National Assn for Music Education Joins GRAMMYS to Bring Music to Schools

Soon-to-be-released new findings from a nationwide report on music education in U.S. public schools show that while "traditional ensemble-based music education [band, choir, orchestra] continues to be successful in bringing music to many students, scholars and leaders in the profession have suggested that music education for students would be improved if expanded to embrace additional types of engagement." As such, the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is excited to take part in a new initiative to broaden the resources available to schools.

The GRAMMY Music Education Coalition (GMEC) has brought together more than 30 of "the nation's most forward-thinking music education organizations," including NAfME, to bring about change in school music programs. Through strategic collaborations, the groups who are a part of GMEC will bring resources for teachers to use in their classrooms to reach more students with quality music education programs.

"At NAfME we seek daily to advance music education by promoting the understanding and making of music by all-and 'all' is the operative word here," said Michael J. Blakeslee, NAfME Executive Director and CEO. "The unfortunate fact we endeavor to overcome is that not all students are receiving a quality music education-or have any music program for that matter-due to decisions by district leaders regarding course schedules or the lack of available funding. Moreover, due to lack of professional development geared specifically for music educators that meets their needs to reach the students they have in their programs with the music that resonates with them, many students are missing out on music-making opportunities."

As the GMEC announced recently, the coalition has teamed up with Disney?Pixar's soon-to-be-released film "Coco" in order to "bring best-in-class music from the film and learning content to teachers and youth. . . . 'Coco' tells the story of 12-year-old Miguel, a self-taught guitarist who dreams of becoming a great musician." The coalition is working with Berklee to provide teaching materials to music educators, to which NAfME has contributed as well.

Content for students and teachers is available now at grammymusiced.org/coco/.

National Association for Music Education, among the world's largest arts education organizations, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. NAfME advocates at the local, state, and national levels; provides resources for teachers, parents, and administrators; hosts professional development events; and offers a variety of opportunities for students and teachers. The Association orchestrates success for millions of students nationwide and has supported music educators at all teaching levels for more than a century. With more than 130,000 members, the organization is the voice of music education in the United States.

Follow NAfME on Twitter and on Facebook. For additional information, contact Catherina Hurlburt at catherinah(at)nafme(dot)org or 571-323-3395.

ABOUT DISNEY PIXAR'S "COCO" Despite his family's baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Héctor (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history. Directed by Lee Unkrich ("Toy Story 3"), co-directed by Adrian Molina (story artist "Monsters University") and produced by Darla K. Anderson ("Toy Story 3"), Disney•Pixar's "Coco" opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2017. For more information, check out http://movies.disney.com/coco, hashtag: #PixarCoco, Pixar Coco Facebook, Pixar Coco Twitter, and Pixar Coco Instagram.

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