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Don't miss the May 19 Registration Deadline! Register now for the Summer Symposium and avoid late fees Summer is right around the corner. Are you ready for the Music for All Summer Symposium? Register online by the May 19 deadline and choose from a range of student divisions: Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz, Percussion, Orchestra, Color Guard and Drum Majors. High school and middle school band directors: get graduate credit for spending a week with master teachers on the latest workshops. Jeff Coffin Mu'tet with very special guest Futureman In concert at the Summer Symposium The Jeff Coffin Mu'tet will perform in concert on Thursday, June 25, 8 p.m. as part of the Summer Symposium concert series in Normal, IL. Jeff Coffin is a two-time GRAMMY Award Winning Saxophonist & Composer, and member of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. And rounding out the Mu'tet are Alana Rocklin, Mike Seal and Roy Agee. The latest Mu'tet CD "Mutopia" will be released July 15th from Compass Records. Have you been mutated lately? Check out Jeff Coffin Mu'tet Who's Futureman? Music for All Joins NAMM Foundation to name the "Best Communities for Music Education" - Designation Recognizes Community Support for Music Education Programs Music for All joined the NAMM Foundation and several other national organizations to announce the results of the ninth annual "Best Communities for Music Education" survey, which includes 110 school districts across the U.S. The designated programs exemplify community commitment to include music education as part of a quality education for all children. This year's roster of musical schools represents 29 states with New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia representing the most districts. To view the complete roster of "Best Communities," visit the Advocacy Section at musicforall.org First Steps in a Positively Life-Changing Experience By Tom Merrill The truth is, I was ready to go home after the first day. It was June, 1982. I was in Whitewater, WI, for the Marching Bands of America Summer Camp, in preparation for my first year as drum major of my high school band. I had just survived my first day of the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy...I was ready to go home. Thank goodness I didn't. Because, although I didn't realize it at the time, these were the first steps in my positively life-changing experience. Read the story of Tom's journey Patrick John Hughes Parent/Booster Award Nominations Nominations are now being accepted for Music for All's Patrick John Hughes Parent/Booster Award. The deadline for nominations is September 15, 2008. All current, active parents, boosters and supporters of any scholastic music education program are eligible for nomination (do not have to be affiliated with BOA or MFA). Former or inactive parents, boosters and supporters of Bands of America and/or Music for All participating programs may also be nominated. This award celebrates the support, involvement and contributions parents and boosters make to the advancement and success of a scholastic music education program. Download the nomination form and criteria Learn more about Patrick John Hughes and the Parent/Booster Award Regional Sites Confirmed! Murray, KY, Las Vegas, El Paso These Bands of America Regional Championship sites, previously listed as tentative, are now confirmed: Murray State University Murray, KY - Oct. 4, 2008 (Previously listed as Central Tennessee location) University of Texas at El Paso Sun Bowl Stadium El Paso, TX - Oct. 18, 2008 University of Nevada, Las Vegas (pictured right) Las Vegas, NV - Oct. 25, 2008 See Enrollment Options See complete schedule of BOA Regionals and who's enrolled so far Directors, mark your calendars, June 13, Music for All National Festival Ensemble Application Deadline Friday, June 13, 2008 is the application and audition recording submission deadline for the 2009 Music for All National Festival, to take place March 19-21, 2009 in Indianapolis, IN. The June 13 deadline is for high school and middle school concert band, orchestra and percussion ensemble applications. New this year: the Middle School National Music Festival creates a national stage for middle school ensembles to perform, get feedback and enjoy some of their peers outstanding performances. Download the Festival Application packets NEW! Check out the 2008 Festival program book online - convenient flipbook Dr. Ron McCurdy will conduct the '09 Jazz Band of America Dr. Ron McCurdy will conduct the honor Jazz Band of America at the 2009 Music for All National Festival. Dr. McCurdy is Chairman of the Jazz Studies Department and Professor of Music in the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC) and is Past President of the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE). He conducted the band it's inaugural year, 2006, with guest artist Wynton Marsalis. The Jazz Band of America is part of the Music for All National Festival, March 19-21 in Indianapolis. Application/audition deadline is Nov. 1, 2008. Download Jazz Band of America application Honor Band of America, Honor Orchestra of America Application Deadline #1: June 30 Don't forget, June 30, 2008 is the early bird application deadline for the 2009 Honor Band of America, Gary W. Hill, conductor, and the Honor Orchestra of America, Larry J. Livingston, conductor. Learn more about the Honor Ensembles Watch video and 2008 concert excerpts Download applications Finding the Groove: We're looking for young Music-Makers Finding the Groove™, the new project from Leslie Stifelman Executive Producer of the Peabody Award-winning HBO® documentary series The Music In Me, is Open for Indiana Music Makers. In this new virtual world, kids aged seven to twelve are able to come and share their musical stories by uploading and sharing videos on a safe network designed for them. The project is open to everyone: instrumental musicians, composers, singer songwriters and vocalists of all styles or genres. Visit findingthegroove.com for more details, to register, and see first-hand that music is alive and well, and living in the hearts and minds of children everywhere! California Governor's Budget Revision Supports Arts Block Grant Funding Governor Schwarzenegger's May Revised Budget was released on May 14 and funding for education is in better shape had been expected. The May Revise "reflects an increase in 2008-09 spending." Advocates report that the Arts and Music Block Grant funding appears unchanged in the May Revise and continue to be buoyed by the Governor's March 20 statement (Orange County Register) that districts need more freedom in determining how to spend some money that is tied to specific programs, "but not at the expense of money earmarked for 'vital' programs like music, the arts, and physical education." Learn more about what the California Alliance for Arts Education is doing to provide media support for this issue. Music for All will alert you to the opportunities to be engaged in this conversation on behalf of California's 6 million students. BOA Honor Band members use online fundraising While the Rose Parade may be months away, BOA Honor Band members are already hard at work - raising funds for their participation in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Over 50 Honor Band members are utilizing a free online fundraising tool offered by Music for All called Friends Asking Friends. The results have been amazing! Altogether, Honor Band members have raised over $9,000 to date. Congratulations to the top five fundraisers for the month of April: Olivia Calzada Andy tePas Michael Estes Marissa Louthan Dominic Zanaboni Support the Honor Band in the Rose Parade and other MFA programs! Make a donation today. Honor Band members: It's never too late to start fundraising! To begin using the Friends Asking Friends tool, start here. Music for All names new Director of Events Natalie Sarchet Mince has been named Director of Events for Music for All, Inc. Natalie joined Music for All as an Event Coordinator in 2004, and served as Event Manager since 2005. She graduated magna cum laude from Indiana University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation and an emphasis in Tourism Management. Read Full Story Yamaha Sounds of Summer The Yamaha Sounds of Summer (SOS) program is a series of percussion experiences across the country with Yamaha's renowned percussion artists. The SOS camps are intended for percussionists grades 7 - 12 looking for a complete marching percussion training. The National Percussion Symposium at the Music for All Summer Symposium is an extended Yamaha Sounds of Summer experience. Learn more about Sounds of Summer Music for All is supported by the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the City of Indianapolis.

May 16, 2008 In This Issue: Summer Symposium May 19 Deadline Best Communities for Music Education Tom Merrill's BOA Story Parent/Booster Award Fall Update 2009 Festival Deadlines Finding the Groove California Alliance for Arts Education BOA Honor Band Student Fundraising Natalie Mince Named Director of Events Yamaha Sounds of Summer MFA Fans Where in the world are MFA Interns? This month: Emily Doyle Schluter, Santa Fe Opera Facebook Get in touch with Music for All! Become a fan MFA Notes Check out the latest MFA Flipbook 2008 Festival Program Book Our Cause is Our Name: Music for All Embed our video that highlights the importance of music education on your website, Facebook and Myspace pages.