The chorus program at Oliver Middle School is in the running for a $15,000 music grant courtesy of Rack Room Shoes! From Dec. 28 - Jan. 13, 2013, vote for Oliver’s video here at Rack Room Shoes website and click on the Gift of Music icon. The top four vote recipients will win $15,000 to support the music program. So log on and vote for Oliver!

We want to give a big shout out to Lakeview Elementary Design Center and W.H. Oliver Middle School, both of which were awarded Music Makes Us education grants from the Nashville Singers. Check out the news release below.

Lakeview Design Center & Oliver Middle School Receive Music Education Grants from The Nashville Singers, Inc.

Nashville, TN - Lakeview Design Center and W.H. Oliver Middle School were each announced as recipients of a $500.00 Music Makes a Difference music education grant from Nashville Singers in May of this year. The formal presentation took place at the Nashville Singers annual Season of Harmony concert on November 17 at Hillsboro High School. 

Since being founded in November of 2008, the philanthropic mission of Nashville Singers has been to enrich lives through support of music education in our schools and the community. To support this mission, the chorus funds several programs, including a free singing lessons program entitled Acappella Academy, music education grants, middle and high school master classes, and the Educator of the Future college scholarship created for students pursuing a music education degree.

Upon hearing the announcement, Carol Crittenden, Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator for Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) remarked, "The Nashville Singers have not only been an incredible financial support for grant recipients in Metro Schools, but the members have also given of their time and talents to support our music students. This is the type of commitment and partnership we greatly value."



Jay Steele, Associate Superintendent for MNPS High Schools added, "A rich curriculum that includes the arts is very important for all students in Nashville and MNPS is very fortunate to have such supportive partners like the Nashville Singers."



Kim Marie Folsom of Lakeview Design Center stated, "I am so thankful for the Nashville Singers, who provide help for students in need, through music education. They realize that music teaches math, language, history, reading and science in a fun environment. I am so grateful for their support."



Franklin J. Willis of Oliver Middle School added, "The Oliver Middle School community advocates in the importance of music education in students' lives. Receiving this award not only serves as monetary gain to fund the new chorus program, but motivation to meet the challenge of engaging students in finding their own voice through music. It is truly an honor to be a recipient of the Nashville Singer's Music Makes a Difference Grant. I look forward to future collaborations with Nashville Singers and the Oliver Middle School Chorus."  

Other dignitaries on hand for the presentation and concert included Laurie Schell, Director of the Music Makes Us education project, Margaret Campbelle-Holman, Executive Director of Choral Arts Link, and Peter Bird, President and CEO of the Frist Foundation.

About Nashville Singers

In their first four years, this volunteer group has grown from four to 15 singers, learned 42 songs, released their first CD, racked up 50 performances for 32 organizations in seven counties across Tennessee, and produced a successful concert series which attracted attendees from 36 cities in eight states across the USA. Their concert audiences have ranged in size from a few hundred to 4000 people. Their diverse repertoire spans many genres. Their philanthropic mission is to enrich lives through support of music education in our schools and the community. This support comes in the form of music education grants, college scholarships, master classes in area schools, and an annual free singing lessons program called Acappella Academy. Nashville Singers has awarded $2500 in music education grants and scholarships in the last two years. The Nashville Singers, Inc. is recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)3 non-profit organization. For more information about Nashville Singers, visit them online at www.nashvillesingers.org.

The Wright/Glencliff Mariachi classes made their debut performance during a special field trip to Cheekwood Saturday, Oct. 27. According to leader Alan Lambert, “Not only were the students enthusiastic, but they did a great job performing for the first time in front of their friends and family on the steps of Glencliff High School!” Lambert said after the performance, the group visited Cheekwood Gardens for the Dia de los Muertos event. There students interacted with local mariachis, decorated sugar skulls, and took in the sights, sounds and smells of the beautiful gardens and special exhibits. “For most students and parents, this was their first time at Cheekwood, but it won’t be their last,” said Lambert.

Earlier this month, a group of male singers from Overton High School participated in Lipscomb University's Men's Choir Festival. The festival featured Cantus, a famous group of male singers from Minneapolis, along with 250 High School students from 18 different high schools across the state of Tennessee.



Dr. Gary P. Wilson from Lipscomb University led the festival and rehearsed the combined student festival choir with the young men during the day. In the afternoon, the professional men's choir Cantus provided a master class  clinic for local high school men's choirs. In the evening, the festival choir presented a concert prior to the performance by Cantus then joined with the men of Cantus for a grand finale number.

Congratulations to the outstanding Croft Orchestra and director Anna Maria Miller on being selected to perform at the 2013 Tennessee Music Educators Association State Conference in Chattanooga. Many superior ensembles applied, and Croft was chosen to perform at the April 2013 conference.

The Maplewood Showstoppers performed at the grand opening of a Fifth Third Bank last Saturday, July 14.



The Maplewood Showstoppers' "Black Cat Band" performed outside the new Madison bank branch, and were even joined by a famous sabre-toothed mascot - Gnash from the Nashville Predators!

Public-private partnership will make the Metro Schools program the nation’s best

After a nationwide search, Metro Nashville Public Schools has selected the inaugural director of the Music Makes Us education project, Laurie Tobian Schell, who has 25 years of experience as an arts education advocate and leader.



“When school starts August 1, we will also start a new era in music education for Metro Schools,” said Dr. Jesse Register, director of schools. “Laurie Schell brings expertise in both the education and arts policy arenas as well as a passion for music. It’s evident she cares deeply about the success of all our students.”



Schell joins Metro Schools from California, where she served as the executive director of the California Alliance for Arts Education, a statewide policy and advocacy organization, from 2001 – 2011. She garnered a national reputation for innovative, effective leadership for her role in securing $105 million for ongoing state funding for arts education for all 6 million California students in 2006. Most recently, she has worked as founding principal of Laurie Schell Associates, providing consulting services and issue expertise to nonprofits with a focus on the arts and K-12 education.



She holds a bachelor of arts in psychology from Stanford University and a master of arts in liberal studies in dance from Wesleyan University.



“Music Makes Us will transform music education in our city, and Nashville is fortunate to have an innovative leader like Laurie Schell shape this important program,” Mayor Karl Dean said. “She has been a champion in making arts and music a core part of every child’s education in California, and I welcome to Music City her proven ability to work with educators and music industry professionals.”



Music Makes Us: The Nashville Music Education Project is a public/private partnership among Metro Schools, Mayor Karl Dean, the Music City Music Council, and music industry leaders in Nashville. The initiative will move Metro Schools beyond a traditional performance-based music curriculum to an expanded curriculum that includes diverse music genres. New classes in composition, rock band and hip-hop performance will be added, while traditional music curriculum in band, orchestra and choir will be enhanced.



“It is exciting to see the Music Makes Us initiative take shape,” said Nancy Shapiro, vice president of member services for The Recording Academy and an early advocate for Music Makes Us. “Laurie’s hiring is another step toward our goal of making Nashville’s music education program the best in the nation.”



The initiative is under the overall direction of Jay Steele, associate superintendent of high schools, with a community advisory board to be appointed by Mayor Dean and Dr. Register. The staff also includes Dr. Nola Jones, music coordinator, and long-time Metro Schools educator Carol Crittenden. Schell will begin her duties June 15.



About Music Makes Us

Music Makes Us is a new approach to music education in Metro Nashville Public Schools that focuses on enhancing the traditional music curriculum and adding a contemporary curriculum track that uses new technologies and reflects a diverse musical landscape. Reaching 79,000 students in Metro Public Schools, Music Makes Us pledges to make Nashville the worldwide leader in music education. The initiative was announced in 2011 as a partnership among Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and the Music City Music Council.

Music education is getting a big bookst at Lakeview & Oliver thanks to an influx of cash from the Nashville Singers.



These schools have been awarded the Music Makes a Difference Education Grant. It will fund a new chorus program at Oliver and help fund music classes at Lakeview.



From Oliver's Choral Music Teacher Franklin Willis:

The Oliver Middle School community advocates in the importance of music education in students' lives. Receiving this award not only serves as monetary gain to fund the new chorus program, but motivation to meet the challenge of engaging students in finding their own voice through music. It is truly an honor to be a recipient of the Nashville Singer's Music Makes a Difference Grant. I look forward to future collaborations with the Nashville Singers and the Oliver Middle School Chorus.

Proving that whole 'entertainment' part of Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School, students showcased their musical chops at Puckett's Grocery on 5th and Church Street downtown Monday.



In a night described as a "momentous occasion," several singers and a backing band performed a diverse musical set for the restaurant's Up 'n Comer's Night. Everyone agreed that the show was a raging success, including the folks at Puckett's.



Management at the restaurant said the show was "amazing" and called the student performers "stars in the making." They were so impressed they plan to bring students back for more live events like this one!



Thank you to Puckett's Grocery and the hard working folks at Pearl-Cohn and in the high schools office for making this night such a success. And congratulations, students! You've earned the accolades!

PICTURES COURTESY OF PUCKETT'S GROCERY

The band program at McKissack Middle School will host its inaugural Jazz Festival this Thursday, April 12, at 6 p.m., in the school auditorium.

Saturday, March 24, Nashville School of Arts will be hosting its annual Celebration of the Arts event.

This event introduces the community to everything that takes place at Nashville School of the Arts and is the biggest fundraiser for Friends of Nashville School of Arts (FNSA), the school’s parent/teacher organization.

Celebration of the Arts will feature art exhibits, demonstrations in dance, theater, broadcast, musical performance, and an adult/student blues jam. Guests can also shop at a special consignment store and auction. FNSA will also release the "first-ever" NSA. The CD will showcase the depth and variety of talent of the students at NSA. Including sounds from Renaissance to Rock n' Roll, the disc will feature the amazing Jazz Band, Madrigals, Swing Band, Orchestra, Early Music Consort, Pop Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Theater (Xanadu), Guitar Quartet, solo guitar, and solo piano. All components celebrate NSA student work. 

The Celebration will take place at the Nashville School of Arts campus, 1250 Foster Ave., Nashville, TN 37210. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m., for ticket sales. Tickets are $5. For more information, contact the school office at (615) 291-6600.

The Oliver Middle School Wind Ensemble has been chosen to represent Tennessee in a performance at the College Band Directors National Association/National Band Association Southern Division Conference.  This Conference is happening this weekend, Feb. 23-25, at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia.  The selection process was via CD recording and resume submission. Oliver was selected over dozens of other ensembles from around the country. The ensemble will perform Saturday morning, Feb. 25, for hundreds of Band Directors from Louisiana, West Virginia, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.  Congratulations, Oliver!

Tuesday, Feb 7, Rocky, a student at Hillsboro High, took the stage for the first time as a solo artist! Rocky performed at the 16-year anniversary celebration of the Billy Block Show. He was backed up by his brother Grady, on drums and keys; Jamie M., son of hit singer/songwriter Pat McLaughlin; and Anthony R.  

Rocky was born "live on the air" 15 years ago when the Billy Block show aired on Lightening 100.

Talk about a staunch supporter of Metro Schools and music education! At the 2012 Keep the Music Playing Concert held Jan. 31, CMA executives presented a check for $1.4 million to Metro Schools to help support music education. Since 2006, the association has donation $6.1 million in funds and music equipment to our schools.



To read the full release, click here.

Check Presentation Courtesy Donn Jones, CMA	Glengarry students performing with Suzy Bogguss Courtesy Donn Jones, CMA

NSA senior Maya A. has spent the past two weeks sharing the stage with no other than Eddie George! Maya is wrapping up her role of conspirator, citizen, soldier and Octavius' servant in the Nashville Shakespeare Festival's production of Julius Ceasar. And this isn't her first run with the production company. This past summer, Maya served as stage manager's intern for the production of Romeo & Juliet.



Maya and her cast mates will make their final curtain call this weekend. Performances are at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays - Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. on Sundays; and a special encore performance has been added for Sunday, Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Click here for more details.

The Hume-Fogg Silver Jazz band has been selected to perform and compete in the Savannah Music Festival’s Swing Central Jazz Competition and Workshop at the end of March. This is an elite competition for which only the top 12 high school jazz bands in the USA are selected! Congrats HFA!

December is here and you can't escape those familiar holiday tunes playing in malls, on the radio and TV.

Shake it up this year and escape the old standards by taking in one of the many fine performances by Metro students! Below is a listing of some of the performing arts events happening in Metro Schools in December. If you're looking for the holiday spirit or something a little outside the norm, take your pick and support our young artists!

• December 1 - Nashville School of Arts - Tastes of the Season - 6:00 PM


• December 2-3 - Antioch High School Dance Department presents “Cats in Motion” - 7:00 PM


• December 5 - McKissack Band Concert - 6:30 PM


• December 8 -Jere Baxter Middle School Fall Band Concert - 5:00 PM


• December 8 - Dodson Elementary 3rd Grade PTO Show - 6:00 PM


• December 8 - East Literature Magnet HS Choir Concert - 7:00 PM


• December 8 - NSA Fall Orchestra Concert - 7:00 PM


• December 8 - Hillsboro HS Music Department Concert - 7:00 PM


• December 9 - DuPont Tyler Middle School Band Concert - 7:00 PM


• December 9-10 - Nashville School of Arts Fall Dance Show - 7:00 PM


• December 11 - Creswell Dance Department presents “Nutcracker - All Jazzed Up” - 6:00 PM


• December 12 - Goodlettsville MS Band Concert - 5:30 PM


• December 12 - Joelton MS Holiday Concert - 5:30 PM


• December 15 - Eakin Holiday Program - 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

The Nashville Symphony is inviting all Davidson County families to enjoy a special family concert event! The afternoon show will feature a performance of the Composer is Dead, in English and in Spanish. Check out the flyers for more details.

Hillsboro High School Marching Band recently competed in the Trousdale County Yellow Jacket Invitational. There, the band won Best in Class for Field Commander and Percussion, 2nd in Class for Color Guard, and 3rd in Class, Overall.

This past weekend, the band traveled to the Lebanon Blue Devil Marching Invitational, where they claimed Best in Class, Overall! They also placed for Field Commander and Percussion.

Way to go!

Brian McLaughlin-Williams, a Student Ambassador for Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School’s Academy of Entertainment Communication, has earned a spot in the Guitar Center’s 2011 Drum-Off. This exciting event will take place in 100 Oaks Mall, Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. The winner of the Drum-Off will travel to California to compete in the finals. That winner will receive a $40,000 Grand Prize and sponsorship in drum magazines.  Good luck, Brian!

Inglewood Elementary school received a grant from INA (Inglewood Neighborhood Association) to offer afterschool piano lessons for our students. Thanks to the generosity of the community, the school will now be able to purchase 10 keyboards, headphones, music manuals, and cover the cost for the instructor. Thank you, INA!

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, Overton High School's multi-award winning marching band made its third appearance in Waikiki's Holiday Parade. The parade serves as a fundraiser for the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial on the island. Students also toured Pearl-Harbor, the island of Oahu and Dole's Pineapple Plantation. Overton

Friday, Dec. 3, hundreds of MNPS middle and high school students will take part in the 58th Annual Piedmont Natural Gas Christmas Parade. Marching bands, JROTC units, cheerleaders and dance teams will help spread some holiday cheer. And our very own Hillsboro High School Marching Band will help lead in good ole Saint Nick. The parade starts at 7 p.m. The official start will be at the Public Square.