Strengthening the importance of music in our life and culture since 1940 N E W S L E T T E R Fall 2018 National Music Council NMC Director Dr. David Sanders hosted Honors Jazz Legends the event, and praised the honorees for setting an extraordinary standard for Chick Corea and The ongoing contribution to American Manhattan Transfer at musical culture and heritage, and for serving as mentors and role models to 35th Annual American aspiring jazz artists. The evening Eagle Awards opened with a performance by the Nashville School of the Arts jazz ensemble Swing Thing under the direction of James Satterwhite, who reminded the audience of why access to music education for all students is so vital. Nashville Singer/Songwriter Dianne Davidson performed an emotional musical tribute to The Manhattan Transfer before presenting TMT members Janis Siegel, Alan Paul, and Cheryl Bentyne with the first award. Davidson was responsible for introducing late Manhattan Transfer The National Music Council honored founder Tim Hauser to Janis Siegel, jazz legends Chick Corea and The forming the iteration of the group that Manhattan Transfer at the organization’s created their great success and earned 35th annual American Eagle Awards on them ten Grammy Awards. Hauser died Thursday, June 28 at the Summer in 2014. NAMM Show in Nashville. The honors are presented each year in recognition Internationally renowned flutist Hubert of long-term contributions to American Laws presented Chick Corea’s award, musical culture and heritage, the citing Corea’s great contribution to the importance of music education and art of improvisation and an inspiration to inspiration for all children, and the need himself and musicians all over the world. to protect creators’ rights both locally In accepting the award, Corea and globally. expressed the joy he gets from inspiring young musicians, before stepping over Council. These rights are that all to the piano and performing a solo children and adults must have the rendition of Gershwin’s “Someone to freedom and ability to: (1) express Watch Over Me.” Corea then surprised themselves musically; (2) learn musical the large audience by calling the up The language and skills; (3) have access to Manhattan Transfer and Hubert Laws to musical performances both as join him for a spontaneous, improvised participants and listeners; (4) have rendition of Gershwin’s “Summertime”, reasonable access to communicate their which brought down the house. musical artistry to the public including through electronic media, and (5) receive accurate attribution, earned recognition and fair remuneration for the popularity of their musical works. The 2018 American Eagle honorees join a “who’s – who” list of cultural giants including Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Clive Davis, Van Cliburn, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Morton Gould, Dave Brubeck, Marian Anderson, Max Roach, Lena Horne, Roy Clark, Elliott Carter, Ervin Drake, Theo Bikel, Roberta Peters, Odetta, Leonard Slatkin, Sesame Street, Hard Rock Café, and VH1’s Save the Music Foundation. In 2017, the NMC also recognized the indelible contributions of songwriter/poet, Patti Smith, country legend Crystal Gale, and comedian, musician and actor, Harry Shearer at For photo and video highlights of the the Nashville Summer NAMM Show. awards, click here. The National Music Council celebrates these great artists in part to highlight the ________________________________ importance of the 5 Musical Rights developed and enumerated in cooperation with the International Music 2 NAfME Endorses Music Modernization Act GAAME Act of 2018 Needs YOUR Help To Get Across Finish Line Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D- NY) has introduced the Guarantee The Music Modernization Act, a critical Access to Arts and Music Education bill that would (among other things) (GAAME) Act (H.R. 6137) in the U.S. improve songwriter royalties and provide House of Representatives. The legacy artists who recorded music legislation, which NAfME and members before 1972 a federal right to be paid by of the Music Education Policy digital radio services like SiriusXM, Roundtable have endorsed, seeks to sailed through the U.S. House of address that students of color and Representatives on a 415-0 vote and students in low-income neighborhoods was unanimously approved in May by do not share the same access to high- the Senate Judiciary Committee. quality music and arts education. If Smokey Robinson, Darlene Love, passed, this legislation would provide Dionne Warwick, Mary Wilson of the articulating language to encourage Supremes, Rosanne Cash and many school districts to use their Title I, Part A others have traveled to Washington, DC funds to improve access to music and to advocate for this important bill. arts education for disadvantaged and low-income students, taught by certified Next stop: a full vote in the Senate, music educators. where the bill now enjoys more than 66 cosponsors. Unfortunately, there are still In recognition of her commitment to powerful forces trying to bog down the expanding access to music education, bill and keep it from passing, which is NAfME named Congresswoman why its proponents need help increasing Velázquez the NAfME 2018 Music the cosponsor count. More cosponsors Education Champion. is a clear signal to Senate leadership that this bill has the broad support it needs to advance and be considered by the full Senate. There are plenty of Senators who should be cosponsors of this bill who have not yet signed on for one reason or another. Music community advocates in Washington, DC and throughout the country are asking for your help to contact your Senators and ask them to cosponsor this crucial piece of legislation, or even work to get music schools involved in Rep. Nydia Velázquez with NAfME states where support is needed. Executive Director and CEO Mike Blakeslee See the ad on last page of this newsletter, visit here, or contact [email protected]. for more information. 3 700+ Leaders To Arts in Education, Social Justice, Human Resources, Nonprofit Growth Assemble in Baltimore and Sustainability, plus a special track for 81st Annual dedicated to highlighting Lessons from Baltimore. For program details and Conference for registration, please visit Community Arts www.communityartsed.org. Education: The Conference for Community Arts Education is the leading national Shaping the National Dialogue gathering for nonprofit arts education on the Impact of Arts Education leaders representing arts and cultural centers, community arts schools, and Creativity preparatory programs, performing arts companies, youth serving organizations Registration is now open for the 2018 (e.g., Boys and Girls Clubs of America), Conference for Community Arts museums, and other agencies. Education to be held in Baltimore, MD, November 14-17, 2018. Over 700 arts Some organizations provide classes and education leaders and stakeholders, lessons in their own facilities; others representing more than 350 arts and collaborate with senior centers, cultural organizations and cross-sector hospitals, public schools, and other agencies from across the U.S., will agencies to increase access to arts convene to gain practical strategies, education. Many do both. This diversity share advice, and advance a common of backgrounds creates unique vision: a nation where arts learning is opportunities for delegates to connect accessible and embraced as essential with peers, explore new partnerships, for human development and healthy and grow. communities. Funders, policy makers, academics, This year’s conference will focus on researchers, and other allies, including leadership development, organizational those in non-arts sectors (e.g., youth sustainability, and the vital role that arts development, health, education, etc.), learning and creative practice play in are also encouraged to attend. Ensuring achieving racial equity, promoting that all people enjoy access to quality healing, and engendering hope. arts learning opportunities throughout Visionary and creative change makers their lifespans requires a collective from across the country and throughout effort. Baltimore will lead dozens of workshops, roundtables, and special To learn more about the National Guild events, hosted both at the Renaissance for Community Arts Education programs Baltimore Harborplace Hotel and at please visit www.nationalguild.org community sites throughout the city. The program is organized into progressive tracks in Creative Youth Development, Leadership Development, 4 SESAC Announces years, will be used for educational programming and composer workshops. SESAC Scores: The Beck Diversity Project “We’re thrilled to embrace a program that helps foster diversity in the Five-Year Mentorship audiovisual creative community and Program Will Support which empowers creators to pursue their passion,” said Josephson. Underrepresented “Working with Chris to help execute his Composers in Film vision to provide the needed resources to underrepresented composers is exciting for all of us at SESAC and an important way that we can demonstrate our commitment to the music community.” “Creating opportunities for new composers to contribute in a meaningful way to our industry is a passion of mine, and I’m looking forward to working alongside SESAC to make this happen,” says Beck. (L-R: SESAC’s John Josephson, Christophe Beck and Erin Collins) For media only: https://bit.ly/2kURe7y In addition, there will also be a national application process to select individuals