The ASCAP Foundation has been selected
by The National Endowment for the Arts as one of just
ten organizations to receive $25,000 in a new NEA arts
education initiative, Summer Schools in the Arts. This
initiative, now in its pilot phase, is designed by
the NEA to enhance the quality and availability of
arts education for young people in summer learning
settings.
The ASCAP Foundation program supported
by this NEA grant is the Manhattan School of Music
Summer Music Camp, a five-week musical training and
performance experience for public school students from
New York City's five boroughs. The project will provide
free classical music training with an emphasis on increased
performance skills. Developed in 1999 by the Manhattan
School of Music in partnership with The ASCAP Foundation
and the New York City Department of Education, the
program's selection process is based on auditions and
interviews. Approximately 150 students in grades five
through eight, who have limited arts education sessions
during the regular school year, will attend the camp.
Participating students perform with the camp's orchestra,
concert band and other ensembles for invited audiences.
In addition to this grant from the National Endowment
for the Arts, the 2004 Manhattan School of Music Summer
Music Camp is sponsored by the New York City Department
of Education and The ASCAP Foundation, with additional
funding from the Music for Youth Foundation and a special
grant from the Altman Foundation.
Commenting on the NEA grant, The ASCAP
Foundation’s president, Marilyn Bergman said: “Over
the course of five years, we have worked hand-in-hand
with the Manhattan School of Music to establish a
summer music camp program of the highest quality
that serves
talented youngsters from all over New York City.
This clear message of support from the National Endowment
is very gratifying.”
Each of the NEA Summer Schools in the Arts projects
will be evaluated for its impact on the participating
students and its potential as a model for rigorous,
standards-based arts education. Each project will
also measure students' gains in artistic knowledge,
based on national and state standards. Enhanced
study habits and a life-long interest in the arts
are goals
of this initiative. The National Endowment for
the Arts will use the results of the pilot projects'
efforts to inform its expansion of the initiative
in 2005 and to document effective practices.
Other music education efforts of The ASCAP Foundation include funding of musical
instruments and instructors for Fresh Air Fund camps in Peekskill, NY, benefiting
New York City children; the John Denver Music Camp Scholarship Program, which
provides young music students the opportunity to attend Perry-Mansfield Performing
Arts School and Camp in Colorado (this program is co-funded with Cherry Lane
Music Publishing Company, John Denver's publisher, and Music Alive Magazine).
The “Mancini Music in the Schools,” program, funded by Ginny
Mancini and operated in partnership with VH1 Save the Music Foundation
and Warner Bros.
Publications, delivers folios, sheet music, band arrangements and method
books to those schools throughout the country that also receive VH1 Save
the Music
instruments, so that beginning students have quality music to practice.
For almost 30 years, The ASCAP Foundation has nurtured the music talent of
tomorrow through scholarships, grants, workshops and classroom music education
programs. The Foundation is a charitable organization supported by contributions,
bequests and grants from ASCAP members, other foundations and music lovers
across the county. Information about many more of The ASCAP Foundation programs
serving the entire music community can be found at http://www.ascapfoundation.org.
