Programs keep music in the hearts of students
BY TONY MOWRER - SPECIAL TO THE SIERRA STAR

This is the final article in a series of four articles on the current crisis of music in public schools.

In previous articles we’ve seen that 1) the arts, music in particular, are in crisis due to underfunding and the misapplication of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), 2) music makes a difference in academic and behavioral performance, and 3) music can help make it possible to create a school environment in an “at-risk” environment that breeds success. So, if all this is true, why doesn’t everyone create this kind of school? I think the primary reason we eliminate the arts from our school districts is that we, like the principal in Mr. Holland’s Opus, operate on the basis of a set of priorities. And, unless we see, first-hand, how music benefits a whole person, music simply is not a part of the set of priorities. We generally tend to see through a tunnel. If we see that the school district will be several hundred thousands of dollars in debt at the end of the next fiscal year, we put everything on the table as cuts are considered. But, the cuts come as a result of the priorities we set. Because the arts are not properly, or fully, understood by many involved in making the decisions, they become a casualty.

But, the set of priorities can be changed. School boards are elected officials and superintendents are hired by the school boards. They are sensitive to the priorities of a community. If a community wants the arts to be important in the school district, the community can communicate this to the school board and superintendent. As tough financial times begin to hit and as cuts begin to loom in the future, persons concerned about the arts should come together and communicate with the school board. When election time comes around, elect individuals who are strongly supportive of the arts. Insist that elected board members place a high priority on all the arts, not just the one or two arts that have significant enrollment.

In addition to helping elected officials set proper priorities, it is important that the community become involved in the music programs in the schools. It may be important to volunteer time as an accompanist, filing music, maintaining uniforms, or, if the ability exists, giving private lessons. Unfortunately, a quality music program is not inexpensive. Financial contributions are greatly appreciated. These contributions can help provide private lessons or pay for an accompanist.

Community members should attend performances of school groups. Granted, it is not possible to attend everything that happens in this community. So, select one or two concerts each semester to attend. Audience size sends big messages to district officials.

Encourage students to be involved in the music programs. In this community, athletics are very important, and they are very valuable in a person’s development. Involvement in music, however, does not negate involvement in athletics. I know of one high school that has a men’s choir of about 100 male students (in fact, they are called the Huge Men Chorus), most of whom are involved in both choir and athletics. There are many students at Yosemite High School who are involved in both music and athletics. Both activities are important in development and all of us should do everything we can to see that our children develop as whole human beings.

There are many good things going on with the arts in the schools in this community. But music teachers should be held accountable. It really is not sufficient to just have a comprehensive music program. The music program must be making a difference in the school and its quality must be apparent. Is the program growing in terms of the number of students involved? It is important that students want to be involved in music. At the elementary level, all students should receive music instruction on a regular basis. If many of these students do not want to be involved in junior high or middle school music programs, then something may be wrong with either the elementary or the junior high program. Likewise, if students don’t want to be involved in music at the high school level, there maybe a problem with either the junior high or high school program. A funnel effect will exist and fewer students will enroll in arts subjects as they progress through school. This is to be expected, but significant numbers of students should continue in music programs as they progress through the grades. If the community is supportive of the arts, the funnel effect will lessen.

While numbers are important to Steve Raupp, principal at Yosemite High School, he and the Yosemite High School Board are supportive of music because of what it can do for students. They are also very much interested in a quality program. How can a community hold their music teachers accountable and be certain that their music program is yielding good results?

One problem with accountability in music is that there are no state-required tests for music students and many parents are happy just to see their children on stage. But accountability is still available through other avenues. There are numerous area festivals that can be attended by high school and junior high choral and instrumental ensembles. The festivals generally include a rating system that will give the ensemble a series of scores based on criteria developed by professional musicians. Ensembles in a quality junior high or high school music program should attend at least one of these local festivals each year. If scores received at these festivals are persistently low for all groups, there should be an exploration of why this is the case.

There are highly qualified musicians at local universities who may be willing to observe music instruction in the district at no charge. They will also be happy to make recommendations for improvement. If any teacher is found to be deficient, appropriate action should be taken to find ways to improve the instruction.

It is possible to create a high quality music program in nearly every community. But, to do so, music must become a part of the set of priorities in the community. The stakes are too high to not make music a priority, right along with reading and writing!

About the author:
Now in his third year at Yosemite High School, Tony Mowrer holds a Ph.D. in music education from Temple University, a masters in music history from West Chester University, and the bachelor of arts from Lubbock Christian University.

Prior to coming to Yosemite High School, he served on the music faculty of colleges in Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Michigan. While at Rochester College, in Michigan, Mowrer was active as a clinician and adjudicator with the Michigan Schools Vocal Music Association.
He remains active as a clinician in California. Tony is a member of the American Choral Director’s Association and the Music Educator’s National Conference, and served as the secretary for ChoralNet, an Internet choral organization, from 1998 to 2002.

In the past three years, the choral music program at Yosemite High School has grown by nearly 30 percent with approximately 100 students now participating in four ensembles, three of which are auditioned ensembles. Chamber Singers is the top ensemble of the four choirs now at Yosemite High School. Over the past three years, the Chamber Singers have consistently received superior ratings at invitational and district festivals and are participated in a national competition festival in San Francisco in March.

The invitation to this festival came as the result of receiving the Adjudicator’s Award at a festival in Anaheim last May. They are in high demand and their services are requested for many community functions. Members of the Chamber Singers have been selected to perform in the American Choral Director’s Association Western Division Women’s Honor Choir and in the American Choral Director’s Association National High School Honor Choir.

Yosemite Joint Union High School District News