NAMM Awards More Than $500,000 to Worthy Music Organizations

NAMM, the trade association of the international music products association, today announced the 14 recipients of its 2007–2008 grants program, allocating more than $500,000 in funding to support community music-making programs.

The new grants, while only a small portion of NAMM’s overall annual multimillion-dollar reinvestment back into the music products industry, serve an important function by enabling worthy organizations to run programs designed to increase interest and participation in making music.

During the recent NAMM Board of Directors meeting, the following programs received approval:

American String Teachers Association
NAMM funding supports the American String Teachers Association’s new program intending to offer young people in grades 1 to 3 exposure to and initial training in the playing of stringed instruments, via national youth-serving organizations.
www.astaweb.com

Bread and Roses
NAMM funding supports interactive performances in the San Francisco Bay Area for children and teens in homeless shelters, special needs schools, day centers for low-income children, pediatric hospitals, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, and youth detention facilities, providing the unique healing power of live music to these young people.
www.breadandroses.org

Coalition for Music Education in Canada
NAMM funding supports the expansion of the Coalition for Music Education in Canada’s “Music Monday” program, engaging hundreds of thousands of music makers of all ages in experiencing and understanding music’s vital role in school and in life.
www.weallneedmusic.ca

Guitars and Accessories Marketing Association
NAMM funding supports the expansion of the Guitars and Accessories Marketing Association's Teacher Guitar Workshop program into more communities. The program, which trains school music teachers how to teach guitar, has already brought hundreds of thousands of children, who were previously uninvolved, into music education. This year the expansion continues with eight beginner workshops and two advanced training workshops in various communities around the country.
www.discoverguitar.com

Guitars in the Classroom
NAMM funding supports the strengthening of Guitars in the Classroom’s infrastructure as they regionalize program supervision for their core program, which trains non-music teachers to integrate music into other learning areas in grades K-8. The program also intends to make curriculum materials available online as a free resource for all classroom teachers.
www.guitarsintheclassroom.com

Levine School of Music
NAMM funding supports Levine School of Music’s multiple recreational music programs for seniors 55 years or older, offered daily as “A Little Day Music.”
www.levineschool.org

Little Kids Rock, Inc.
NAMM funding supports the expansion of Little Kids Rock’s popular guitar program, which will now include keyboards and keyboard training for public school educators. Curriculum and lessons are free for low-income school communities, and all materials are also available online.
www.littlekidsrock.org

Music for All/Music Industries Association UK
NAMM funding supports the Learn to Play program allowing people of all ages throughout the United Kingdom to try different musical instruments with hands-on, expert and free guidance from music teachers via a traveling exhibit in public exhibitions and shopping centers. This program will run concurrently with the BBC’s “Play It Again” television series and its numerous public events being held nationwide.
www.mia.org.uk/events/index.cfm?eventid=15

National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts
NAMM funding supports the expansion of the National Guild's Creative Aging Initiative to include a national public awareness campaign and training of music and arts educators. The effort is focused on expanding the opportunities for music and arts learning for older adults.
www.nationalguild.org

National String Project Consortium
NAMM funding supports this program to increase the number of children playing stringed instruments, and to address the regional shortages of string teachers in the United States. These NSPC String Projects help to attract new teachers to the profession and give them hands-on, practical experience during their college years.
www.stringprojects.org/

New Horizons International Music Association
NAMM funding will support leadership fellowships for new ensemble directors to establish and lead unique, nonprofessional New Horizons community bands and orchestras.
www.newhorizonsmusic.org

Percussion Marketing Council
NAMM funding supports the expansion of the Percussion Marketing Council’s successful “Roots of Rhythm—World Drumming for Upper Elementary Classrooms” program. PMC’s plans include the development of a stronger connection between local music dealers and Roots of Rhythm qualified teachers, and a major expansion of its teacher training and public awareness components.
www.rootsofrhythm.net or www.playdrums.com.

Piano Manufacturers Association International
NAMM funding will help Piano Manufacturers Association International increase the number of music makers by providing a stress-free environment for piano lessons. The effort will raise awareness and interconnectedness between teachers and dealers, and it will train traditional piano teachers to reach and teach non-traditional/recreational adult piano students.
www.pianonet.com

Technology Institute for Music Educators
NAMM funding supports the expansion of TI:ME’s current multimedia project, which links university-level music technology experts with middle school classroom teachers. Using multiple music platforms and concepts to teach science, mathematics and language arts, TI:ME’s teacher trainings will continue for the coming year. Curriculum development will be completed and available on the TI:ME Web site.
www.ti-me.org

The 2008–2009 grant priorities and a Request for Proposals will be announced in the fall of 2007. For more information about NAMM’s grants program, visit the NAMM Grants page or e-mail grants@namm.org.