If there’s anyone who underestimates the power of the dollars spent by the thousands of fans who flock to Nashville for the CMA Music Festival each summer, they need only look at that clarinet in the hands of an Antioch High School student.
Tuesday night, before a concert at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center to celebrate the Keep the Music Playing education program, Country Music Association chief executive Steve Moore presented a check for $1.2 million to help fund Metro Nashville Public School music programs.
This brings the total of the association’s Metro Public Schools donations to more than $6.5 million, which helps purchase instruments for students. Since the program’s inception in 2006, the CMA overall has given a total of more than $7.6 million to schools and other organizations.
Rising country star and “American Idol†winner Scotty McCreery hosted the concert, which featured more than 300 Metro Nashville Public School “All Stars.†As someone who himself just emerged from the halls of teen angst, 19-year-old McCreery certainly understands the fears and dreams of high school musicians.
He also called attention to the teachers who instilled in him not just a passion for singing, but a dedicated work ethic. Recalling the impact of his high school choir teacher and her “huge†influence, he said with a smile, “When I won ‘American Idol’ I got to give one car to a teacher, and she was that lady.â€
Later, while hosting the concert, McCreery performed the Victoria Shaw tune “The River†with students from Sylvan Park Elementary adding the backing vocals for the chorus. He joked that his band members better watch their backs in 10 years.
Kitty Moon Henry, who chairs the CMA Foundation’s board, said, “Putting instruments in student’s hands is the most important function of the foundation.â€
One person there who could personally attest to the impact was Scott Miller, the director of bands at Antioch High School. He said all but one member of his Wood Ensemble performing that night would be playing instruments paid for by the Keep the Music Playing program.
“Before, we had instruments abandoned by seniors or something someone might find in their closet and donated to the school, sometimes duct-taped together,†he laughed. “Now, we can give them horns in great shape that actually work.â€
Both Mayor Karl Dean and schools director Dr. Jesse Register pointed to the effect of the arts on high school graduation rates, citing a 96 percent rate among performing arts students versus a 78 percent rate among the general population.
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Source:
http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2013/02/19/scotty-mccreery-leads-cma-keep-the-music-playing-celebration-concert/