NAMM and SupportMusic Coalition Applaud U.S. Senators' Call for Study of Access to Music and Arts Education

NAMM, the trade association of the international music products industry, today announced that Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to David Walker, the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting that the GAO conduct a study on access to music and arts education in the American public school system since passage of the No Child Left Behind Act.

This week, Senators Dodd and Alexander also introduced a resolution recognizing the benefits and importance of school-based music education. Senators Dodd and Alexander are members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), and are Chairman and Ranking Member of its Subcommittee on Children and Families.

“No child should be deprived of the chance to explore his or her creativity in a nurturing educational environment,” said Dodd. “Picking up a musical instrument, a paint brush or a script can allow a child to discover a hidden talent and can serve as a much-needed positive influence in the midst of the many difficult decisions that young people face today. I am hopeful that the GAO will act quickly to deliver findings about the current condition of arts education in American public schools so that we can seek to improve it during the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act.”

Added Alexander: “Music education is important. I had some great teachers, but my piano teacher, Miss Lennis Tedford, was the best. From age five until my high school senior recital, I spent 30 minutes with her each week. ‘Don’t play that monkey business,’ she would say, as she could always tell when I’d been playing too much Jerry Lee Lewis.

From Miss Tedford I learned more than music. She taught me the discipline of Czerny and the metronome, the logic of Bach, the clean joy of Mozart. She encouraged me to let my emotions run with Chopin and Rachmaninoff. She made sure I was ready for the annual piano competition, and that I performed completely under control. I still thank her for the discipline and love of music she gave me each time I sit at the piano today.”

A companion resolution—introduced by Reps. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) and Jon Porter (R-Nev.)—passed the House of Representatives on April 26 by unanimous consent.

“NAMM and its large coalition of partners applaud these Senators’ actions to determine how No Child Left Behind has impacted music and arts education in this country,” said Joe Lamond. “Both houses of the U.S. Congress now stand in favor of the many proven benefits of making music and the importance of music and arts education for every child. And we hope music advocates everywhere will remind their local school boards of this overwhelming Congressional support when school budgets are being discussed.”