In celebration of "Music in Our Schools Month,” Keep Music Alive has announced its second annual “Teach Music America Week,” which asks the country’s music teachers to provide one new student with a free 30-minute lesson March 21 to 27.

"Keep Music Alive believes that by encouraging musicians, music teachers and potential students to reach out to each other during March, many will continue to teach, learn and share music with each other long after the month is over. The organization's goal is to get as many new students as possible to begin learning how to play a musical instrument,” the National Association for Music Education said in a statement.

"The purpose of 'Teach Music America Week' and Keep Music Alive is to help remind us how important and valuable music is and all the reasons why,” said Keep Music Alive founder Vincent James in a statement.

"By sparking musical interest in these new students, we will collectively help ensure that quality new music is created for future generations. As an added bonus, we will also be helping to develop their minds for many successful careers outside the arts,” he said.

Despite typically being the first to go when schools experience budget cuts, music education experienced a recent victory under the new education legislation, the Every Student Succeeds Act.

For the first time in history, music is listed as a critical component of a well-rounded education.

Music and art education advocates are optimistic that the legislation will help return focus and funding to its programs, shedding an especially positive light on this month’s celebration of music in our schools.

Read more about Keep Music Alive here.

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

3/9/2016