At a Music & Arts Sound Safari event in Worthington, OH
Participation in music programs also provides students with a much-needed outlet for self-expression; an outlet that’s imperative for children’s mental and social development.
WASHINGTON D.C. (PRWEB) July 27, 2015
As financially-strapped school districts look for creative ways to maximize reduced budgets, music programs are often the first to go. In fact, the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) recently noted more than 1.3 million elementary school students across the country are without access to music education.
This is why the largest school music instrument retailer and lesson provider in the country, Music & Arts, has partnered with Yamaha Corporation of America and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW) to donate 60 instruments comprising of 40 guitars and 20 full-size, digital pianos. The donation, valued at about $10,000, will help support several BGCGW interdisciplinary music education programs.
“Students who participate in the arts and music receive better grades, earn higher test scores, are more likely to enroll in and graduate from college, and exhibit higher levels of literacy and community engagement as compared to their peers. Participation in music programs also provides students with a much-needed outlet for self-expression; an outlet that’s imperative for children’s mental and social development,” said Steve Zapf, president, Music & Arts. “We’re honored to help the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington continue inspiring and educating more children with the power of music.”
As one of the country’s largest affiliates of the Boys & Girls Clubs, BGCGW reaches more than 12,000 youth annually throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
“Integrating music and the arts is a powerful way to make learning engaging and more meaningful. It’s remarkable to have great partners like Music & Arts and Yamaha who believe in our mission and in nurturing our communities,” said Tony Small, regional artistic director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. “We’re thrilled to grow our programs even more with this donation.”
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington is to help youth of all backgrounds build confidence, develop character and acquire the skills needed to become productive and responsible adults.
"Music education programs do so much for students. We're thrilled to be able to support this effort," said Jim Di Paolo, national accounts manager, Yamaha Corporation of America. "We hope this donation not only encourages students to grow their passion for music, but also helps them create long-lasting memories."
Music & Arts will make the official partnership announcement on August 3 at BGCGW’s annual Kennedy Center concert alongside Jussie Smollet, cast member of popular TV-series Empire, and Raymond Bokhour, cast member from the hit Broadway Chicago. The instrument delivery is scheduled for this fall with a celebratory event to follow. More details on the event will be announced soon.
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About Music & Arts
The first Music & Arts, run by founder Benjamin O’Brien, opened in 1952 and was located in a small house in Bethesda, MD. Still run by the O’Brien family today, Music & Arts now has more than 500 retail and affiliate locations, 120 educational representatives and 33,000 lesson students making it the nation’s largest school music retailer and lesson provider. Now based in Frederick, MD, the company of trained musicians offers friendly service for everything musical in your life including instruments, lessons, rentals and repairs. Visit MusicArts.com for more information.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW) is a major metro affiliate of Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Celebrating almost 130 years of continuous service to children, teens and families, BGCGW serves nearly 12,000 youth annually at 14 sites throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Through a variety of educational, sports and recreation, health, arts, and character development programs, BGCGW creates a positive environment where children are encouraged to develop their ambitions and turn them into GREAT FUTURES. BGCGW helps boys and girls of all backgrounds; especially those who need us most. We help to build confidence, develop character, and acquire skills that prepare them for school and life as productive, civic-minded, responsible citizens. For more information, please call 202-540-2300 or visit our website at bgcgw.org
About Yamaha Corporation of America
Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA) is one of the largest subsidiaries of Yamaha Corporation, Japan and offers a full line of award-winning musical instruments, sound reinforcement and home entertainment products to the U.S. market. Products include: Yamaha acoustic, digital and hybrid pianos, portable keyboards, guitars, acoustic and electronic drums, band and orchestral instruments, marching percussion products, synthesizers, professional digital and analog audio equipment, Steinberg recording products and Nexo commercial audio products, as well as AV receivers, amplifiers, Blu-ray/CD players, iPod docking systems, home-theater-in-a-box systems, earphones, headphones, sound bars, and its exclusive line of Digital Sound Projectors. YCA markets innovative, finely crafted technology and entertainment products and musical instruments targeted to the hobbyist, education, worship, professional music, installation and consumer markets.