Sousa, Irving Berlin and a group of publishers formed ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) in 1914. Herbert’s popular operetta “Sweethearts” was playing on Broadway and generating royalty payments for the composer. However, a few blocks away from the theatre, an orchestra at Shanley’s Restaurant in Times Square was playing Herbert’s music “for free” to add to the ambiance and entertainment of the diners. Herbert was upset of course. The case went to the Supreme Court where Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes found in favor of the composers saying. “If music did not pay it would be given up. If it pays, it pays out of the public’s pocket. Whether it pays or not, the purpose of employing it is profit, and that is enough.”

Those words, spoken in 1917 still ring true today. Certainly the eloquence of Justice Holmes is missing in today’s debate on the value of music. When I lecture on Copyright and Intellectual Property, I pose this question: “Why would you never consider stealing tangible property, yet… without thinking, you might be stealing intellectual property?”

To illustrate, consider the Girl Scouts selling cookies to benefit their organization. Would you ever think of stealing a box of “Thin Mints” from the local Girl Scout troop’s sales table? Of course not! However, if you illegally copy Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” you are stealing money from the Scouts because Berlin donated all royalties —from printed music, performances, synchronization, etc.—to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America.

This begs an even larger question, “What are you actually getting when you purchase a printed copy of ‘God Bless America?’ Is it more than just black dots of ink on white paper?” To those who have felt the healing power of music as our nation seeks to recover from the events of September 11, the answer is obvious. Copyrighted works—the realization of an idea—are valuable and they deserve respect and proper payment for their use.

ASCAP and the other performance rights agencies, BMI and SESAC have championed the cause of the composer to be compensated for public performances of their works. The Copyright law of 1976 added 9 specific examples of performances that were “exempt” and therefore not copyright infringements. These include: face-to-face teaching activities and live performances without commercial advantage to anyone. Remember that when you purchase a printed copy of music you simply own the copy. Performance rights are administered separately and you may or may not have to secure a license and pay a fee. Consult either www.harryfox.com or www.mpa.org for additional information.

Another disruptive technology was the radio. While listeners were not required to directly pay to receive broadcast music, the music was not “free” because radio stations received advertising revenue to support their programming. A landmark court case against radio station WOR in New York allowed ASCAP to begin collecting licensing fees from stations that played their music. It is my guess that this legal precedent will eventually apply to music downloaded over the Internet. Advertising revenue will subsidize the Internet Service Provider (ISP) who will pay the proper licenses and allow consumers to download their favorite music “for free” or for a very modest cost.

It is beyond the scope of this article to cover copyright in depth as it pertains to recordings and the Internet and public display. However, I will try to address some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about how to obtain a copyright, how much does it cost and how long does copyright protection last and an explanation of derivative works.

How to Obtain a Copyright

The current copyright law states that the creator automatically owns a copyright for every work as it is realized or completed. It is not necessary to register your work in order to obtain copyright protection—although this is recommended because an official government document adds validity when defending your claim to copyright. Note that you cannot copyright an idea or a concept—only the expression or realization of the idea can be copyrighted.

Simply adding Copyright © 2003 John Doe to the page of your completed work establishes your claim to copyright. Of course, you should take steps to register your work by contacting the U.S. Copyright Office in care of the Library of Congress www.loc.gov All forms can be obtained and downloaded from this site. There is currently a $30 fee to register a copyright. Note, that simply registering your work does not indemnify you against others who may claim infringement. The copyright office makes no attempt to verify the originality of your work. It merely serves as an official document verifying that you have registered your work. Should you wish to proceed with a claim of infringement, you must have registered your work within 3 months of publication or if unpublished, prior to any claimed infringement.

How Long Does a Copyright Last?

Currently, for works created by an individual after January 1, 1978, protection will last for the life of the composer—or in the case of multiple composers, the surviving composer’s life—plus 70 years. For works created between 1923 and 1977, a simple rule-of-thumb guide is that protection lasts 95 years from the year of the original copyright.

Earlier versions of the copyright law more narrowly defined “limited time” protection to periods as short as 14 years and a 14-year renewal. This meant that the works of some composers fell into the Public Domain (P.D.) during their lifetime. In order to maintain “reciprocal privileges” of copyright enforcement with other nations, the U.S. has gradually extended the length of protection. This was the main motivation for Congress to add 20 years of protection (from Life plus 50 years) in 1998 and the Supreme Court upheld this law earlier this year.

Some teachers and performers may have noticed that the works of certain Russian and Eastern Block composers are now covered by copyright protection. Prior to the U.S. signing the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) treaty in 1994, we did not recognize the works of composers whose country did not protect our copyrights. Effective January 1, 1996 many works previously considered P.D. had their copyright protection restored.

What are Derivative Works?

A derivative work is a work based on one or more preexisting works. For example, a copyright holder has the exclusive right to create authorize or license a “translation, musical arrangement, dramatization, fictionalization, motion picture version, sound recording, art reproduction, abridgment, condensation, or other form may be recast, transformed or adapted.”

Teachers are most familiar with derivative works—arrangements or transcriptions—of source material that is the Public Domain. For example, and Easy Piano arrangement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. In this case the source material is P.D. but the arrangement itself is protected by copyright.

Final Thoughts

As teachers, we serve as role models—both positive and negative—to our students. Our actions help to shape the minds and habits of our students. When you are in doubt about whether your actions infringe a copyright… ask for permission. If you are going to require permission to legally photocopy music or secure a performance license… communicate your request in advance. Be proactive in educating your community about the benefits of copyright and stay informed to changes in the law.

I urge all readers to check out the resources available from the Music Publishers Association www.mpa.org. This is a wonderful one-stop location for forms to request permission to arrange music, locate the publisher of a work, etc. There is also a very valuable series of FAQ that address most areas of concern to performers and educators.

Copyright is a fascinating subject and one that I hope you—or your students—will take time to explore. Type “Copyright” into your favorite Internet search-engine (e.g. www.google.com) and you will be exposed to a wide range of articles and discussion of the subject. In researching this article I relied upon the following:

Glossary

“The Illustrated Story of Copyright” – Edward Samuels – Thomas Dunne Books – ISBN 0-312-28901-4

“Copyright: The Complete Guide for Music Educators 2nd Edition” – Jay Althouse - Distrubuted Exclusively by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. – ISBN 0-939139-07-3

“Music Copyright Basics” – Joel Leach – Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. – ISBN 0-7390-3093-0

“A Songwriter’s Guide to Music Publishing Revised Edition” – Randy Poe – Writer’s Digest Books – ISBN 0-89879-754-3

“A Music Business Primer” – Diane Rapaport – Prentice hall – ISBN 0-13-034077-4

Need a Grant for Your Program? Learn to Build Community Support!

amosher — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 08:37:46 -0700

Need a Grant for Your Program? Learn to Build Community Support!

It’s time to plan for the new school year. You are probably worrying about obtaining the money for all of the things you want to do: “I want to add a private lesson program; I want to purchase three new computers for our music lab; I want to take the choir to a festival at the other end of the state, etc.” You worry that your budget will be cut or your class size will be increased. You know that you are going to have to raise extra funds, but the thought of starting yet another bake sale gives you a case of the hives.

You wonder if there is a better way to obtain the funds you need. You’ve heard about grants and perhaps even know a colleague who has obtained a grant. You want to know how to get started with the grant process. Let’s begin!

The first step is to move away from saying, “I want,” and learn to identify and articulate needs – of your students and your community. Try it! Change the wording from the opening paragraph of this article. “Twenty percent of the students in our middle school band program will be unable to continue because they lack … they will need… in order to continue … Participating in this program has enabled them to …” Do you see the difference? Do you want to make a difference? Learn to shine the spotlight on the people that you will help and not on yourself or your program.

As you learn to identify and express the needs of the people you serve and how your program will address these needs, keep this in mind: Be timely, be specific, and be brief! Use accurate and up-to-date statistics. Focus on specific needs and the people who will benefit from a grant. Learn to write and speak succinctly – focus on one strong point.

The second step in a successful grant application is finding the right donor for your program. There really is no shortage of donors – The Foundation Center (www.fdncenter.org) reported that in 2002 there were more than 56,000 private foundations in the USA. And that year they gave over $29 billion in grants to programs of shapes and sizes. Remember, that this does not include grants from state and federal agencies. And these private foundations must spend at least 5% of their investment assets each year or face penalties from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and loss of their non-profit status.

Why Grants Get Denied

Now don’t get over-confident. With so many potential donors and so much money needing to be spent, finding the right donor – for your program and the needs in your community that your program will address – is actually the most difficult step in the grant seeking process. The number one reason that a grant application is denied is because the people requesting the money did not take the time to see that the interests, mission statement and scope of the foundation (those who have the money) matched up with the goals of the program (that will address the needs.)

Most foundations clearly state the geographic, demographic, and economic limitations that they will consider in a grant application. You can easily find this information on a Foundation’s website or printed materials. Some key advice: Keep your search local. With few exceptions, foundations prefer to make grants to people and programs in their community or their region. Here’s a proven way to find potential benefactors for your Fine or Performing Arts program:

• Attend a performance by your local orchestra and bring home the program.
• The program will list all of the corporations, individuals and foundations who have provided support for the symphony. This is your target list – people who have money and use part of it to support the arts!
• Assemble a team to start researching these potential donors. Go to their websites and learn about their history of charitable giving – who received funding, how much funding they will consider, what time of year do they consider grants, etc.

o You should also add all of these arts patrons to your mailing list. Invite them to your next concert. Send them news about your program and how they community benefits as a result of it. State your goals.

As you start filling out grant applications you will notice that most follow a very similar pattern. In fact most foundations use a “Common Grant Application Format.” Follow this link to download one - http://www.cmu.edu/develop/infoserv/prop/cgaf.html. You will improve your chances of obtaining a grant if you remember:
• Grant writing is not a “cookie-cutter” process. Don’t practice “spray and pray” – filling out one application and mailing it to every foundation in your area.

o Be as selective in trying to match your application to a donor as you are in choosing the proper piece of music for your group to perform at a contest.

• Follow all of the rules exactly! This is the number two reason that a grant application is denied.

o Do not miss a deadline – even by one hour.

o Use the terminology that they request. Speak their language.
o Use a dispassionate proofreader – if you are sloppy with grammar, you indicate that you will not be a careful steward of the foundation’s money.
o Provide all of the forms requested. Do not exceed the length they specify.

Who Has the Money and Who Gets Funded?

In addition to an IRS mandate that foundations spend at least 5% of their investment assets each year, the government publishes the foundations tax return – as a matter of public record. This is Form 990 and www.grantsmart.org has a wonderful search engine to find potential grantors. You can search the tax returns of over 100,000 private foundations and charitable trusts. Search by state, zip code, size of assets, etc. You will find an itemized list of all the programs and individuals who received a grant from that foundation. Contact these recipients to learn more about who they serve, what they have accomplished and ask for their help refining your grant search. Typically, grants fund:

• Program grants – to start a new one or expand an existing one.
• Expensive instruments and equipment (sound reinforcement, risers, etc.)
• Technology – to incorporate it or update and expand it
• Uniforms and tours

o Community outreach and enrichment – to bring music to the community and to involve the community in music.

• To start or expand a private lesson program – especially for “at risk” children.
• Professional Development – includes attending in-service conferences.

Some other helpful websites that I have used include: The Nonprofit Resource Center – www.not-for-profit.org and School Grants (founded by a former grant writer for the Dallas, TX school district) – www.schoolgrants.org. Of course, you also need to become very familiar with Advocacy materials when you are building your case to support your grant application. Your first stop is Support Music – www.supportmusic.com.

Clarity of Purpose

While searching the web, I discovered these 7 questions – asked in sequence – that neatly define the grant writing process and will help shape your thought process. As you honestly answer each question you will make a successful transformation from the “I want …” (material goods) stage to the “We need … in order to … so that …” goal. An in the process you will make yourself more attractive to philanthropists and truly make a difference in your community. The 7 questions that I found at www.paservicelearning.org/PSLA/grantWriting2.html are:

1. What do you want to buy?
2. What will you do with it?
3. Why do you want to do that?
4. What good will it do?
5. What makes you think you’re the one to do it?
6. How will you know whether you really did it?
7. How will you keep doing it?

As I have reflected on these 7 questions, I have found them to be a successful blueprint for undertaking any project. They really get to the heart of what we teach as music educators and why we continue to teach music in the face of many difficult odds. The artist Joan Miro said, “More important than a work of art itself is what it will sow. Art can die. A painting can disappear. What counts is the seed.” Philanthropists understand the importance of nurturing the seed. They realize that their money partnered with capable people and organizations can make a tremendous positive change in our society.

Music is Collaborative – So Is Grant Writing

A successful grant application requires a team effort. Foundations do not like to fund “lone rangers” – that is individuals with an idea. They realize the importance of collaboration in order to get a program started on the road to self-sufficiency. Funders need to see evidence of real community support and involvement in your program. Who are your volunteers (band parents, PTA, etc.)? Who will create and monitor your budget? Who will run the program? Do they require training? What other arts organizations can or will share your resources? Are you thinking too narrow in scope? Who will help keep your organization focused? Who will create the assessment reports many foundations require?

This article is by necessity an overview of the grant writing process. I have given you links to some useful websites where you can gain additional resources to help you in your search. Future articles will focus on specific steps in the grant writing process. However, no grant application will ever be successful unless there is a true match between the needs and strengths of your organization, the needs and support of your community and the goals and resources of your funders. Each needs to see that the other partners share their values and are united in their goals. It is wise to heed the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “People only see what they are prepared to see.” Be prepared to succeed. Be prepared to make music and make a difference in your community.

Danny Rocks (Unedited Interview)

sarah — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:33:43 -0700

Danny Rocks (Unedited Interview)(Long unedited version of Danny Rocks' interview from which all of his shorter vidoes are derived. This long video is not to be featured on the site.) Danny Rocks, former VP of Sales and Music Education at Alfred Publishing, talks about the past and present world of music education. Danny speaks about his introduction into music education and goes on to talk about the importance of music educators embracing technology in the classroom and empowering themselves with a professional understanding of business techniques. Danny stresses that times have changed for music educators and that teachers must be willing to adapt to maintain a strong bond with both students and funding resources.

Music Educator Bio: Danny Rocks

sarah — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:47:53 -0700

Music Educator Bio: Danny RocksDanny Rocks, former VP of Sales and Education at Alfred Publishing, discusses his background in the music industry. He talks about his start as a musician and the many opportunities that stemed from his musical talents. Danny's skills on the accordian, organ, and piano got him accepted into Temple University's music program and landed him gigs with popular musical theater productions such as, "Fiddler on the Roof". After years of building his experiences in the music industry, Danny became involved with music publishing and continues today as a determined, innovative force in that field of the music business.

Entreprenuership and Technology in Education

sarah — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:49:58 -0700

Entreprenuership and Technology in EducationDanny Rocks, former VP of Sales and Education at Alfred Publishing, discusses the relationship of entrepreneurship and technology in education. Danny talks about how music education was once very regimented and uniform in many school districts until the disruption of decisions like Proposition 13 in California. With the loss of widespread regulations, teachers were left on their own to embrace more entrepreneurial roles and Danny believes that thanks to the incorporation of technology into the classroom, this new emergence of teaching styles has found success and continues to do so.

Music Education as a Business

sarah — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:59:38 -0700

Music Education as a BusinessDanny Rocks, former VP of Sales and Education at Alfred Publishing, discusses music education in regard to business ideas and marketing one's message. Danny talks about the struggles for music education support and he stresses that it is in the hands of the teachers to take an active role in effectively communicating the true benefits of music education to the people who are making the decisions. In a business sense, the teachers who recognize the problem and have the entrepreneurial motivation to market their message are the ones that are making the changes happen. With budget cuts and low funding, academic financing can be a very competitive world. In today's schools, approaching music education from a business standpoint is essential in keeping music programs alive.

About The Company Rocks and Embracing Modern Music Curriculum

sarah — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 15:00:33 -0700

About The Company Rocks and Embracing Modern Music CurriculumDanny Rocks, former VP of Sales and Education at Alfred Publishing, discusses his new company, The Company Rocks, and how it services the changing world of music education today. Danny talks about how the "school band" model is disappearing in music education programs and how today's music educators are finding new ways of connecting with student's musical interests. The Company Rocks is there to mentor and assist music educators in the process of expanding their curriculum to include more modern features. He heavily supports implementation of innovative programs such as music production classes, instrument labs, and compositional courses. Danny also covers the difficulties of being a new entrepreneur and starting from scratch in today's market.

Staying Relevant with Your Students

sarah — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 15:02:12 -0700

Staying Relevant with Your StudentsDanny Rocks, former VP of Sales and Education at Alfred Publishing, discusses the everpresent need for teachers to embrace and support technology in today's classrooms. Danny stresses the fact that kids today communicate through technology and if teachers plan to stay relevant with their students, keeping their students interested and engaged, they must begin to incorporate technology into their curriculum.

How to Think like an Entrepreneur

sarah — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 15:03:31 -0700

How to Think like an EntrepreneurMusic educators have to be entrepreneurs. It all comes down to funding needs. Music educators have a message and a passion and must convey that to potential backers (private foundation money, grant money). Music educators must shape their message and present it to the business community: chamber of commerce, nights of Columbus, get on their program, bring a cross-section of students and the business community will see teamwork, leadership, present some advocacy information and solicit their support. In this clip, Danny Rocks, former VP of Sales and Education at Alfred Publishing, discusses this important financial aspect of being a music educator and offers his advice to any struggling music program.