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Hello good friends, and happy belated new year! We have been crazy busy here at GITC headquarters, and it all started with The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA. This year, we were able to make lots of new friends, re-connect with some old ones, and were surrounded by people passionate about making a difference in education. Since the show, GITC has been a-flurry with new partnerships, several successful fundraising concerts around town, and some of our bigger projects beginning to come to fruition. Read on to find out what's been going on in our neck of the woods...
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Summer Opportunities On The Horizon
Teachers, Music Facilitators.. do you only have a week of your life to learn with Guitars in the Classroom? Now you can!
This summer, spend an inspiring week in the rolling hills and leafy splendor of Westminster, Maryland on the campus of McDaniel College, when Guitars in the Classroom brings its unique form of instruction to COMMON GROUND ON THE HILL, a vibrant community
where passionate master musicians, artists, craftspeople, and creative thinkers
will guide you through a week of learning, arts, culture, music, good food, and good friends. Learn more about the experience on the right hand side, or visit their website for more information.
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GITC at the SupportMusic Luncheon
On the
opening day of The NAMM Show '10, Jessica Baron and I were invited to attend
the SupportMusic.com Luncheon & Panel Discussion featuring leaders in the
field of Music Education including Mr. Quincy Jones, Madelyn Bonnot of the Musiq Consortium, Felice Mancini, Executive Director of Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, David Price of Musical Futures, Bob Lynch, CEO of Americans for the Arts, Laurie Schell, Executive Director of The California Alliance for Arts Education, John J. Mahlmann, Executive Director of MENC, and Dana Point's mayor-elect, Scott Schoeffel.
The panel discussion, sensitively facilitated by Mary Luehrson, Director of
Government Relations and Public Affairs of NAMM, explored the state of Music
Education, examined educational and economic trends and potentials, and brought
luminaries together in fellowship for the sake of supporting the presence of
music in our schools.
At the heart
of the discussion was Mr. Quincy Jones who presented information about the
Quincy Jones Musiq Consortium, an online community bursting with innovative
thinkers, stalwarts of the field, impassioned parents & community members
meeting and conversing in one cyber-location to support the expansion and
understanding of arts education.
Mr. Jones brought up several critical points. First, unlike other countries,
the United States of America has never had a minister of culture. Our American
arts are sorely under-represented on the world stage. Our native indigenous
folk music hangs on by a single thread, and is on the brink of being lost
forever to only the fading memory of a few remaining elders. Mr. Jones called
America's classical music Jazz & Blues in contrast to Europe's classical
music which Mr. Jones pointed out existed hundreds of years before our country
came into existence! He emphasized that Jazz and Blues music merits not only
full support from our culture, but also the recognition of its value by all
world cultures. Mr. Jones believes that with a minister of culture in place to
represent us on the world stage, perhaps we may begin to repair the image we
once held in the eyes of our brothers and sisters abroad.
GITC sees itself as a force for musical preservation of indigenous American
musical traditions because we are making sure that our heritage music is taught
to children and that its very spirit is restored & renewed every time a
child makes up a new set of lyrics that fits the traditional melody. GITC gives
both voice and new life to the songs that sang our peoples into the present
moment.
We strongly support the work of the Quincy
Jones Musiq Consortium to bring awareness to the importance of music in our
society and around the world. Anybody may register to participate in the
Consortium, and many people from our community already have. We hope you'll
join us at http://qmusiqconsortium.ning.com/ to help grow and strengthen the role of music in
the United States and beyond.
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GITC-NY Participates in UN Conference
By Chris Hills (GITC-NY)
Big news from New York! On February 18th I had the distinct honor
of representing GITC at the United Nations headquarters here in New York City!
The event was a conference on using music as a tool in essential development
areas such as health and education. It was hosted by UN-HABITAT, which strives
to reduce urban poverty, and the ICCC (International Council for Caring
Communities), and provided a forum for a wide range of non-profit, private
sector and government organizations to share their ideas and experiences and
discuss possible solutions to some of the world's gravest problems, with music
as the common thread.
This gave me the opportunity to talk about the widespread impact
of GITC, how it empowers educators across the country, and explain how we use
music as a versatile and universal teaching resource. I hope this exciting
conference will lead to new avenues for expanding the program in this country
and abroad, and new partnerships and exchanges of ideas!
About Chris Hills
I grew up in Cambridge, England, in a musical household; my brother was always at the piano, my mum played flute and my dad, guitar. My
first instrument was trombone, although the guitar quickly replaced it when I
was around 12 - the trombone was hastily sold to buy an amp! My first band
consisted of three of my best friends (who conveniently played drums, bass and
sang), and we continued playing around the south of England together in some
form for seven years. After studying philosophy and literature at college,
followed by a postgraduate degree in teaching, I began to get more involved in
education, working as a grade-school teacher then a private guitar teacher in
London.
Since moving to New York in 2007, I have continued to teach guitar,
as well as doing a great deal of composing, producing and playing in several
bands. I began working with GITC in late 2009, and feel very lucky and
privileged to bring the program to the Big Apple! My wife, Eva, is a nursery
teacher, and her school, Trevor Day, seemed like a great place to pilot GITC. I
have been so impressed by how quickly the teachers latch on to the concept, as
well as how the classes build confidence and offer teachers a fun, creative
outlet. The program is already a resounding success with the school community
and is attracting the attention of parents and staff alike!
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GITC Program Model: Oaks 'n AcornsThank you to the teachers, generous sponsors and partners, inspired community members, and passionate artists who continue to come together in their own way to help music stay alive in our schools for years to come. It's the efforts of people like these that make our work possible, and inspire us to do even more. If you haven't already, take a moment to join us on Facebook & Twitter, and we'll see you in the next edition!With admiration & gratitude,Guitars in the Classroom
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A NOTE FROM JESS ABOUT COMMON GROUND ON THE HILL
If you've been working hard all year, and you owe yourself a vacation, but need it to be productive (and even come off your taxes), words cannot describe the value of spending a week with the culturally diverse, talented, and passionate instructors at Common Ground on the Hill.
In this beautiful environment, you'll have a chance to take classes in many artistic disciplines alongside people whose shared values of peace, community, and education are bound to make you feel right at home. Last summer I attended as a camper and found myself childlike as a first-time student of Brazilian guitar.
Please join Professor Diana Wagner during Week 1, or join me during Week 2 for an hour and a half of daily instruction with GITC, and spend the rest of your days and evenings filling your soul with a combination of nature, friendship, and artistry.
Hope to see you there,
Jess |
ARTIST'S CORNER
Did you know that GITC is constantly creating new events because of the generous participation of artists in our work? This month, we highlight the music of Makana, and Suzy Bogguss, both of whom recently performed for the benefit of this work in our local area. |
IN MEMORIAM
PAUL SPECHT
GITC extends its most sincere condolences to the friends and co-workers of Paul Specht. Paul was a strong supporter of GITC's mission; he personally made sure that our programs could include Ibanez guitars courtesy of Hoshino USA, and he carefully picked the instruments himself. We mourn his passing, and will remember his kindness and warmth always.
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THE CITY OF ANGELS
GITC would like to extend our sincerest thanks to Dan Smith for his clear minded advocacy of our work in Los Angeles, and for his assistance in communicating about GITC to the charitable giving committee of Guitar Center.
And another profound thanks TO Guitar Center for their continued support of LA area GITC programs.
Are you a teacher living in the Los Angeles area? You can take classes in these locations:- Conejo Valley- San Fernando Valley- Santa Monica / West LAVisit our Programs page to find the GITC program nearest you. |
SPONSORS UPDATE
Thank you to Hohner US and Fretted Division Product Manager Drew Lewis for their support in GITC-Maryland, and welcome on board as a new GITC Partner for 2010!We would also like to welcome Washburn Guitars as our new partner in support of GITC-Evanston and Chicago! Special thanks to Product Manger of Guitars Nick Ellingsworth for his help arranging instruments.
GITC thanks Godin Guitars for their continued support of GITC & our San Diego program. Your generosity is helping hundreds of educators in San Diego strum & sing every day!
Finally, we would like to extend a sincere thanks to Marsha & Howard Berkson, and the team at Anthology for their gracious support of our work, and for their help with our recent fundraisers. We look forward to doing more! |
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