In 2006 MENC member LaVone Hicks directed her students from the roof of the elementary schoolduring a ceremony to celebrate their fund raising effort for MENC's Feed The Children campaign. Musicand fund raising go hand in hand, as many music teachers know.
And you thought Elvis had left the building.
Not! He looked pretty good last night, warbling along with Celine Dion.
It was young, hot, altruistic Elvis, the Elvis who knows that one of the best ways to raise money is to strike up the band. American Idol Gives Back proved that last night. $30 million. Whew! Collective pat on the back, America. However you feel about the images of kids throughout the show and some people were uncomfortable with that, money was raised and is going to help needy families in the United States and Africa.
What did you think of the show? I liked the "Staying Alive" video. Goofy, yes. Blue Man Group! Hugh Grant recreating his "Pop" video hip-shakin' from the recent Music and Lyrics movie. It's an 80's style Whamfest (Really cute flick if you haven't seen it. ARN and I totally love it. Hugh and Drew Barrymore as song writers are great together.) Jack Black was funny and I loved Ellen Degeneres, always the good sport. U2's Bono was his usual cool self. Now there's a guy who's done a lot of good around the world. Bono's met with the six remaining finalists to talk about the work of ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History. One is one of Idol's charities.
But the big shocker (gasp!) was that no one went home on charity night (ARN and I discussed that possibility yesterday, smart us). But making Jordin cry! That was mean.
On the other hand, Wednesday was full of good news. My colleague NS sent an email yesterday morning alerting us that MENC member and music educator Andrea Peterson of Granite Falls, Washington, was named Teacher of the Year. Congratulations Andrea! According to The Associated Press, the elementary music teacher is only the second music teacher in 57 years to receive that honor from the Council of Chief State School Officers.
News like that gets us excited around here. We are always happy to hear learn a member was recognized for their hard work and this award is a big one. Along with other teacher finalists, Peterson met President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush. Visit this link to see video of the awards ceremony and read their remarks today at White House Rose Garden.
And there was other good news on Wednesday. Spinal Tap is reuniting in July to play in a London concert to help combat global warming. All is right with the world of fund raising concerts. Rock on dudes.
Spinal Tap is the mock heavy metal group that appeared in the faux 1984 rockcumentary, This is Spinal Tap, which was directed by Rob Reiner, who also played documentarian Marti DiBergi in the film. The group has reunited sporadically.
My son Matt is a Spinal Tap fan of sorts. He enjoys shredding the video game Guitar Hero II, using a controller shaped like an electric guitar. Spinal Tap's song, "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" is one of the songs in the game that he's played. Brilliant title, lads.
Spinal Tap is made up of Nigel Tufnel (played by Christopher Guest), David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer). Once known as the “loudest rock band in the world,” Spinal Tap will reunite for a performance at Wembley Stadium in London as part of the Live Earth concerts, a festival scheduled worldwide on July 7.
Speaking to The Associated Press, Reiner said, “They're not that environmentally conscious, but they've heard of global warming. Nigel thought it was just because he was wearing too much clothing — that if he just took his jacket off it would be cooler.”
Uh, right. Nigel, David and Derek, are, shall we say, not the sharpest knives in the drawer. Rent it if you haven't seen it. The tagline for the movie is "Does for rock and roll what The Sound of Music does for hills." It is so funny.
Guest, McKean and Shearer work well together in improvisational comedies, like the recent "For Your Consideration" and "A Mighty Wind", which offers a backstage view of a fictional folk singers' reunion for a fictional public broadcasting show.
July festival planners will open the event by the showing of several global warming-themed short films produced by the SOS (Save Our Selves) campaign. SOS is also putting on the Live Earth concerts, to be held on seven continents. Reiner is directing a 15-minute “Spinal Tap” film that will be shown there and also at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
Let's face it, music is always ready to help out when funds or consciousness need raising. We are the World. Band Aid. Lots of music, big bucks.
Last year MENC members across the country used concerts and other events to help raise money for MENC’s Feed The Children campaign.
MENC member LaVone Hicks
below used a talent show at her school Carver Elementary School in Mount Olive, North Carolina, to become the top fundraising school in the 2006 national campaign. Parents chipped in to count the coins and kids donated their life's savings. Nationwide, MENC members raised nearly $100,000 for the cause and fed lots of kids and families.
With summer coming, my husband and decided to get tickets for the almost-in-our-backyard Wolftrap Center for the Performing Arts. (I am jealous of all of the shows EWL will attend this summer.)
So far we have settled on tickets for Harry Connnick Jr. in June. As I mentioned in an earlier post, HC, a New Orleans native, is donating some proceeds from two recent CDs, Oh, My Nola and Chanson du Vieux Carre to help fund a "village" of houses for displaced New Orleans musicians. My husband gave me Nola for Valentine's Day and I love it.
I will say goodbye for the week with this thought: Music and fund raising go together like heavy metal and really bad hair.
See you next Thursday
RF
