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!

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.

In August, 16 Oliver Middle School musicians were featured singing and playing with Carrie Underwood on the CBS special Teachers Rock. The TV special paid a musical tribute to America's teachers and serves as a fundraiser for the "Teach for America" program. Dierks Bentley, Josh Groban and pop group Fun. were among the other artists seen on Teachers Rock. Teachers Rock also featured personal recollections from Dave Grohl, Usher and Maroon 5's Adam Levine and James Valentine. Some well-known actors also appeared on the program, including Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Garner, Jack Black, Morgan Freeman and Matthew Morrison.

The students from Oliver were selected from a wide pool of musically gifted children. They ranged in ages from 10-12 and represented the wonderfully diverse culture of Oliver Middle School. Susan Waters and Katie Harrah, Band Directors, Franklin Willis, Choir Director and Delores McCreery, Drama Teacher all collaborated to select the 16 students to sing and play along with Underwood. 

The performance was pre-taped on Opry Stage A for the Friday night broadcast. The students worked with Underwood's musical director for about two hours on the back up vocals, percussion parts and clapping responsibilities. During lunch the students, teachers and parents were treated to a catered lunch and were able to mingle with the production crew. After lunch, Underwood's band came on set and the rehearsal continued. Late in the afternoon, Underwood joined the group on stage and performed the song "Nobody Ever Told You" four times with the students. Afterwards the students posed for photos with Carrie Underwood and each received an autographed photo. That’s what we call a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

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.

Dozens of young musicians will light up the stage at the 2012 Keep the Music Playing All-Star Concert. Hosted by CMA and organized by the Nashville Public Education Foundation and Metro Schools, the concert will feature some of the district's finest young musicians. Recording artist Chris Young will host the concert and special guest Suzy Bogguss will be on hand to help celebrate. CMA will also announce the 2011 CMA Music Festival donation to music education through the CMA Foundation and the Keep the Music Playing initiative. Since 2006, CMA has donated $4.7 million in funds and musical equipment to Metro Schools through Keep the Music Playing.

Music permeates Nashville at all levels, and soon it will permeate Nashville public education at all levels, too.

From the stage at the Ryman Auditorium, Mayor Karl Dean, Director of Schools Jesse Register and many community and business leaders in Nashville announced 'Music Makes Us,' a new approach to music education that will reach students in all grades.

Young students will be exposed to all kinds of music from an early age, including jazz, bluegrass, folk, world music. Middle and high school students will be able to take courses in songwriting, DJ & remixing, hip-hop performance and more.

Numerous studies show that music education can boost student performance in many academic areas, as well as increasing motivation for classroom performance and attendance. It encourages students to form close peer groups and foster close adult relationships with teachers. The city will conduct its own study to see the effectiveness of Music Makes Us once its in place.

This program is the product of years of work by a number of partners, including Mayor Dean, Metro Schools, the Music City Music Council and the Nashville Public Education Foundation. Support will continue to come from all sides, including financial support from Nashville's business and musical communities.

There is so much more to share about this project. Check out the page we've created for Music Makes Us to learn all about it.

Several MNPS performance groups performed during the 2011 Keep the Music Playing All-Stars Concert, which was held Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 6:30 p.m, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Hall. This concert was in appreciation to the CMA for providing Metro Schools with instruments and music through its Keep the Music Playing Program that has donated more than 3 million in musical equipment to Metro Schools. The schools invited to perform include: Croft Design Center Full Orchestra Jones Paideia Choir – “Super Stars” DuPont Tyler Middle School Advanced Band Duet – Luke Bryant (country artist and emcee) and Sam Hunter (guitarist from Nashville School of the Arts) Nashville School of the Arts Jazz Ensemble Pearl-Cohn High School Choir Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet School Full Orchestra Special guests who will be in attendance at the concert are: Dr. Jesse Register, Director of Metro Schools Mayor Karl Dean Luke Bryan, Country Music Star Pam Garrett, Executive Director of Nashville Alliance for Public Education Steve Moore, CEO of CMA Alan Valentine, President/CEO of the Nashville Symphony