Vh1 Save the Music Foundation

Kathleen De Guzman

MissionWe are a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental

music education in America's public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child's complete education.

Music has been a huge part of my life, and I honestly cannot remember a time where music wasn’t a part of me. Whether it was playing an

instrument or singing, music not only gave me an outlet for expression, but it allowed me to connect with my surrounding on a

higher level. I know that music opens several opportunities for anyone who believes in it, and music should not have to be given to

those who can only afford it. This organization values music as much as I do, and we both share the belief that music is meant to be

shared regardless of our setbacks.

My Connection

The music programs that we implement in public elementary and middle schools provide new musical instruments for the school district, and give advice to school districts to make a curriculum

that has music as a core class.

Our Program

A majority of our funds comes from the events and fundraisers we hold, and are also very thankful for our sponsors (listed below). The foundation itself has a staff that is actively working with the communities, and paving

the course of musical instruments as an education. We have several ambassadors that help in raising the awareness and spread salient

information on how music is important in a young person’s life. They aid in raising more funds for the foundation by participating in our musical

events. (List of a few ambassadors left to right: Beyoncé, Jason Mraz, Neyo, John Mayer and Colbie Caillat.)

Our Resources (input)

Ambassadors

Sponsors

Through strategic planning, we partner up with school districts and provide new-brand musical instruments to public elementary and

middle schools. The school district must be committed to providing maintenance and supplies, scheduling instrumental music classes throughout the school day and funding certified music teachers’

salaries. We remain a devoted partner to these school districts until each school has a qualified music program.

How it Works (process)

Since 1997 we have helped over 1,800 public schools in 100+ cities nationwide, provided $48 million worth of brand new musical

instruments, and aided over 1.8 million children. Examples: 317 schools in New York, 127 in California, 68 in Illinois and 78 in Texas (6).

Things We’ve Done (outputs)

According to San Fernando Elementary School in Los Angeles, musical opportunities “are crucial to building self-esteem and self-worth” and “That is a

feeling that cannot be purchased.”

A music teacher and principal in Connecticut reported that “music has engaged students who were in jeopardy of dropping out of school, were failing in other academic subjects and come from very challenging home environments (5) .”

“Students taking courses in music performance and music appreciation scored higher in the SAT than students with no arts participation. Music performance

students scored 53 points higher on the verbal and 39 points higher on the math. Music appreciation students scored 61 points higher on the verbal and 42 points

higher on the math. (Source: 1999 College-Bound Seniors National Report: Profile of SAT Program Test Takers, The College Entrance Examination Board,

Princeton, New Jersey)”

Our Results (outcomes)

Over the past couple of years several school programs have been curtailed due to the budgets cuts, and for students today this is no stranger: summer school

classes gone, perquisites forgotten and 10 cents to print. Out of all these things, art and music programs have suffered the most because it appears to

be a luxury, when in reality it’s critical.

Save the Music Foundation is the solution.

We directly help schools without music programs and provide them with the materials to rebuild a curriculum that includes music. In America’s worst

hour, we need to build our country’s foundation and future: the children. Save the Music is directly geared towards the youth.

If we continue to ignore the needs of the future, we take away the opportunity for them to mold creatively.

Addressing the Need

Music will help children learn how to read on a different level.

Written music is Greek to anyone who does not understand it. Sheet music appears to be a mixture of ancient Latin, black dots and repetitious line segments, but to

an instrumentalist, those notes of music is a story meant to be read. Like with books, the reader has to understand the vocabulary on the sheet and know what to do when s/he sees that word; from the first measure to the end, s/he must be

able to interpret the emotion that the composer intended for the piece.

Music may be foreign word to fresh eyes, but it’s a universal language to the world.

Why Critical Reading?

Music is to creative as creativity is the ultimate meaning of critical thinking.

Critical thinking has no limitation in music, and for music to not have critical thinking would be impossible. When students learn music their brain

switches into “challenge mode”. While their pragmatic minds process the basics, their creative minds start to train their thoughts to find the purpose of

the music, as well as to find their own purpose in playing it. They can differentiate between themselves and the music they play because musical

growth promotes outer and inner understanding. Hence, professional musicians are able to take ownership of their interpretation, to persevere, to

recreate their thinking and technique, and to empathize with the music.

Why Critical Thinking?

Music not only feeds the mind, but it moves the body.

Although, literally, music may create physical movements of the body, music moves the body in that it initiates people to apply what they have learned into the community. Musicians happen to be some of the most passionate

people in society overall because music has taught them to have a passionate disposition on life. For example, our foundation is one of the many results of driven individuals who are ready to make decisions in order for their love to be known among “fresh eyes”. For students learning music, their purpose is

to practice the skill and to transform their techniques. As long as there are people playing music, music will always be a work in progress.

Why Critical Action?

The mission of the non-profit Thinking Foundation is to support high quality research on cognitive skills development, creativity, and critical

reflection—at pre-school, K-12 and college levels in order to transform learning, literacy, teaching and leadership around the world for those

with the greatest need.

The Thinking Foundation The Mission

PrioritiesGoals

Extensive research on:

1. Cognitive Skill Development

2. Creativity

3. Critical Reflection

To transform:

1. Learning

2. Literacy

3. Teaching

4. Leadership

So let’s break it down…

Research shows that “Regularly playing a musical instrument changes the anatomy and functions of the brain and may be used in therapy to improve cognitive skills (3).”

Reflection through music eases humans to question themselves, others, emotion, purpose, etc. It permits us listeners to find “the meaning to meaning,” because the meaning of a song can provide perspective on our own lives.

Music and creativity go hand in hand. Whether it’s creativity making music or music stimulating creativity, music is a power house to creativity because music is organically “created” by us people. Priorities

Extensive research on:

1. Cognitive Skill Development

2. Creativity

3. Critical Reflection

The Thinking Foundation (cont.)

The Thinking Foundation (cont.) Goal

s

4. Leadership

Learning music is far different than learning from a book or in a classroom. It’s all about interaction, decision making, technique and skill. As generations become more visual, music is an excellent method of learning because students are not only using their minds to think but to coordinate. l. I understand our foundation values the creativity and visual aspects of learning. The hands-on style of learning will trigger students to use all parts of their brain.

1. Learning

Reading notes instead of letters is a challenge for students. Teaching them to read musical scores puts their critical reading and thinking skills into practice, thus, exponentially “transforming” the literacy results.

2. Literacy

To transform:

In a typical classroom, hard core facts are taught. There is little room to be creative in an academic curriculum, but we can fix that. Music teaches and stimulates creativity in the classroom and in real life making it easier to make reasonable decisions or choices.

3. Teaching

Music enables students to challenge themselves and test their skills. Schools in America have mentioned that having music at school gives a sense of pride in the students, and they’ve noticed that students that studied and pursued music were more likely to join non-profit organizations or school clubs that help the community.

GoalsTo transform:

1. Learning

2. Literacy

3. Teaching

4. Leadership

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The Thinking Foundation (cont.)

We truly believe that The Thinking Foundation is the perfect organization for our non-profit because we are both firm believers in the power of creativity.

We’ve seen what the imagination and creativity of people can do for our community. Let’s not deprive our country of that vision. The economic state of America has placed a fear in us for our future generation, the fear that one of

the most purest forms of human connection will disappear but if you invest in us, you invest in the future.

Our Future

What You Can Do

1.Make a DonationDonations are done online through the website

2. Become a Sponsor/Partner We invite you to support VH1 Save the Music Foundation For information about corporate sponsorship and special events, contact: Nia Mack, Development Manager, at 212-846-7324/Nia.Mack@vh1savethemusic.com. For information about partnerships and promotions contact: Ariel Usatin, Director of Partnerships & Communications, 212-846-5220/Ariel.Usatin@vh1savethemusic.com. 

3. Purchase tickets to an upcoming event to benefit The FoundationTickets can be bought through the website on the “Events” page.

4. Raise funds on behalf of The FoundationLog onto the website and fill out you and/or organization’s information and submit it.

5. Learn how to become an advocate for music educationGo onto the website (http://vh1savethemusic.com/) and check out the advocate for music under “What You Can Do”.  

Address: 1515 Broadway, 20th Floor. New York, NY 10036Phone: 212.846.7600Fax: 212.846.1827

Thank You!“Some people think music education is a privilege, but I think

it’s essential to being human.”- Jewel

1. “About VH1 Save The Music Foundation | VH1 Save The Music." VH1 Save The Music | VH1 Save The Music Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2011. <http://vh1savethemusic.com/about>.  

2. "Improving Cognitive Skills With Music." Medical News Today: Health News. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2011. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/168846.php>.  

3.Page, Ken, and LCSW. "Einstein On Creative Thinking: Music and the Intuitive Art of Scientific Imagination | Psychology Today." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2011. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/imagine/201003/einstein-creative-thinking-music-and-the-intuitive-art-scientific-imagination>.   

4."Thinking Foundation Thinking IS the Foundation for Learning." � Thinking Foundation �Thinking IS the Foundation for Learning. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2011. <http://www.thinkingfoundation.org/>.   

5."VH1 Save The Music | VH1 Save The Music Foundation." VH1 Save The Music | VH1 Save The Music Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2011. <http://vh1savethemusic.com/stories>.   

6."VH1 Save The Music | VH1 Save The Music Foundation." VH1 Save The Music | VH1 Save The Music Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2011. <http://vh1savethemusic.com/schools>.

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