Total Instruments Delivered Music4Life™ has delivered 1,567 ready-to-play musical instruments valued at $79,326 to its 11 participating public school districts since Sept. 1, 2023. All instrument values are estimated by our independent third-party vendor-experts. Intended for use by the students of income-qualified families, each instrument must be returned when the student leaves the school district (due to graduation, family moves to another school district, etc.) so another student can benefit from its use.
Views of an Everett Music Teacher Sometimes others just say it better than we can.
"Thank you SO much for facilitating this in lightning-speed time! I wish you could have been here to see this young girl’s face … and now she will be able to be in band next year. There are no words to describe the look on her face as tears of joy ran down her cheek upon realizing what this meant for her. Your hearts would have been full of joy if you knew just how important this is to her. I know none of us go into music teaching for the financial rewards – it’s moments like this that make it all worthwhile. "And the added bonus of what you are doing is that it doesn’t stop with her…this instrument will serve many students over the course of its lifetime. The extent of your generosity goes way beyond what you will ever know. So thank you for your tireless efforts and endless generosity as ambassadors for Music4Life. I’m your biggest fan!" Lesley Moffat Jackson High School in Everett 4Culture Renews Its Support
4Culture [formerly the Seattle-King County Arts Commission (“one percent for the arts”)] has renewed its annual “arts sustained support” for Music4Life.
More than a 60 percent increase over the pre-pandemic support, the new funds TOTALING $4,500 will be used to support those public school district programs within King County (Auburn, Highline, Kent, Northshore, Riverview, Seattle and Shoreline) during the 2023-24 school year.
As always, our ABUNDANT THANKS to 4Culture (and to Bret Fetzer) for their ongoing financial support and enthusiasm for our work!
Jackson High School Gets a Grand Piano
Jackson H.S. in Everett is getting a Young Chang grand piano. Thanks go to donor Gordon Graham, whose late wife Mary Pat played it constantly in their Mukilteo home and willed it to Music4Life.
Recorders for Highline
One thousand three hundred seventy-five (1,375) young Highline students are now learning to play their recorders (the little flute-like instrument that sticks straight out of the mouth). Seen by most as an entry-level (beginner) instrument, these recorders have been provided by Music4Life to third- and fourth-graders in the Highline Schools system.
What’s unusual about these recorders is that the kids are taking a couple months to learn to play them and then will be invited to play them in Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra on May 11, 18 & 19. It’s always an event that none of the kids and most of the rest of us will never forget!
Seattle Symphony CEO to Speak at Rotary Speaking of the Seattle Symphony, Krishna Thiagarajan, CEO of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, is scheduled to speak to the Puget Sound Passport Rotary Club, on March 1st at 5 pm. "Success in a Post-Pandemic Environment" is his topic for all senior management, not just the arts. Everyone is welcome to attend, so just click here to join the meeting. March 1st at 5 pm.
Ukuleles for Everett Another entry-level instrument is the ukulele. 78 students in Everett Public Schools have begun playing their new ukuleles that have been provided by the Yamane Family Foundation. The students’ work culminates with a concert on May 15th at 7 pm in the Everett Civic Auditorium. Hope you can join us there!
New Arts Education Law Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal has issued "New Educator Endorsement Requirements for Visual and Performing Arts Instruction" for all public school districts in Washington state. This adds visual and performing arts to the list of common school instruction requirements for all K-12 education. It adds new endorsement requirements for educators teaching the arts. New requirements for arts course offerings for students in elementary, middle and for grades 9 through 12 are required beginning in school year 2023–24. In other words, now. The instructions implement legislation that became law last year. The new arts requirement comes at a time of declining public school district enrollments and budget cutbacks.
