1 minute read
media relations
You need to Be Your own Pr Person
last spring we all had friends and colleagues who lost all or part of their jobs. We, as music educators, cannot wait to promote our programs. now that we are beginning a new school year, we all need to sit down and think how we can promote our music programs. i hope that we all have learned that music is never safe from educational cuts; even those that have strong and supportive districts.
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Here are several ideas that work well in promoting our programs and receiving support from district leaders and school communities: s chedule groups from all levels of your K-12 music programs to perform at school board meetings. this will keep the music program in the minds of the people who make the decisions on the budget. i ask you not to only feature your high schools groups, but get all grades involved. You need the elementary school choirs to sing, and instrumental groups playing recorder and orff instruments. the school board needs to see music as a K-12 program and if they cut elementary or middle that will affect the high schools. march is “ music in our schools m onth.” think ahead and plan something for that month. last year my district made a cd of every music group from all the schools in the district. this cd featured the elementary
Joe demianew all- state Housing chair
choirs, the middle school bands and choirs, and all the high school groups. We gave it to the school board and all administrators.
february and march is when solo and ensemble festivals take place in the middle and high schools. find a coffee shop, restaurant, or other small venue in your town and see if your students can perform their festival pieces. this is a great opportunity for the public to hear your individual students perform and it allows the students to perform their pieces in front of an audience.
schedule your groups to perform for rotary club, Kiwanis club, retirement communities and any other organizations in your town. this will help pull in community support for your music programs. influential people
