2011 Music Matters Grants Announced

New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation today announced that it has awarded grants to 15 music education programs across the United States though their Music Matters™ Grant program.

Music Matters™ Grants are designed to support band, orchestra, choral and other music education programs for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Highest consideration is given to those programs in need of basic materials such as instruments and sheet music, programs serving economically disadvantaged students, programs involving innovative educational reform and programs with established, collaborative partnerships with parent-teacher-student associations and other community groups.

This year, the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation received more than 120 applications totaling almost $1 million in grant requests. "We received numerous requests from music educators who have literally no budgets to pay for the essentials: instruments, repairs, and sheet music." said Adrianne Pryor, Director of Grants for the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation. "Understanding that the value of music education goes far beyond the notes, there has never been a more critical time to support music education and preserve it in school curriculum and non-profit programming."

The 2011 Music MattersTM Grant awards kicked off July 8th at the Muzak Home Office in Fort Mill with a presentation of a $2000 grant to Band Director Chris Moreau and his Independence High School Band from Charlotte, NC. In his five years at Independence, the program has grown to include marching band, concert band, symphonic band, wind ensemble, jazz bands, and several instrumental chamber ensembles. Moreau's bands have earned Excellent and Superior ratings at competition. While most Independence students use school-supplied instruments, many of these instruments are 25 years old and some are beyond repair. Moreau and his students have even improvised repairs with duct tape and floss. The Music MattersTM Grant from the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation will help Moreau make needed repairs and replacements to ensure every student who wishes to participate in band is able to do so.

Chris comments, "The generous donation provided to us by the Muzak Heart and Soul Foundation will provide our students with the opportunity and materials to be successful in their school band program. This will result in a once-in-a-lifetime experience that these students will always keep in their memories. Thank you to Muzak for their support of school music programs everywhere with the Music Matters™ Grant program!"

Music education allows children to reach their full potential by stimulating personal and educational growth. Studies show that children involved in music programs excel in their studies, especially in Science and Math. Involvement with music also contributes to social development and has been shown to benefit juvenile delinquent rehabilitation. The Music Matters™ Grants make it possible for school programs to better serve students in all aspects of their education.

"As we assessed the last 12 years of our Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation, we discovered that our Muzak employees believed that the Music Matters program was the most important and impactful of all our programs. Giving back to our communities in the form of music education, especially to the needy, was clearly at the heart and soul of our Foundation." says Bruce McKagan, Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation VP.

Congratulations to all of our 2011 Music Matters grant recipients:
Aspen Park Elementary, Riverton, WY
Blue Ridge Elementary School, Dalton, GA
Burke Elementary School, Kansas City, MO
Dignity Housing DII Drumline, Philadelphia, PA
Forks Middle School, Forks, WA
Goliad Elementary, San Angelo, TX
Imagine Schools at West Melbourne, West Melbourne, FL
Independence High School, Charlotte, NC
J.O. Schulze Elementary, Irving, TX
Jefferson Middle School Rock and Rhythm Band, Albuquerque, NM
Lockland Elementary School, Cincinnati, OH
Meadowlark Elementary School, Pittsburg, KS
Socastee Elementary School, Myrtle Beach, SC
The Cipher - Austin's Hip Hop Project, Austin, TX
Woodlawn Elementary School, San Antonio, TX

The 2012 Music MattersTM Grant Guidelines and Application will be posted on the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation website (https://www.heart.muzak.com) by November, with a submission deadline of February 9, 2012.