So it’s over.

Brenham Broadway Kids production of Suessical Jr. closed last night and our last production was absolutely the best show of all. If you were there you experienced the magic, but if you couldn’t come, try to imagine what would happen if a group of talented and well trained adults gave all of their time and effort to a group of talented kids whose parents worked as hard as anyone else in the production. This is a story that has no losers. Neither broken bones, nor power failures, contagious illness gripping the cast, crew and their families, nor crazy schedules, nor thieves could dampen the spirit of this show. A young actor can hop and dance as a Who or a jungle creature, equipment can recover from a power failure, equipment and hours of programming stolen out from under our noses might mean we have to scramble to put on a show, but talented and determined people can still make it happen.

I’ve learned that there will be adversity anytime one tries to do something good and positive in this crazy old world. Aw, what am I saying? Adversity is part of life. But I’d sure rather be doing something beautiful and joyful when the adversity comes. Then, when it’s all over and we realize that we kept going and created something that brought joy into the lives of our audiences, the negatives just start to fade away into distant memory leaving only glowing memories of a job well done.

Five full house performances; 24 young performers who have grown artistically; physically and in character; a choreographer, costumer, technical director, college interns, sound engineer dads and husbands, theatrical director, properties manager, stage manager, musical director, backstage manager, hair, costume and make-up moms, office staff, ticket sales and ushers, behind the scenes help, and refreshment volunteers who are all dead tired but deeply satisfied with the results, and a community that is proud of the achievements of the group that is becoming the icon for youth and talent in our town is what we have left.

Oh, and we have professional photos, too. I hope to be posting those on the Brenham Children’s Chorus myspace profile this week, so look for them. Until then, here are a few I took myself. Now it’s time to get everything ready for the big Festival Hill performance later this month. Musical theatre and children’s choral music are different skills that are married beautifully in our small town children’s chorus. We showed we could handle the first, now it’s time to polish our repertoire to do our best at the second.

Oops. I’m having a little trouble getting those photos attached to this blog, but I’ll figure it out and send them soon.

pgby

Homage to Paul Pomeroy

This is a little something that was put together by Pam Bennett Young. Enjoy!

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Welcome to the BCC Blog!

Many of you have absolutely no idea who I am. That is OK. I am the father of Singenspiel performer Troy Freeman and the new website guy for the Brenham Children’s Chorus. I also play the Trombone on occasion.

My hope for the new website design and blog is that everyone will be able to find current information and interact with some of the staff in an easy and fun way. There is still much to do, but then again, websites are always changing.

If you do not see any pictures of our beautiful and handsome performers, do not panic. Pictures will be going back up soon.

I’m not a professional web guy, but I enjoy doing it so thank you for all your support! Incidentally, this may be the last blog pot I ever write…but I’m sure our artistic staff will make up for it!

Latest Harris Poll

New Harris Poll Links Music Education to Advanced Studies and Higher Incomes; National Association for Music Education and Artist Steven Van Zandt Endorse Findings.

New Harris Poll Links Music Education to Advanced Studies and Higher Incomes; National Association for Music Education and Artist Steven Van Zandt Endorse Findings No Child Left Behind Act is Leaving Music Education Behind, Despite Proven Benefits

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — At an event with actor and musician “Little” Steven Van Zandt and MENC: The National Association for Music Education, Harris Interactive today released an independent poll which shows a positive association of music with lifelong educational attainment and higher income. Nearly nine in ten people (88 percent) with post graduate degrees participated in music education. Further, 83 percent of those with incomes higher than $150,000 or more participated in music.

With the No Child Left Behind Act currently up for reauthorization in Congress, a discussion on music education is more important right now than ever. Music is recognized, on paper, as a core academic subject but with actual testing in only a narrow range of subjects, music is usually one of the first programs to be cut.

“Research confirms that music education at an early age greatly increases the likelihood that a child will grow up to seek higher education and ultimately earn a higher salary. The sad irony is that ‘No Child Left Behind’ is intended to better prepare our children for the real world, yet it’s leaving music behind despite its proven benefits,” said Dr. John Mahlmann, Executive Director of MENC: The National Association for Music Education. “While music clearly corresponds to higher performing students and adults, student access to music education had dropped about 20 percent in recent years, thanks in large part to the constraints of the No Child Left Behind Act.”

Musician, actor and music education activist Steven Van Zandt adds, “Obviously, music is a big part of my life and I’ve had remarkable experiences as part of the music industry. That is why I am now combining my life’s work and my passion for music education. The Harris Poll and other studies like it document the fact that you don’t have to be a rock star to benefit from music education. Music benefits everyone in all walks of life. Through my Rock and Roll Forever Foundation, I am working with professional music educators on the development of ‘Little Steven’s Rock and Roll High School.’ This curriculum will be available at no cost to schools and can help future generations learn about music, history, culture and the arts — all through Rock and Roll.”

“If you want to be a CEO, college president or even a rock star, the message from this survey is: take music,” Mahlmann added. “As with reading, writing and arithmetic, music should be a core academic focus because it is so vital to a well rounded education and will pay dividends later in life, no matter the career path taken.”

Respondents of the Harris Poll cite skills they learned in music as helping them in their careers today. Seventy-two percent of adults with music education agree that it equips people to be better team players in their career and nearly six in ten agree that music education has influenced their creative problem solving skills. Many also agree music education provides a disciplined approach to problem solving, a sense of organization and prepares someone to manage the tasks of their job more successfully.

An earlier Harris study shows significantly higher graduation and attendance rates in schools with music programs (90.2 percent compared to 72.9 percent and 93.3 percent compared to 84.9 percent, respectively).

Other studies show the value of music programs to our future generations:

– Students in top quality music programs scored 22 percent higher in English and 20 percent higher in math on standardized tests mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act (University of Kansas) — In 2006, SAT takers with coursework in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 43 points higher on the math portion (The College Board, Profile of College-Bound Seniors National Report for 2006)

“Parents, educators, state legislatures and the Congress need to take these studies seriously. This relationship between music education and better performance in life is not accidental. How are we supposed to continue as a creative society without exposing our students to the arts? Rock and Roll shapes our culture and is the great equalizer among people of different racial, social and economic background. It belongs in the schools!” said Van Zandt.

MENC: The National Association for Music Education, the world’s largest arts education organization, marks its centennial in 2007 as the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. More than 130,000 members represent all levels of teaching from preschool to graduate school. Since 1907, MENC has worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. MENC’s activities and resources have been largely responsible for the establishment of music education as a profession, for the promotion and guidance of music study as an integral part of the school curriculum, and for the development of the National Standards for Arts Education.