National Moment Of Remembrance and Official Anthem To Be Launched on Memorial Day This Year

MENC: The National Association for Music Education Partners With The White House Commission on Remembrance to Promote Act and Memorial Day Anthem

RESTON, VA (PRWEB) May 23, 2003 -- MENC: The National Association for Music Education is partnering with The White House Commission on Remembrance, an independent agency established by Congress as Public Law 106-579, to promote the National Moment of Remembrance and the Memorial Day anthem, On This Day," which was written at the request of the commission.

Americans worldwide are asked to pause at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day (May 26) as an act of national unity, remembrance, and rededication to the ideals upon which our nation was founded. MENC is working with the Commission to make the Moment a new American tradition.

During the week leading up to Memorial Day, the Commission urges Americans to honor our fallen service men and women by performing On This Day." Composed by Charles Strouse, award-winning composer of Annie and Bye Bye Birdie and recent FAME (Fund for the Advancement of Music Education) awardee, the anthem was written expressly for the Commissions National Moment of Remembrance. The anthem is an inspiring song that celebrates the lives of those that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

The song will help promote and inspire the tone of this annual observance and has been created to inspire patriotism and pride. MENC is encouraging all schools to join with their communities in performing On This Day" as part of ceremonies surrounding Memorial Day, as part of concerts around that date, or simply in a school assembly or in class to encourage students to understand what it means to be an American. Other activities this year will include:

•   Performances of the song at Major League Baseball games         
•   Performances at live events by many professional artists

In addition to wider recognition of the National Moment of Remembrance, the Commission seeks to focus attention on education, particularly music education, in participating in events of pride and cohesiveness in American society.

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More information regarding the National Moment of Remembrance can be found at:

http://www.menc.org/guides/remember/onthisday.html and http://remember.gov/moment/about_event.cfm

For more information, call MENC at 1-800-336-3768.

   MENC, the worlds largest arts education organization, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. Nearly 100,000 members represent all levels of teaching from preschool to graduate school. Since 1907, MENC has worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. MENCs activities and resources have been largely responsible for the establishment of music education as a profession, for the promotion and guidance of music study as an integral part of the school curriculum, and for the development of the National Standards for Arts Education.   

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